Either it is OK for Jesus's disciples to drink alcohol, or it is not: Which is it? I suppose most will at least agree the Bible explicitly condemns "drunkenness." Following, are but two different passages of Scripture from the New Testament which address the issue:
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)Doubtless some will argue that the Bible does not mean that getting drunk occasionally is a sin; but, only those who do so habitually are thus guilty of being "drunkards."
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
Let us, then, apply that same kind of reasoning to the sin of fornication ~ which is likewise condemned in the same passages of Scripture, above. And let us also frame the question similarly as above, as follows: Either it is OK for Jesus's disciples to commit fornication, or it is not: Which is it?
Is it OK to fornicate a little, or only occasionally, and yet be pleasing to God? How many times must one fornicate, in order to be called a fornicator? Of course, God may forgive the fornicator; albeit, forgiveness is predicated upon ceasing to fornicate.
Or what about thievery? That, too, is condemned in the Scripture quoted above. Can a Christian steal if only occasionally and still be righteous?
For every honest-minded seeker of Truth, it should be obvious that the Bible means to condemn drunkenness at all times, and not merely sometimes. Not only those who are habitually drunken are condemned. But drunkenness as such is condemned by God, just as fornication, stealing, and idolatry, is condemned.
We have thus narrowed the question down considerably. No one should suppose it is acceptable for a Christian EVER to be drunk. Clearly it is not.
In the plainest terms, the Bible condemns drunkenness. Is it then a matter of how much alcohol one may drink ~ without becoming "drunk"?
Synonyms for the word drunk are: inebriated, intoxicated, and under the influence of.... Every State in the U.S. prohibits driving a motor vehicle, for those whose "blood alcohol content" (BAC) is above a certain percentage (8%). At or above which, concentration, the secular State considers one to be intoxicated, or drunk. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has published (here) general guidelines showing the alcohol content in various kinds of alcoholic drinks. Basically, an average-sized adult's BAC will reach 8% concentration ~ in other words, become "drunk" (according to the legal definition) ~ after consuming any of the following types and amounts of alcoholic beverage:
- 3 to 4 cans of beer
- 2 (8oz) glasses of wine
- 1 (6oz) glass of bourbon, whiskey, gin, etc.
At whatsoever level the SECULAR STATE determines one is "drunk," I can assure you that God will not be more lenient in His appraisal of the same.
So, Ms. Casual Drinker, Mr. Social Drinker: Do you never drink more than ONE glass of wine at any one time? For, if you may drink TWO, then you are assuredly DRUNK. Or do you never drink more than ONE glass of bourbon? Or never more than, say, TWO beers?
"I can handle more than that," you may object. Though I am sure you may think so; yet, the government does not define "drunkenness" based upon your own, inebriated judgment.
Now, I have often argued that Christian's duty to obey "the government" must be judged in the context of a mature understanding of Scripture. Wherever it may be the case that secular government overreaches its God-given authority, Christians are not obliged to mindlessly obey. But the matter under discussion is NOT such a case. God, in His Word, has laid the severest duty upon EVERYONE to obey 'lawful' government (that which is in keeping with the Word of God ~ see, Romans 13).
The Law decrees that one is "drunk" (whether driving or not) who, in one sitting, consumes 3 or more beers; 2 or more glasses of wine; or more than 1 glass of liquor. I will venture to say there is not a "social drinker" among you who ALWAYS stays below those limits.
Shame on you! who suppose your "social drinking" is well-pleasing to God! Shame on you! who DARE to drink in front of MINORS (even your own children), thus setting an example for them to follow ~ and, yet, you presume you give no offense to God. Shame on you!
Shame on you! who condemn the practice of an increasing number of churches that serve alcohol in the vestibule of the church ~ while you swig it at home!
Shame on you! who think you can tiptoe along the thin line between drunkenness and sobriety, and never risk wandering ever so slightly off the path of righteousness.
Can any one of you allow yourself to look only a teeny bit at pornography ~ and not be defiled? Does it not kindle an unholy fire in your bosom? So does alcohol kindle a fire in you! No, you say? Then why, until recent times, was it often called "Fire Water"?
Why are alcoholic drinks still called "spirits"? There is a reason; even the sinner knows.
Recently, someone tried to persuade me that the Bible not only allows the drinking of alcohol but, in fact, the Bible approves of it! His reasoning was based upon a passage from the Old Testament, as follows:
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household... (Deut. 14:22-26)
Well, that same Bible, in the same Old Testament, also has this to say to those same people (Israel) who lived under the Law:
Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people (Deut. 9:6).
Hey, wait a minute! That verse appears just five chapters ahead of the one about buying "strong drink;" and, in the same book of the Bible, written by the same man (Moses).
But let's not just take Moses's word for it. Here's what Isaiah had to say about those folk whose souls "lusted after ... strong drink":
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face... (Isaiah 65:2-3a)
On the other hand, we have the testimony OF GOD, concerning His own judgment regarding the behavior of a certain man and his seven sons ~ where the subject was drinking alcohol. The entire 35th chapter of Jeremiah is given to tell the story, as follows:
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink. Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites; and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door: and I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine. But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever: neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers. Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters....
Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered. And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever. (Jeremiah 35:1-19)
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Must I write a book in order to fully expound the true meaning of what the Bible has to say about consuming alcohol? It is NOT GOOD for a Christian to play with that fire. "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" (Prov. 6:27).
God has also given commandment to the obedient Christian ~ which commandment we have already seen, above:
[I]f any man THAT IS CALLED A BROTHER be...a drunkard.... [P]ut away from among yourselves that wicked person (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
God is separating the tares and the wheat, in preparation for Christ's return.
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