It would not be much of a stretch for me to say that when it comes to teaching and preaching about alcohol; this subject can really bother some people. I have seen people storm out of churches just because of what the preacher was preaching about. Instead of confronting him on the issue and attempting to setup a bible study of some sort or something of that nature; they instantly went off in the deep end and acted foolish, extremely foolish.
This subject, I feel, should not be something that just “shocks” us. Alcohol gives people more problems than they know what to do with. For whatever reason, people attempt to justify some things by trying to “but/what if” their way into believing something that's just not so. I have done extensive studies on what the Bible has to say about alcohol. I have never preached on this subject because my grandfather always told me to never preach on a subject that I didn't fully understand. So that's why I've never preached on alcohol because well, I'm just going to be honest. I've seen SO many conflicting beliefs on alcohol that I didn't know where to begin. So I opened up my bible...
Rom 10:17 ESV
(17) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Act 17:11 ESV
(11) Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Now I want to be very clear. I do not advocate drinking and never will advocate drinking. However, it is not up to ME to decide whether alcohol is sinful or not. Just as we discussed in my last sermon; we have got to go back to the scriptures in order to determine what something really is. We can't just define something in our own terms and expect it to be righteous and “godly”. It is not up to us on whether to decide on whether something is SINFUL or not. All we can do is go to the scriptures and see what they say, not what I say...Of course we have to keep in mind that the bible grants us certain liberties but we have to determine individually whether or not those things are right in the sight of God. It's not up to me to decide whether eating pork is sinful, celebrating christmas secularly is sinful, or anything of that sort for other people. If someone doesn't want to eat pork then that is THEIR choice. I have a feeling that many Christians today are confused on the subject of alcohol. Some of the arguments are pretty well presented and some arguments are extremely poor. Either way it goes, I fear that when it comes to alcohol that man thinks that they have all of the answers but some of them are EXTREMELY misleading. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with someone being more “liberal” or more “conservative”. What does the bible say?
Mat 15:10-20 ESV
(10) And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand:
(11) it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person."
(12) Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
(13) He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.
(14) Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
(15) But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us."
(16) And he said, "Are you also still without understanding?
(17) Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?
(18) But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
(19) For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
(20) These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone."
Usually the first argument that is thrown towards this scripture is that he is only talking about eating here. For one, that would be completely misleading and dishonest. How often do you eat a meal without drinking SOME form of liquid? What does the context say though? It says that “it is NOT what goes into the mouth that defiles a person”. So what all goes into your mouth? Food...some form of drink as well correct? This is where necessary inference comes into play. Although I would call it an unavoidable conclusion. The reason being is that we can obviously and HONESTLY conclude that drinking involves SOMETHING going into your mouth, not just eating.
I read over a sermon outline by a preacher friend of mine that dealt specifically with alcohol. Some of his points could be understood as valid points because alcohol is NOT something that we HAVE to partake in. However, some of his points are EXTREMELY misleading. In fact, one of them I know for a fact is just false. He said that “it is a medical fact that those who drink alcohol are on the road to alcoholism”. Now look, if you want to start that type of game, then we can say the same exact thing about food, sports, other hobbies, etc. However I noticed that he didn't mention the medical fact that it is proven and well-thought of by many doctors around the world that one glass of red wine once a day is actually healthy for your heart. I'm sorry but if you're going to bring up facts, the least you can do is actually bring up LEGITMATE facts and not biased facts...
In the very same outline, he mentioned something about telling a story about a preacher from Rogers, AR who was almost fired for preaching on alcohol. So WHAT?! I'm sorry but if I have to walk around on egg-shells just because I think that I'm going to get fired over something that I preach on, then I don't need to be preaching at all, PERIOD. Being fired over something as silly as that isn't even worth discussing really. It just goes to show exactly how ignorant man really is when it comes to alcohol. Everything is said in such EXTREME cases for basic arguments that some of them don't even make any sense. People, this isn't rocket science. Now I'm going to step off my soap-box and we're going to go to the scriptures to see for ourselves. These are presented in no particular order so just bare with me.
1Co 10:23-33 ERV
(23) "All things are allowed," you say. But not all things are good. "All things are allowed." But some things don't help anyone.
(24) Try to do what is good for others, not just what is good for yourselves.
(25) Eat any meat that is sold in the meat market. Don't ask questions about it to see if it is something you think is wrong to eat.
(26) You can eat it, "because the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord."
(27) Someone who is not a believer might invite you to eat with them. If you want to go, then eat anything that is put before you. Don't ask questions to see if it is something you think is wrong to eat.
(28) But if someone tells you, "That food was offered to idols," then don't eat it. That's because some people think it is wrong, and it might cause a problem for the person who told you that.
