The purpose of this post (which is mostly derived from a sermon by Pastor Johnny Hunt) is not to condemn anyone who moderately consumes alcohol. Every person we meet is someone Christ loved enough to die for and God cared for enough to create. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1
Some of my family, friends and church members drink. Were I to be at their house, or out to dinner, and they had a drink, I would not make an issue of it. Only the Holy Spirit and God’s Word can change a person’s desires, not my judgments.
As Christians, our guide is the Word of God. Our desire should be for righteousness in the eyes of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, with respect to drinking, a Christian should look to follow God’s will and Christ's example. With that in mind, please accept the following material concerning the question, “Should Christian’s drink alcohol?”
Consider the Effects of Alcohol on Our Society:
Take a quick glance at the statistics below with this question in mind, “Would Christ support, or God approve, of Christians being involved in something which leads to so much destruction?”
- 50% of High School seniors report drinking in the last 30 days, 32% report being drunk at least once.
- 450,000 teen alcoholics
- 17,274 died in alcohol related accidents last year
- Despite all the efforts, alcohol impaired drivers kill
someone every 30 minutes, nearly 50 people a day and
almost 18,000 citizens a year. - 40% of all auto accidents are alcohol related
- 2 out of every 5 people will be involved in an alcohol
related crash during their lifetime. - In the last 10 years 4 times the number who died in the
Vietnam War were killed in alcohol related accidents - Youth who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to do
illegal drugs - Advertisers spend $750 Million a year, mostly targeting younger markets
- Alcohol kills 6 ½ times more youth than all other illicit
drugs combined.
(As Christians we rail about the amount of drug use among teenagers, yet adults will frequently use the one drug most dangerous to their health- alcohol) - 80 % of all crime and 50% of all murders are directly related to alcohol use.
Note: **Statistics may vary based on when you read this article.**
Jesus knew what he was saying when he said that “the thief comes but to steal, kill and destroy.”
When we see all the destruction wrought within society by alcohol it is hard to justify its use before God. Could we, with a good conscience and in the Spirit, pray for God's approval to drink? The truth is most would hide that drink as fast as they could if Christ were to appear in their midst and they know it. Some will hide it from the preacher, and he has no say in a matter between them and God
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. Proverbs 20:1
Let us approach the remainder of this topic on 3 levels.
1. A Practical Level
2. A Theological Level
3. A Spiritual Level
1. A PRACTICAL LEVEL
THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONDEMN THE MODERATE DRINKING OF WINE.
Hold on, don’t run down to the liquor store just yet. Proof of this statement can be found in 1 Timothy 3: 8 “Deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience." There is no way to read this verse and say that the Bible condemns the moderate drinking of 1st century wine. Therefore, we must define what wine was during the time period the scriptures were written.
SO WHAT IS WINE?
In the Old Testament three Hebrew words are used for wine…
Sekar – meaning strong drink
Strong Drink is always condemned in the scriptures with the exception of
being used as a sedative when a person is dying.
Proverbs 31:6 “Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart".
Yah-yin – Generic word that can mean fermented or unfermented wine.
Example of Unfermented– Isa. 16:10 – “no treaders have tread out wine in their presses". Newly treaded wine would be unfermented.
Example of Fermented – Prov. 23: 31 “Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly, At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper,”This is obviously fermented wine.
Tee-roshe’ - grapes or grape juice
(Isa. 65:8) “As the new wine is found in the cluster”
A first century Hebrew would have walked through a grape vineyard and said, "look at that pretty wine.
In the New Testament There was…
Oy-nos – same as the word Yah-yin for wine in the Old Testament
So what was wine to a Hebrew in the first century? A Yale study might shed some light on the subject. Yale is not exactly a bastion of Christianity (although it started out that way) so it would seem an objective source.
The Yale University study on alcoholism concluded that the normal 1st Century process of fermentation for “the fruit of the vine” does not produce a drink with sufficient alcohol content to bring on drunkenness. There must be a mechanical interference such as the introduction of pure alcohol or other process of distillation, otherwise it will not produce the kind of wine we have today.
Even at Yale University they are saying we’re not comparing apples to apples when comparing modern day alcohol to 1st century wine.
In the first century wine was used most often to purify water. 1 Tim 5: 23 “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.”
Why did Paul have to tell Timothy not to drink the water and give him permission to take some wine? Because he was not accustomed to using wine at all.
On average the mixture was 1 part wine to 4 parts water, and could be higher depending on the supply and purity of either the wine or water. The problem here, is we are not comparing apples to apples.
Dr. Norman Geisler concluded that Christians should not drink the alcohol of today because it would always equate to Strong Drink in the Bible. It would take 20 glasses of 1st century mixed wine to equal the alcohol content in just two martini’s.
2. A THEOLOGICAL LEVEL
(But didn’t Jesus turn water into wine?)
