Moderate Drinking And The Christian

Moderate Drinking and the Christian

Joshua Hetrick

I. What are some Reasons why a Christians should not be a social drinker.

A. Wine.

1. Oinos (Greek)

a. 134 (Septuagint)

b. 33 (N.T.)

2. Yahyin (Hebrew)

a. 141 (O.T.)

3. Generic term.

4. Wine is the word used to describe the fruit to the grape that is being pressed (Isaiah 16: 10) and while it is still in the cluster (Isaiah 65:8).

5. It is also used to show that it is alcoholic (Proverbs 20: 1).

6. Context must be determined whether it is intoxicating or not.

B. Alcohol is an addictive drug.

1. The main agent of alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol.

a. Anesthetic.

C. What does it mean to be drunk?

1. "Dog drunk," "gassed," and "stoned’

2. Intoxication does not have reference to an exact stage but to a process.

a. A very small amount of alcohol affects our reasoning and reaction time.

b. It only takes 2-3 min. to be detected in the blood.

c. If you are a moderate drinker, you are moderately intoxicated or drunk.

d. If it take takes 10 drinks to get drunk, I drink would make you one tenth intoxicated.

3. You cannot be a moderate drinker without violating the Bible prohibition against drunkenness (I Cor. 6: 10; Gal. 5:2 1).

D. Drinking is a big problem.

1. 25,000 people die each year on our highways due to one or both drivers using alcohol.

2. Over 60% of crimes such as rape, murder, aggravated assault, etc. are committed as a result of alcohol.

3. Consumption of alcohol is a major cause of divorce and child abuse.

4. Above 200,000 young people each year become alcoholics!

5. The financial harm done to our country in lost work time is staggering.

6. America has an excess of 15,000,000 confirmed alcoholics.

7. The bible says in I Thessalonians 5:22, "Abstain from all appearance of Evil."

a. By any stretch of the imagination could we say the consumption of alcohol has no appearance of evil?

E. (Prov 20:1 KJP) Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.- and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

1. Nothing is said here about excess but the thing itself is a mocker.

a. This is simply a condemnation of intoxicating wine.

b. What if we said, "Marijuana is a mocker." Could we say that we could use it in moderation?

(Prov. 23:29) Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

(30) 7hey that tarry long at the "wine; they that go to seek mixed "wine.

(31) Look not thou upon the "wine when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup, whenit moveth itself aright.

(32) At the last it bitten like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

2. We do not fool around with poisonous snakes and we should stay away from alcohol.

F. Can a Christian support the liquor industry?

1. Around one and a half million young people become problem drinkers each year. If a toy is introduced that harms young people, there is an outcry to remove it from the market.

G. Sober (I Thes. 5:6; 1 Pet. 1: 13; 1 Pet. 4:7, 5:8).

1. Sound mind... self controlled ... sober minded ... it is associated with watchfulness ... to think soberly... to be of sound mind ... involves the cultivation of sound judgment and prudence.

a. Doesn’t it follow that a Christian cannot take anything into his body that would cause him to lose control of his faculties?

H. Our personal example.

1. 11 Cor. 3:2, "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.

2. Mt. 5. "Light of world," "City on a hill."

a. Many non-Christians believe it is wrong to drink.

3. 1 Cor. 8:11-13

11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I "will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

a. The eating of meat was a matter of Judgment.

b. The problem was causing a brother to stumble.

c. Drinking of Alcohol is not a matter of judgment, it is wrong.

4. Our example on our children.

II. THE SCRIPTURES USED BY THOSE WHO JUSTIFY SOCIAL DRINKING.

A. John 2: 1 -II

1. This was the beginning of miracles by Jesus.

a. The purpose of this miracle was to make known his glory (v. 11)

2. Did Jesus turn water into alcoholic wine? If so he supplied 150 g. to people who were already intoxicated.