There are some individuals who LIKE their booze…and who correspondingly argue that there is nothing wrong with them drinking their booze. To support their stance, they gloatingly pronounce that in the Bible, Jesus turned water into wine…and the Apostle Paul told his protege Timothy to take some wine for his stomach problems.
Interestingly, these individuals can rarely quote any other significant verses or scriptures in the Bible…but they KNOW these verses…because they want to justify their affinity for alcohol.
But, does the Bible really justify or condone drinking alcohol?
Well, the Bible directs us that we are to live by the composite of God’s Word (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4). So, let’s have a look at what the ENTIRE Bible has to say about consuming alcohol…
“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.” – Proverbs 23:29-32
So in short:
- Do you want woe and sorrow?
- Do you want to be at odds with other people?
- Do you want to look like a fool?
- Do you want to harm your life?
If yes, then partake of alcohol and you will surely gain all of these effects that ALWAYS go along with alcohol consumption.
Now, in the event you need another setting of scripture to confirm that woe and alcohol go together…
“Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! … Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink” – Isaiah 5:11,22
“Of course it would be wrong to drink all day long“, you say? Well, let’s keep going…
“They also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” – Isaiah 28:7-8
Here are some questions for you:
- What caused these people to err?
- What turned them out of the right way?
- What caused them to stumble into foolishness?
- What made them nasty and gross?
- What stripped them of cleanness and righteousness?
The answer of course is alcohol.
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” – Proverbs 20:1
Here are some more questions for you:
- Do you want to be mocked?
- Do you want trouble raging in your life?
- Do you want to be deceived?
- Do you want to be foolish?
If yes, then alcohol is your ticket into all of these things.
Now, let’s consider this…
“…thou shalt call his name John…For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost” – Luke 1:13,15
Here, we see the pattern that is pronounced in the lives of all great people who are filled with the Holy Ghost…they do not drink any kind of alcoholic drink.
What about this one…
“Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” – Ephesians 5:18
Here, the Bible gives two plain directives:
- We are not to get drunk.
- We are to be filled with the Spirit.
Now, those who like their booze will argue that it is okay to have a few drinks of alcohol as long as they do not get drunk.
But, has there ever been an alcohol drinker who has NEVER been drunk?
Well, it is possible…but such a person would certainly be one in several million and definitely NOT the norm.
But, it is a possibility, so let’s extend the question…
Have you ever seen an alcohol drinker…who has NEVER gotten drunk…and who is genuinely and authentically filled with God’s Spirit?
The answer of course is, “No, you haven’t!” and that is because alcohol and God’s Spirit do NOT coexist.
That is, God’s Spirit does NOT dwell in the places where alcohol is consumed.
“While they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.” – Nahum 1:10
Fire will flash across dry grass with such an intensity and ferocity that it is both amazing and scary.
Sadly, alcohol usually affects people in the same way.
If you have ever watched someone who began imbibing in alcohol…then more often than not, you were both amazed and saddened at how quickly and how fiercely alcohol devoured and ruined their life.
“Strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.” – Isaiah 24:9
It is a fact that the person who consumes alcohol will soon enough find that alcohol has brought bitterness into their life.
So, if you enjoy bitterness in your life, then alcohol can get you all the bitterness you want.
But if you do not enjoy bitterness in your life, then abstaining from all forms of alcohol is the right choice for you.
Now, what about so-called Christian religions that incorporate wine into their religious ceremonies? Well, let’s have a look at that too…
“And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean” – Leviticus 10:8-10
First, notice that God classifies drinking any form of alcohol as unholy and unclean.
Second, notice that God was SO AGAINST any drinking alcohol in His church…and the example that it set…that He promised death to any of the priests who did it.
If we pause right here…and acknowledge the scriptures covered thus far…it is plain that alcohol consumption is NOT good.
Let’s now turn to those scriptures that allegedly condone the consumption of alcohol.
“It…is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.” – Proverbs 31:4-7
Okay, what did we just read?
