At 433 comments, I stopped reading the comment section following the article “Coffee, The Christian, and The Church”. I hit my knees to pray for all parties involved because the course of the argument was missing the sweet spirit of Christ. I interceded on their behalf, asking Christ to send His spirit to work on all hearts involved.
Following that prayer, I opened my Bible to Jeremiah 7, where verse 16 stopped me in my tracks: “Therefore, pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to Me: for I will not hear thee.”
What?
I went back to the start of the chapter, trying to find what would cause God to say such a thing about His people. How are we like them that God would say, “Neither make intercession to Me: for I will not hear thee”?
“Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Ba’al, and walk after other gods who ye know not; and come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 7:8-11).
Coffee
The origins of coffee usage are shrouded in legend but the oldest legend I could find was from the 8th century. However, coffee did not come into widespread use until the 14th century, so the Bible does not mention it. For that matter, neither does it mention tobacco, tea, marijuana, cocaine, meth, or any other drug except alcohol (although there are lots of arguments online about opium). While modern society has come to agreement that tobacco, cocaine, meth, and heroin/opium are bad, they tolerate alcohol, and seem to have decided that coffee, tea, caffeine, and to a lesser extent marijuana are good.
A quick google search of “Coffee in the bible” shows the general consensus “out there” is that coffee is good in moderation, and Sabbath I even drove past a place called the Berean Coffee House with the slogan “Christ + Church + Coffee” (Eureka Springs, AR).
Personal Bias
Each person has a bias. I am biased, and even though I will do my level best to give the following texts a fair shake, and cover all that I can find related to this topic, I know this: that I am opposed to caffeine usage. I used the drug to cope with headaches in 2004-2005, a medicinal use, so justified, right? Well, what started with 1-2 Dr. Peppers a week became 1 a day, then 2 a day. Around Christmas 2005 I traveled to my old hometown in Lakeland, GA while researching a novel I was writing. The day I went to check out Okefenokee Swamp I drank 3. I realized I had a problem, and for New Years 2006 I committed to get off the drug. It was the worst month of my life! On day 7 I lost fine motor control so that I could not write. However, from that point on, things began to improve. I slept better at night, my hands became steadier, and I was less anxious and agitated. Though I’ve not been perfect, and I even learned more about the places they hide caffeine as I researched this article, I haven’t had to face another withdraw like I did in 2006. However, it does partially explain why I have cravings for certain rather unhealthy foods.
What Does Scripture Say?
Because the Bible does not mention either coffee or caffeine specifically, one must look for the concepts behind the use of this drug. While researching these texts, I came across a lot that were a real stretch. For instance, the Green Beanery blog claims that Isaiah 51 and 52 are in reference to drinking coffee, “Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which has drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury, thou has drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling and wrung them out” (51:17). If that is the case, I wish to stay as far away from the stuff as possible, because I do not wish for desolation and destruction (19), nor do I wish to be “drunken, but not with wine” (21). Of course, they recognize their article is a joke, stating, “Tongue in cheek although Svigel’s thesis was—and one he jokes ended his career as a ‘respectable’ theologian—his paper was, nevertheless, loads of fun.” Wading through man’s opinion trying to get to the truth of the matter truly is a trip into the gutter.
The following texts were compiled by Bible Reasons concerning coffee usage, and their bias is in favor. For the sake of space, I am not writing each one out (nor are all of us KJV readers), so, here is the list:
1. Colossians 2:16
2. Romans 14:3
3. 1 Corinthians 6:11-12
4. Proverbs 25:16
5. Philippians 4:5
6. 2 Timothy 1:7
7. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27
8. Galatians 5:23
9. 1 Corinthians 10:31
10. Colossians 3:17
11. Romans 14:22-23
12. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
13. Romans 12:1-2
14. Proverbs 3:5-6
15. Matthew 15:11
Our local church is still closed, so we decided to go to a church 2 hours away. During this time, my wife and daughter read to us all the above listed texts trying to understand what the context is. Scripture can be made to say anything one wants it to if the context is not considered. And as the context was considered the broader passage often meant something far different than the author of the list was attempting to present. For instance, Colossians 2:16 is part of a thought that starts in 2:8 and runs all the way to 3:17, while the thought in Romans 14:3 starts at 13:11 and runs through the end of chapter 14. Both thoughts deal with food, but the focus is on Christ and our relationship with Him. We can get caught up in focusing on food, giving ordinances to govern everything one does, but the list of rules cannot save us. Only Christ can save us, and He must be our focus.
