CHRISTIANS
AND DRINKING ALCOHOL
Explaining
a Few Things From the Bible
by Rev Dr B Ward Powers
(ward@bwardpowers.info)
VIEWPOINTS
IN THE CHURCH
It
is very widely accepted by responsible members of our society that while “binge
drinking” and drunkenness is a bad thing, the drinking of alcohol is a pleasure
to be enjoyed: it is only the excess that is wrong. And there are many
Christian who would agree with this. For some Christians, drinking wine, beer,
or whatever you like, is such a normal part of life that it really does not
need any justification. But other commentators have thought about it carefully,
and have concluded that there are five good reasons for accepting that we are
free to enjoy alcohol in moderation - reasons (they maintain) all based on the
Bible. A Christian who upholds his “freedom to choose to drink” may tell you:
“How, in the light of these Bible teachings, could anyone possibly contend that
alcohol is something a Christian should avoid?”
But
there are solid grounds for recognizing that these “five biblical reasons” are
actually in error: these five assertions are based on a misunderstanding and
wrong interpretation of the Bible. The real facts are not what these assertions
claim them to be. Indeed, there is good reason to abstain from drinking
alcoholic beverages of any kind, even in (so-called) “moderation”.
What
are these “five biblical reasons” which are said to endorse the drinking of
alcohol, and thus to grant us the “freedom” to be a drinker today? And on what
grounds could these biblical reasons be called into question, and held to be
mistaken? If we wish to be “biblical Christians” in this matter, we should
certainly give these five reasons our thoughtful consideration.
THE
FIVE BIBLICAL REASONS
ADVANCED
IN SUPPORT OF MODERATE DRINKING
1.
The Bible specifically approves the drinking of alcohol, for wine is said to be
one of God’s good gifts to us, for our enjoyment: only excess is
condemned.
2.
The term “wine” in the Bible is obviously referring to alcoholic
wine, for it is drunk all year round and clearly grapes and grape juice would
not keep unfermented all year round. (Thus the wine at Passover must be
fermented, as this feast falls so long after the grape harvest.)
3.
In the New Testament, Jesus himself is described as a wine drinker - in this,
he is giving us his own example.
4.
There cannot be anything wrong with our indulging in drinking alcohol seeing
that Jesus miraculously supplied a huge amount of it for a wedding feast.
5.
Jesus chose alcoholic wine to represent his blood in the celebrating of the
Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper.
These
five assertions seem at first glance to present a pretty impressive case for
accepting the drinking of alcohol, drawn as they are from both Old Testament
and New, from precept and practice and circumstance. But do they really stand
investigation?
ASSESSMENT,
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
This
article examines and assesses the biblical evidence that is claimed to support
drinking of alcohol if in moderation. It shows that the conclusion approving
“moderate” drinking is based on a misunderstanding and wrong interpretation of
the Bible. The real facts are rather different.
The
article sets out, to the contrary, good reasons to abstain from alcohol
altogether.
Ward
--
[Click for "First Corinthians Commentary" contents, overview or order info.] [Click for "Ministry of Women" contents, overview or order info.] [Click for "Divorce and Remarriage" contents, overview or order info.] [Click for "Marriage and Divorce" contents, overview or order info.] [Click for "Learn to Read the GNT" contents, overview or order info.] [Click to go to the Ward Powers Home Page.] [Click for "The Sin we Treat as a Virtue" contents, overview or order info.]