Well, the big thing these verses just told us is that that anyone who is in a position where they are expected to conduct themselves with integrity and justness…which is the position that EVERY Christian IS in…should NOT drink any kind of alcoholic drink…or they will surely end up in some kind of wrongdoing that God judges severely.
Having said that, this setting of scripture is the one place in the Bible that gives permission to drink “strong drink”.
So, IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY TO PERISH, then by all means load yourself up on hard alcohol and you will most definitely find yourself perishing sooner rather than later.
Now, being a bit less facetious, notice that alcohol is being prescribed to those who are already facing destruction. Nowhere is this verse advising a person to destroy their life with alcohol…which is exactly what alcohol does to those who embrace it.
What the Bible is really describing here is someone who is facing death…such as someone who is facing a death penalty…or someone who is suffering from a disease that is progressively taking their life. In other words, someone who is filled with fear, dread, or pain…and the Bible is saying give such a person the hard alcohol they need to dull their mind and body.
So, is this enough scripture to make it right for Christians to consume alcohol?
Well, with regard to fear and dread, the Bible commands us Christians over and over that we are not to fear or dread anything…except God Almighty who has the power to destroy both soul and body…and so, if a Christian is feeling fear or dread, then he or she does NOT need alcohol. Rather, he or she needs to get deep into prayer and into the Word of God until that fear is replaced with faith and confidence in God.
With regard to pain…it is sometimes the case that God allows a painful disease to be the means by which a Christian leaves this world and transitions into their eternal joy. If you are in such a case, then you are Biblically permitted to partake of strong alcohol.
Having said that, anyone in this situation will find modern pain-killer medicines to be far more suitable and effective.
Okay…so the hard alcohol is only for those who are perishing. What about those who are of a heavy heart…who are in poverty…or who are in misery…it sounds like the Bible is saying wine is okay for someone in one of these situations, doesn’t it?
Well technically, I guess you could say that it is…but if you will read the verses again, it is obvious that the writer is NOT recommending wine to Godly people.
Rather, the writer is specifically saying that alcohol is NOT for people who are supposed to be upright…and wine is only for godless people who do not know God…and because they do not know God, they do not know that they can turn to Him for help with their sorrow or hardship.
But, was alcohol really the right answer for these people?
Well, as we all know, alcohol has NEVER been a solution for sorrow, poverty, or misery. Alcohol only makes these problems WORSE!
Okay, let’s look at yet another set of scriptures that allegedly condone alcohol…
“…neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” – 1 Timothy 5:22-23
In these verses, we find that the preacher Timothy has an ongoing health problem…and in particular, he is often sick as a result of stomach problems.
Because of this, the Apostle Paul advises Timothy to drink a LITTLE wine to help his stomach.
How does this apply to us today?
Well, given today’s scientific understanding of bacteria, we now know that there are strains of bacteria that are good and some that are bad. Moreover, science has learned that the human stomach requires and relies upon having plenty of the good bacteria in order to function properly.
And, it just so happens that wine contains some of the good strains of bacteria that will help the human stomach to function better…IF taken in light doses.
So, if you have legitimate stomach problems, does that mean you should grab yourself a bottle of wine?
Well, I suppose you could do that…and be Biblically justified in doing so…but before you do that, remember the other thing that science has learned: the alcohol contained within wine is in fact a toxic poison that harms the human body.
So yes, the wine might help your stomach…but the alcohol in that wine would create other problems.
Because of this, the far smarter thing to do is to drive to your nearest health-food store…and buy yourself some probiotic “super-foods” such Kombucha (cultured tea), Kefir (cultured milk), Sauerkraut (cultured vegetables), Tempeh or Misoh (cultured beans), or Seed Cheese (cultured cheese)…all of which are non-alcoholic…and all of which will do a far better job of fixing your stomach problems than wine will ever do.
Now, let’s look at the verses that describe the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine…
“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” – John 2:1-11
Okay…let’s dissect what happened:
- It appears that Jesus’s mother is either a part of the “catering” team at a marriage celebration…or she is close to one or more people who are a part of the “catering” team.
- Jesus and His disciples are invited to this wedding celebration…and they attend.
