At 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:
- 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.
- The instructions referring elders and deacons show that drinking alcohol was not unthinkable in the church, but that drunkenness was not tolerated.
- 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.
- 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)