Tag Archives: Alcohol

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 10

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wineWe need to look at a few more passages that show us what the New Testament says about alcohol. After that I’ll try and piece together the implications of what we’ve seen. Thanks to all who have been patient and supportive as we’ve gone through this. Too often we only look at the texts that support something we’re trying to prove, rather than considering what the whole Bible has to say. Let’s look at these texts:

  • Romans 14 is an important passage, dealing with Christians who held different convictions. (Sometimes we talk about this being about Christians with different opinions, but that softens the conflict that was going on here) Some Christians would eat meat, some wouldn’t. Some would observe certain days, some refused. Some drank wine, others chose to abstain. Some key points from these verses are:

    “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:1-4)
    “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” (Romans 14:13-18)
    “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.” (Romans 14:20-21)

    We can’t pass judgment on those whose conscience won’t allow them to participate in certain things, nor can we pass judgment on those who feel they have the freedom to participate.

  • In Colossians 2, Paul says “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.” (Colossians 2:16) This goes beyond not judging. It also tells us that we must not allow ourselves to be judged. “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” (Colossians 2:20-23) The human commands of do not handle, do not taste, do not touch would seem to be the best way to restrain the flesh, but Paul says those tactics are ineffective.
  • “Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:11-12) There is one Lawgiver. It’s not me. It’s not you. It’s God.
  • “They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:3-5) The Bible says that God created wine for man’s good. Should we speak ill of something that God created?

There’s more to be said on this issue, but let’s pause now and look in depth at these verses before we move on. See you tomorrow!

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4 (What the Pentateuch says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 5 (What the rest of the Old Testament says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 6 (What Proverbs and Ecclesiastes say about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 7 (What the gospels say about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 8 (What the rest of the New Testament says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 9 (Additional passages to consider)

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 9

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wineEven as we’ve looked at the passages that address wine/alcohol in the Bible, we haven’t finished with searching Scripture. There are several additional texts that offer insights that need to be considered when discussion the Christian and alcohol. Let’s look at a few today and a few tomorrow:

  • “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.” (1 Corinthians 6:12) It’s possible that the Corinthians had been quoting Paul when they said “All things are lawful for me,” but Paul wants them to know that they are missing the point of that statement. (He quotes the same phrase again in Chapter 10). A Christian’s freedom is to be tempered by the thought of what is edifying and by the thought of avoiding letting something control us. That idea of not being controlled is very important in this discussion. On one hand, it rules out allowing ourselves to be dominated by an addiction. On the other hand, it should be a caution to not reach a point to where we lose control, where we are being dominated by something that we have ingested.
  • The entire discussion of 1 Corinthians 8-10 also speaks powerfully to this issue. Paul warns in these chapters that a Christian must be willing to give up his rights for the good of the Kingdom, for the good of his brothers. Specifically, the discussion has to do with eating food sacrificed to idols, but the principles presented add to our discussion. (There is a similar passage in Romans 14)
  • Let me throw in one passage that should have been included in the last post on this subject. The famous verse from 1 Timothy 5:23 about “drinking a little wine.” I’m not an expert on the original languages, so I’ll merely pass this on. Let me quote something that Barry Traver wrote in a comment:

    In light of this fact, it has been suggested that 1 Timothy 5:23 should be interpreted thus:
    “Stop drinking only water [i.e. water alone, with nothing added to it], but use WITH a little wine [added to the water] for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.”
    (In the original Greek, a “little wine” is in the dative case, suggesting the addition of the word “with.”)

Tomorrow we’ll look at some other passages that should be considered when talking about the Christian and alcohol. Keep studying until then!

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4 (What the Pentateuch says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 5 (What the rest of the Old Testament says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 6 (What Proverbs and Ecclesiastes say about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 7 (What the gospels say about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 8 (What the rest of the New Testament says about alcohol)

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 8

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wineAt this point in our study, we want to look at what the rest of the New Testament has to say about alcohol. Again, it’s quite a lot of material to cover. I might should have split it up, but we’ll give it a try.

  • Acts 2 is the first passage to be considered, when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost. Some of their detractors accused them of being full of “new wine.” Peter replies that it was too early in the morning for them to be drunk.
  • The rest of the New Testament, in keeping with the teachings of the Old, consistently speaks out against drunkenness. (Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:10; 10:7; Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:7; Titus 2:3; 1 Peter 4:3) It was considered representative of pagan behavior.
  • Christians in Corinth were getting drunk off the wine from the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:21).
  • Leaders of the church were especially not to be given to drunkenness. (1 Timothy 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7)
  • Apparently, some in the church felt that drinking wine was wrong. Paul warns his readers to not damage the faith of these brothers through their actions. (Romans 14:21)
  • No one was to be judged on the basis of what they ate or drank. (Colossians 2:16) Regulations about eating and drinking were part of the old covenant, not the new. (Hebrews 9:10)

There are some other passages that don’t directly mention drinking or wine that should also be considered. We’ll be looking at those next week. For now, here are a few thoughts:

  1. It would seem from the accusation in Acts 2 and Peter’s response to it that it was not unthinkable for Jews to be drinking alcoholic beverages. That was probably especially true during a time of feasting.
  2. The instructions referring elders and deacons show that drinking alcohol was not unthinkable in the church, but that drunkenness was not tolerated.
  3. Paul doesn’t criticize the Corinthians for what they were drinking in the Lord’s Supper. His problem was with the fact that they didn’t wait for one another.
  4. Drunkenness was considered something from the old way of life, of the pagan way of life. (See also 1 Corinthians 10:7 and 15:32) Addiction to wine was forbidden.