- A very embarrassing problem crops up when the “catering” team realizes they have run out of wine at a celebration where they are expected to serve wine to the high-ranking governors and rulers. In short, this a problem that could easily result in the ruin of the “caterers” business.
- Apparently, there was either no money or means by which additional wine could have been procured by normal, natural means. So, Jesus’s mother comes to him…knowing that He has the God-given power to fix the problem…and tells Him what the problem is.
- Jesus tells his mother that He does not want to get involved because it is not yet the right time to demonstrate the miraculous power of God.
- Jesus’s mother just ignores Him…turns to to the “caterers”…and with absolute faith and zero doubt…tells them, “Do exactly whatever He tells you to do!“
- Jesus is then compelled to respond…just as He ALWAYS has…and ALWAYS will…to pure faith…by giving the person what their faith commands.
- And of course, anything that God/Jesus does will always be the best…and the result was a miracle where water became the best wine served at the wedding celebration.
So, as we analyze the story, we find that Jesus turning the water into wine was NOT an endorsement for the drinking of wine.
Rather, the story was an accounting of how God/Jesus responds to faith…as well as an endorsement of Christ Himself and how the miraculous power of God rested within Him…and that He did in fact have the power to intervene in the affairs of mankind…both spiritually and non-spiritually.
Notably, the scriptures tell us that it was the ruler of the feast who drank the wine. It does not give any indication that Jesus or His disciples drank the wine.
Now, what about the three places in the Bible that indicate Jesus Himself drank wine?
“And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” – Mark 14:22-25
“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!” – Luke 7:33-34
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.” – Matthew 11:18-19
Well, according to these scriptures it appears that Jesus did in fact drink wine. Nevertheless, given the volume of scriptures that describe the evils of drinking alcohol…and given that we have refrigeration and alternative ways of preserving food and beverages…plus rapid global food distribution systems…we can acknowledge that there is no legitimate reason in our modern-day for any Christian to partake of any form of alcohol.
We now come to the one and only place in the entire Bible that describes alcohol in a positive light…
“He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.” – Psalms 104:14-15
In this setting of scripture, King David is describing the goodness, blessing, and provision of God…and he includes wine in his list as a positive thing because alcohol can induce merriment and mirth in people.
But, before anyone uses their desire for mirth…or some affliction…or some sorrow…as an excuse to drink…and heads off to the liquor store, let’s have a look at this verse…
“And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.” – Mark 15:22-23
Notice that in the hour that He was perishing in this physical world…in the hour that His heart was at its heaviest…
Jesus REFUSED to drink anything with alcohol in it.
If we will consider the composite of all the scriptures covered in this article, the preceding sentence sums the matter up quite well:
If we want to be like Jesus…and if we want to make Heaven our eternal home…if we are Christians who care about our testimony before a lost world…then wisdom and discretion indicates that we too will REFUSE any form of alcohol.
Let’s next consider this verse…
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived…drunkards…shall [not] inherit the kingdom of God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
We ALL KNOW that alcohol is addictive and habit-forming in most people…and correspondingly, the risk of becoming an alcoholic is high in most people. Therefore, the risk of becoming a drunkard…and going to hell…is too high to risk…even if one does have the intention of drinking only in moderation.
And finally, let’s consider this verse…
“Wherefore come out from among them [sinners], and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” – 2 Corinthians 6:17
If we want to be received of the Lord…if we want to make Heaven our eternal home…then we have to be different and live different compared to sinners.
Consequently, given that a common characteristic of sinners is that they imbibe in alcohol, it stands to reason that Christians should avoid imbibing in alcohol in order to distinguish themselves from sinners.
So, wrapping this up…
Is it an absolute sin if a Christian has a small glass of wine from time to time?
Well, based upon the scriptures that indicated Jesus Himself drank wine, no one can say that it is absolutely a sin.
At the same time, if we consider the rest of the scriptures…along with the technologies we enjoy in modern times…good Christian form and etiquette makes it clear that there is no legitimate reason for a modern-day Christian to drink alcohol…because there is NO up-side to drinking alcohol…and the potential downsides…addiction, troubles, destruction, and ultimately hell…are too great.