Recently a pastor applied for a liquor license to serve alcohol in his church. When interviewed he was asked, "Do you think a church should be serving alcohol?" His response was “Why not? Jesus was the first bartender” referring to John Chapter 2. You may be shocked by that example, but let me tell you that many in the church today do exactly the same thing when they use this miracle to justify the drinking of alcohol
I believe that using John 2 to justify drinking is a spiritually dangerous thing to do. Read John 2:1-10 before you continue.
This Jewish wedding feast would traditionally have lasted 1 week, and it is unlikely they ran out on the first day. Hospitality rules were quite strict among the Jewish people. Therefore, running out of wine would have been a major problem. This possibly explains why Mary got involved. It was probably a close family member of Mary’s who was getting married, and she was trying to avert a disaster.
Even though there is no context of drunkenness at this wedding, Christians often use this miracle to justify moderate alcohol consumption by making it appear so. Why is this? It is because of the comment made by the Master of the Feast when the wine Jesus had made is given to him. The assumption some make is that the Master of the Feast is honoring the bridegroom for saving the best wine for last, even after everybody is well drunk. (Note that the Master of the feast is referring to what usually happens, not what is happening here)
On average the mixture was 1 part wine to 4 parts water, and could be higher depending on the supply and purity of either the wine or water. The problem here, is we are not comparing apples to apples.
Dr. Norman Geisler concluded that Christians should not drink the alcohol of today because it would always equate to Strong Drink in the Bible. It would take 20 glasses of 1st century mixed wine to equal the alcohol content in just two martini’s.
2. A THEOLOGICAL LEVEL
(But didn’t Jesus turn water into wine?)
Recently a pastor applied for a liquor license to serve alcohol in his church. When interviewed he was asked, "Do you think a church should be serving alcohol?" His response was “Why not? Jesus was the first bartender” referring to John Chapter 2. You may be shocked by that example, but let me tell you that many in the church today do exactly the same thing when they use this miracle to justify the drinking of alcohol
I believe that using John 2 to justify drinking is a spiritually dangerous thing to do. Read John 2:1-10 before you continue.
This Jewish wedding feast would traditionally have lasted 1 week, and it is unlikely they ran out on the first day. Hospitality rules were quite strict among the Jewish people. Therefore, running out of wine would have been a major problem. This possibly explains why Mary got involved. It was probably a close family member of Mary’s who was getting married, and she was trying to avert a disaster.
Even though there is no context of drunkenness at this wedding, Christians often use this miracle to justify moderate alcohol consumption by making it appear so. Why is this? It is because of the comment made by the Master of the Feast when the wine Jesus had made is given to him. The assumption some make is that the Master of the Feast is honoring the bridegroom for saving the best wine for last, even after everybody is well drunk. (Note that the Master of the feast is referring to what usually happens, not what is happening here)
Drinkers know that after a person has had a few drinks they care less and less about the quality of the drink, they just want another one. Read this to a person who does not drink and quite often they will not draw this conclusion.
The picture this interpretation paints is that while those at the wedding "party"are drinking it up, the wine has run out. In comes Jesus, at Mary’s request, and turns 6 pots of water, about 160 gallons, into fermented wine to keep the "party" going.
Would Jesus have added fire to a drunken wedding party? Would we expect Jesus to make the beer run for us if we ran out? This is the picture we paint of our Lord and Savior when we use this John 2 miricle to justify drinking.
However, there is an even greater problem.
Theologically, to say Jesus made alcoholic wine to be given to those who were already “well drunk”, is the same as saying he was an accomplice to their drunkenness, and therefore an accomplice to sin. Even then, drunkenness would have been understood a sin.
That takes us to the 2nd Chapter of Habakkuk “…Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskins till they are drunk…”
The picture this interpretation paints is that while those at the wedding "party"are drinking it up, the wine has run out. In comes Jesus, at Mary’s request, and turns 6 pots of water, about 160 gallons, into fermented wine to keep the "party" going.
Would Jesus have added fire to a drunken wedding party? Would we expect Jesus to make the beer run for us if we ran out? This is the picture we paint of our Lord and Savior when we use this John 2 miricle to justify drinking.
However, there is an even greater problem.
Theologically, to say Jesus made alcoholic wine to be given to those who were already “well drunk”, is the same as saying he was an accomplice to their drunkenness, and therefore an accomplice to sin. Even then, drunkenness would have been understood a sin.
That takes us to the 2nd Chapter of Habakkuk “…Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskins till they are drunk…”
Supplying wine to a bunch of drunken party-goers would be a sin. There are many verses in scripture that demonstrate that being an accomplice to sin, is sin.
Note John 2:11 “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him".
It’s hard to see how Jesus could have "manifested strong his glory" by giving a bunch of “well drunk” partiers 160 gallons of alcohol to drink.Especially since he would have known it to be a sin.