#1 Colossians 2:8-3:17
#2 Romans 13:11-14:23
#3 Two thoughts, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 first thought and 12-20 second thought
#4 Single thought
#5 Single thought
#6 2 Timothy 1:6-18
#7 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
#8 Galatians 5:22-26
#9 1 Corinthians 10
#13 Single thought
#14 Single thought
#15 Matthew 15:1-20
In Matthew 15:11, Christ is responding to the Pharisees who are freaking out because according to their traditions the disciples have defiled themselves by not ritually washing their hands before eating. He goes on to explain what He meant to the disciples in 15:16-20 and makes clear that spiritual defilement comes from inside a person, not from eating with unwashed hands. This by no means changes the dietary laws, nor removes the consequences for taking into our bodies things which are unhealthy. You wouldn’t eat a Jolly Rancher laced with COVID-19, or swallow arsenic. In like manner, eating lots of refined sugars and bacon may not defile you, but it’s going to make you sick. The laws of nature are not changed even though we are not spiritually defiled by what we eat. We most certainly affect our body by what we intake, and that intake can have extremely negative consequences to our spiritual life, and this should be of grave concern to us.
The next list of texts came from openbible.info concerning coffee usage, but as I read through them, it became clear that God is our strength, our fortress, our focus, but there is very little to add to the first list that could even be construed as dealing with coffee. Therefore, you can find the list here:
Negative Effects of Coffee
“The food and beverage industry spends millions, if not billions, of dollars worldwide to fund studies and promote caffeinated products as safe or even healthy.” This site also lists side effects of caffeine and the studies that prove them.
Side effects include insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, upset stomach, nausea and vomiting, increased heart and breathing rate, and if unfiltered, coffee increases cholesterol. More than 300mg of caffeine (less than 3 standard cups of coffee which have approximately 125mg of caffeine) has been linked to miscarriage in pregnant women and can be passed on through breast milk. For a more complete list of side effects, check out this article from under the side effects tab.
Texts That Guide My Personal Decision
“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 2:2-3).
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). Hard to be still when one is stimulated with nervousness and restlessness.
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:31-33).
“Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).
“That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience” (Titus 2:2).
I know the following text refers to drunkards, and I try hard not to take anything out of context, but it brings a smile to my face when I remember my battle buddies prior to their morning energy drink/coffee fix. “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” (Isaiah 5:11).
“But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9).
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:22-26). For me, verse 24 really sums up our walk, including sacrificing anything that clouds our minds, addicts us, or causes physical reactions within us contrary to the fruits of the Spirit.
“Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness” (Isaiah 55:2). The complete thought is Isaiah 55:1-56:8, and the concept is spiritual, yet the application of this text is physical. The resources God gives us are to be used for His kingdom, and by spending them in wasteful manner, especially on that which does His temple harm, we rob Him.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:17-19).
“And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper” (2 Chronicles 20:20).
“Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:25-26).
We Are Delivered to Do These Abominations
The argument in the comments about “Coffee, The Christian, and The Church” devolved into whether Ellen White was a messenger from God or not, and whether the light she shed on this topic made clear the principles already established in scripture, or replaced the Bible. In the challenge, “Show me from the Bible,” I recognized my own words when, as a young person, I would say those words to any who admonished me from the writings of Ellen White. When they could not, I would gloat at defeating those legalists, and continue in my wicked ways, confident that I was correct, and that Ellen White was just a troubler of Israel. After many years walking as a son of Satan, God used The Great Controversy to win my heart back to Him, and as I have read other writings by Ellen White since, I have found her to be a trustworthy source, pointing people to Jesus Christ, and shedding light on topics, yet always within the biblical framework, never superseding or replacing scripture. (Yes, I have considered the “not a prophet” websites and found their arguments to not ring true.)
None of the Scriptures shared above say, “Thou shalt not drink coffee”, so I sadly suspect that none will convince the coffee addict that they need to surrender their draught. But those who love Jesus Christ, who are seeking Him with all their hearts will take this before Him in prayer, will consider the principles of each text, and will consider whether Ellen White is His messenger.
Souls are hardening in their position. Those who have had great light are turning against it and are being left in perfect darkness. God is still reaching out to who He can, but people are sealing their fate. Now is the time to get off the fence. Now is the time to seek Him with all our hearts. Now is the time to let go of any fleshly lusts that inhibit our ability to hear Him. If we keep walking after our idols, and saying, “We are delivered to do these abominations,” He will reject us, just as He rejected those in Jeremiah’s time, only this time, the army coming isn’t an earthly army.