When is it not "Legalism"?

I sure hope I’m not going outside my “guest” status but I want to put this out there for discussion.

Full disclosure: Adrian’s post about legalism sparked something in me and I started working on my input for the discussion. I had spent about 15 seconds glancing over the post before going to work so I picked up only on the things that struck closest to home personally. I had a differing opinion on what I thought I read. As I was writing my rough draft I would refer back to Adrian’s to ensure I was covering everything I wanted to. Finally, as I was preparing to move from rough draft to finished product I slowly and carefully re-read the entire post, repeating some of the paragraphs and that’s when they started to sink in.

For others its drink- no not even a drop!
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The bible is very clear that man-made rules should have no part to play in the Christian walk. Actually if we depend on them we are in danger of shipwrecking our faith according to Galatians.
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This passage in Colossians that I am about to quote makes it abundantly clear that rules, and traditions have no place in holiness.
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This passage makes clear that the real key to walking free of sin is to focus our gaze on heavenly things. If our mind is full of Christ, we will so value him that sin seems somehow inappropriate. That is the Christian way, not putting ourselves back under rules and regulations.
[…]

I’m going to share with you my rough draft. The above quote that I put in bold is what really broke through for me. Please continue reading and consider the question I have for you at the end.

What about the alcoholic who refuses to drink? He doesn’t believe this affects his salvation but it is a rule he has to live by here on earth. What counts as “legalism” for one man is “fleeing from sin” for another.

In my opinion, what some may view as legalism is just survival for others, as long as they don’t start believing that these “rules” they live by will improve their stature before God. The more concerning problem of “legalism” is when we try to force our rules on others of the Faith. I believe, in a simplified form, this is what Paul’s opponents in Galatia were trying to do. What I’m trying to say here basically is personal legalism versus corporate legalism. Rules tell us how we are supposed to live our lives. Schedules, protocols, traffic laws, civility and manners, grammar, and budgets are a few off the top of my head. But we, hopefully all of us, don’t believe that our eternal standing is affecting by the rules we choose to live by.

I haven’t touched alcohol since January 1st, 1996. I don’t plan on touching it ever again. Several different reasons affect this decision. First, with Christ in my life, I have no need to fill the emptiness with drinking like I used to. Second, I do not want to give in to temptation and have that demon control my life again. Even though I have faith in Christ, I am aware that the flesh can be weak. I also am concerned that taking up drinking again could fall into the category of testing God. Third, I have friends who drink, many times to excess. I want to show them that life with Christ is the only dependency I need. I know and am the first to address that the Bible does not tell us to have a zero-tolerance for alcohol. Everything in moderation. That’s why I don’t tell anyone that they can’t drink. For some people who I recognize as having a problem I will suggest they explore why they drink so much.

This is my question: Can someone who is an alcoholic but has not had a drink since before baptism ever reach a point in life where he or she can have a glass of wine with dinner and treat it as if drinking a soda, glass of tea or water?

I know this can be a loaded question. I’m trying to understand the subject and its application. When applied to the situation I’ve put before you, is this what “Setting our minds on things above” leads us to? This is what I get from Adrian’s statement: If our mind is full of Christ, we will so value him that sin seems somehow inappropriate. The alcoholic who is now living life for Christ can have a drink but have no desire to get drunk because that would be inappropriate. He would see the error of his prior ways, more fully trust in Christ, and realize that he has conquered this demon.

If, and that could be a big if right now, I’m on the right track then Adrian, you have opened me up to a new understanding.

Update from Adrian:
I wasnt intending to lead any recovered alcoholic to drink! Of course for an alcoholic a personal decision not to drink may be very helpful, provided it doesnt become a law for everyone else. I am sure that there are some recovered alcoholics who learn to be able to drink in moderation, I just havent met any yet. Every successful dry ex-drinker I have met abstains totally. So, please dont misunderstand what I meant!