Even the most immature Christians should know that Jesus did not, nor could not have sinned. If he did, Christianity is a foolish cult and we are all in big trouble. Even if someone wants to justify drinking, they (for their own sake) should reconsider using this false interpretation of scripture, because it paints Jesus as committing a sin, theologically destroying the very foundation of Christianity.
3. A SPIRITUAL LEVEL
The response many give to the practical and theological points above is, “I agree, but I don’t get drunk. I just drink socially and I will never become an alcoholic”. If it is true you have complete control over your drinking, then the next question one should ask is, “Do I have a responsibility to others?" If we truly believe God’s Holy Word, the answer is yes.
1 Cor 8:11-13 “…And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the betheren, and wound their weak conscience you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food (wine*) makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat (drink wine*) lest I make my brother stumble.
* I inserted the word wine as it makes the same point as Paul was making here with meat, as you can see in the following verse.
Romans 14: 21 “It is good neither to eat meat, nor drink wine, nor do anything by which your
3. A SPIRITUAL LEVEL
The response many give to the practical and theological points above is, “I agree, but I don’t get drunk. I just drink socially and I will never become an alcoholic”. If it is true you have complete control over your drinking, then the next question one should ask is, “Do I have a responsibility to others?" If we truly believe God’s Holy Word, the answer is yes.
1 Cor 8:11-13 “…And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the betheren, and wound their weak conscience you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food (wine*) makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat (drink wine*) lest I make my brother stumble.
* I inserted the word wine as it makes the same point as Paul was making here with meat, as you can see in the following verse.
Romans 14: 21 “It is good neither to eat meat, nor drink wine, nor do anything by which your
brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak”.
What is an Alcoholic?
Years of statistics have shown that 1 out of every 10 person who drinks alcohol will become an alcoholic. (Someone who is physically dependent on alcohol and can’t stop drinking)
A broader definition might entail someone who won’t stop drinking even when they have evidence of the damage it is doing in their lives and their relationships.
If you define an alcoholic as someone who has experienced a problem because of their drinking, and won’t stop (a problem drinker) the statical numbers may be as high as 7 out of every 10. All this presents a problem for the Christian who believes it’s OK to drink if you don’t get drunk.
If you say you don’t have a moral responsibility to your brother or sister in Christ, you are in fact saying you have a problem with being obedient to the Word of God.
When a Christian is asked, “Is it wrong for a Christian to drink wine?”, and they say, “No because Jesus turned water into wine”…
When a Christian is asked, “Is it wrong for a Christian to drink wine?”, and they say, “No because Jesus turned water into wine”…
They are wrong... Practically, Theologically and Spiritually. In essence ,what we are doing is playing Russian Roulette with those whom we are supposed to lead. We have no way of knowing if the person who feels it is okay to drink based on our response to that question, or our actions is going to become an alcoholic. .
As long as I am a Christian, and especially a pastor, I promise never to send that message to anyone. I never want anyone to say, “It's okay to drink, Bro. Scott does it”. I spent too many years of my life justifiying my own drinking, but once the indwelling of the Holy Spirt came at salvation, I never needed it again. Which brings me to this last point.
Substitute for the Holy Spirit?
Another spiritually important point is that alcohol becomes a replacement, a substitute for what the Holy Spirit should be in our lives. Consider this well known verse...
“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit”
Ephesians 5:18
What does the word dissipation mean? In the King James Version the word is "Excess", some translations use "debauchery", but they all miss the probable meaning of the word. The Greek word being translated here is (as-o-tee-ah’) and its probable meaning is “unsavedness”. This is the only time this word is used in the Bible in this form.
Perhaps the translators used the word "excess," as opposed to the more probable interpretation of unsavedness, so as not to offend someone who drinks?
Think about this. What reasons do people commonly give for drinking?
It helps me relax
It helps me in social situations.
It helps me sleep
It keeps me going
It calms my nerves
It makes me a nicer person (I love that one)
Note: All these things are things that should come from being filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s why the scripture should probably be translated “And do not be drunk with wine, which is an act of unsavedness, but be filled with the Holy Spirit." The scripture is teaching that if we must be filled with wine to feel right ,or act sociably, then we must not be filled with the Holy Spirit and therefore could be in a condition of unsavedness.
Remember, Proverbs 20:1? Wine is a deceiver just like Satan is the great deceiver, and wine mocks the one who drinks it.
It is hard to imagine that something which causes so much destruction, human suffering, and family breakups would merit the approval of our Lord and Savior. If someone never drinks they will never become a problem drinker, guaranteed.
I pray my children will never let one ounce of alcohol pass between their lips. I want to teach them to drink from a different fountain, the fountain of the Holy Spirit, so that they will never thirst again.
Scott Cosper
Eyes Wide Open
Note: Parts of this article are from a sermon on alcohol by Pastor Johnny Hunt
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