(29) I don't mean that you think it is wrong. But the other person might think it is wrong. That's the only reason not to eat it. My own freedom should not be judged by what another person thinks.
(30) I eat the meal with thankfulness. So I don't want to be criticized because of something I thank God for.
(31) So if you eat, or if you drink, or if you do anything, do it for the glory of God.
(32) Never do anything that might make other people do wrong--Jews, non-Jews, or anyone in God's church.
(33) I do the same thing. I try to please everyone in every way. I am not trying to do what is good for me. I am trying to do what is good for the most people so that they can be saved.
My viewpoints of this context may differ from others but this reminds me of Romans 14. It is very important to pay attention to the context though. The context isn't condemning someone from eating something in the privacy of their own home all of the time. It is talking about in front of someone who may consider whatever it is to be wrong, whether it's eating or drinking. But in verse 29, Paul makes it extremely clear. Our OWN LIBERTIES should not be judged based on what someone else thinks. Meaning, in the privacy of our own homes. example: christmas, easter, food, etc
Rom 14:6 ESV
(6) The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
Rom 14:20 ESV
(20) Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
Once again, Paul only mentions eating in the context but we can conclude that he is also talking about drinking as well. Take a look at Col 2:16.
Col 2:16 ESV
(16) Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
I will go ahead and admit that the context in which Paul is speaking of here in Col 2 is that it's referring to the Law of Moses. However, we can make an application with it that applies to us.
The regulations concerning eating and drinking were a part of the "rudiments [elements] of the world" (Colossians 2:8, 20) and Paul identified such "rudiments" in Galatians 4:3 with the law of Moses. Certain men began to tell the Colossians to observe Old Covenant rudiments, "Touch not; taste not; handle not" (Colossians 2:21); but Paul said we are now dead with Christ "from the rudiments of the world" (Colossians 2:20).
Those who taught that such a renewal of the rudiments was necessary were considered by Paul to be teaching "the commandments and doctrines of men" (Colossians 2:22). And though the teachings were based on the Old Covenant (teachings that Jews were interested in), Paul told Titus that he should not be:
Tit 1:14-15 KJV
(14) Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
(15) Unto the pure all things are pure:
Paul made it clear that the Christian had no "clean and unclean" regulations concerning food and drink because he had already mentioned in Romans that "all things indeed are pure" (Romans 14:20). For that reason, he admonished the Colossians to "let no man judge you in meat or drink" (Colossians 2:16)
Make no mistake, being drunk is sinful! Even if it is in the privacy of your own home!
Eph 5:18 ESV
(18) And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
The Bible condemns drunkenness and its effects
Pro 23:29-35 ESV
(29) Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
(30) Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine.
(31) Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
(32) In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.
(33) Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things.
(34) You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast.
(35) "They struck me," you will say, "but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink."
Christians are also commanded to not allow their bodies to be “mastered” by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19)
1Co 6:12 ESV
(12) "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything.
2Pe 2:19 ESV
(19) They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
What about Jesus? Didn't he turn water into wine?
Joh 2:1-11 ESV
(1) On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
(2) Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.
(3) When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."
(4) And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."
(5) His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
(6) Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
(7) Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.
(8) And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it.
(9) When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom
(10) and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now."
(11) This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
In New Testament times, the water was not very clean. Without modern sanitation, the water was often filled with bacteria, viruses, and all kinds of contaminants. The same is true in many third-world countries today. As a result, people often drank wine (or grape juice) because it was far less likely to be contaminated.
In 1 Timothy 5:23,
1Ti 5:23 ESV
(23) (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)
Paul was instructing Timothy to stop drinking the water (which was probably causing his stomach problems) and instead drink wine. In that day, wine was fermented (containing alcohol), but not necessarily to the degree it is today. It is incorrect to say that it was grape juice, but it is also incorrect to say that it was the same thing as the wine commonly used today. Again, Scripture does not forbid Christians from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. Alcohol is not, in and of itself, tainted by sin. It is drunkenness and addiction to alcohol that a Christian must absolutely refrain from (Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 6:12).
I would also like to further instruct you in that if you aren't sure about the consumption of alcohol; then you definitely should not consume it.
Rom 14:23 ESV
(23) But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Alcohol, consumed in small quantities, is neither harmful nor addictive. Consumption of small quantities of alcohol is a matter of Christian freedom. Drunkenness and addiction are sin, not the alcohol itself. Too many people are trying to define alcohol as the “sin” but the bible never teaches that. Using scare-tactics is not teaching the truth. It is scaring people into believing something that YOU want them to believe in.
However, due to the biblical concerns regarding alcohol and its effects, due to the easy temptation to consume alcohol in excess, and due to the possibility of causing offense and/or stumbling of others, it is often best for a Christian to abstain from drinking alcohol.