Let’s reflect on these passages some for now, then we’ll look at some other New Testament principles that come into play when talking about this subject.

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4 (What the Pentateuch says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 5 (What the rest of the Old Testament says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 6 (What Proverbs and Ecclesiastes say about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 7 (What the gospels say about alcohol)

The Christian and Alcohol, Part 7

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wineWe now turn our attention to the gospels. What do these presentations of the story of Jesus tell us about wine and other alcoholic drinks?

  • John the Baptist lived his life without drinking wine nor strong drink. Jesus, on the other, partook of them freely, so much so that he was accused of being “a drunkard.” (Matthew 11:19)
  • Jesus’ first miracle involved turning water into wine at a wedding. (John 2) It was fine wine, of a sort that usually is served before the wedding guests have “well drunk” (verb coming from the word for an intoxicant).
  • Jesus described the fermentation of “new wine” becoming “old wine.” (Luke 5:37-39) He used this as a common example that his listeners would have been familiar with. Note that he recognizes in this parable that people preferred vintage wine to new wine.
  • The “fruit of the vine” used at Passover would have been wine. This was customary at Passover, and there are Jewish writings from the time which refer to wine as “fruit of the vine.” [Wayne Jackson gives a brief study of this in the Christian Courier] On the night of his crucifixion, Jesus says that he would not drink of this wine again until he drank it in his Father’s kingdom. (Matthew 26:29)
  • The gospels record no sayings from Jesus praising wine nor condemning wine; he does refer to drunkenness in a negative way in one parable. (Matthew 24:49; Luke 12:45) The teaching of the gospels is very similar to that of the Law of Moses in this regard.

    We do well to keep in mind that wine in the time of the New Testament was usually diluted, much like many people do with table wine today. See the comments section of the post “The Church’s Witness to the Responsible Use of Wine” for an excellent discussion of how wine was consumed in Jesus’ day. As we read about Jesus and his disciples drinking wine, it helps to bear in mind that what they drank was almost certainly diluted wine.

    [I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

    Previous posts in this series:
    The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4 (What the Pentateuch says about alcohol)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 5 (What the rest of the Old Testament says about alcohol)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 6 (What Proverbs and Ecclesiastes say about alcohol)

    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 6

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    wineAs we study what the Bible says about alcohol, we turn our attention to the books of what is called “wisdom literature.” Here we find two of the main passages cited against the use of alcohol:

    Proverbs 20:1    Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
    Proverbs 23:31    Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!

    As we think about these verses, we need to remember some points about wisdom literature:

    1. Wisdom literature often uses hyperbole to make a point: “Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” (Ecclesiastes 7:27-29) Taken literally, these verses teach that .1% of all men are upright, while 0% of women are upright. Some men would favor this interpretation, but I take it as hyperbole. “The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.” (Proverbs 10:27) Do all righteous people live long lives? Do all the wicked die young? To force such an understanding on wisdom literature is to misunderstand its message.
    2. Wisdom literature sometimes uses a word to symbolize a related activity. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:10-11) Neither sleep nor rest is being condemned here; what is being condemned is laziness. An interesting exercise is to read what Proverbs says about sleep the same way many read what the book says about alcoholic beverages; we would be forced to preach many sermons on insomnia as a spiritual discipline.
    3. The advice given in wisdom literature does not always refer to sinful/lawful status. When people make statements like “Proverbs 20:1 condemns wine and strong drink,” they’re adding to the text. There is no condemnation involved. There is a warning not to be “led astray by them.” Again, it’s helpful to study what Proverbs says about things like gluttony, eating meat, sleep, etc.

    Proverbs speaks out against drunkenness (see Proverbs 23:29-35), as we have seen in the rest of the Old Testament. That’s the message we should hear and take away from these passages. Let’s not force them to say things that they don’t actually say.

    Some additional notes about what wisdom literature says about alcohol:

    • Proverbs says that strong drink (beer) and wine should be given to the less fortunate so they may forget their condition (Proverbs 31:6-7). If every use of these drinks were condemned, would Proverbs encourage that they be given to others?
    • Ecclesiastes speaks repeatedly about “eating and drinking” being part of how a believer is to enjoy life. (Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:13; 5:18; 8:15; 9:7) Ecclesiastes 9:7 specifically mentions wine.

    As always, please point out where these verses are being misrepresented or add additional verses from the books of wisdom to be considered. (I was going to include a list of the verses where Song of Solomon speaks favorably of wine, but it didn’t seem to add much to the discussion.)

    [I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

    Previous posts in this series:
    The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4 (What the Pentateuch says about alcohol)
    The Christian and Alcohol, Part 5 (What the rest of the Old Testament says about alcohol)