In order to Biblically answer the question, is it alright for a
Christian to drink alcohol?, I must start with some basic truths.
A. First ripe fruit of harvest -Num 18:12-13
All the best of the oil, and
all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits
of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given
thee. And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall
bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in
thine house shall eat of it.
B. Cluster of grapes - Isa 65:8
Thus saith the LORD, As the
new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for
a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may
not destroy them all.
C. Raisins - Hos 3:1 Then
said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend,
yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the
children of
D. Grape juice - Neh 13:15 In
those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath,
and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and
figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem
on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein
they sold victuals. Pro
E. Fermented grape juice -Gen
4. The new Universal English Dictionary of Words, and of Arts and
Science published in 1739 (119 years after the KJV was translated)
gives the following definition - "natural wine is such as it
comes from the grape without any mixture or sophistication"
5. Considering the above definition according to scripture a person
must determine the meaning of the word wine by the context were it
is found. If the context does not reveal the meaning of a word, then
you must find the definition of the word it is translated from.
1. Any preacher who tells his people it is alright to drink alcohol
is a false prophet.
Mic 2:10-12
Arise ye, and depart; for this
is not
your
rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy
you, even
with a sore destruction.
If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie,
saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he
shall even be the prophet of this people.
I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely
gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep
of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make
great noise by reason of
the multitude of
men.
2. Alcohol causes a woe on a people who are deceived thereby. Isa
28:1 Woe to the crown of
pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a
fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that
are overcome with wine! Isa 28:3
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under
feet: Isa 28:7 But 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. Isa 28:8
For all tables are full of
vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
3. A person who drinks wine is not wise. Pro 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived
thereby is not wise.
4. Wine causes poverty. Pro
5. Strong drink produces sorrow, contentions, wounds without cause,
babblings, redness of eyes. Pro 23:29-30
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.
6. You are not to look on fermented wine, let alone drink the slop.
Pro
7. There is woe on the drunkard Isa 5:11-12
Woe unto them that rise up
early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that
continue until night, till wine inflame them! And the harp, and the
viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they
regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of
his hands. (If it takes 10 drinks to make you drunk, then 1
drink makes you 1/10 drunk.)
8. Strong drink and immorality go hand in hand. Pro 23:29-33 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.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall
utter perverse things. Hos
9. Shame and nakedness go with drinking. Hab
9. Shame and humiliation go with drinking. Hab
10. Drunkards go to hell 1Co
11. We are to abstain from all appearance of evil- 1Th
12. Drinking leads to stubbornness, rebellion and gluttony
and brings dishonor to parents.
Deu 21:20-21
And they shall say
unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and
rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and
a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones,
that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all
13. Abstinence assures a closer walk with God. Deu 29:2-6 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all
that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto
Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great
temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great
miracles: Yet the LORD hath
not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to
hear, unto this day. And I
have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not
waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
Ye
have not eaten bread, neither
have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the
LORD your God.
14. It is habit forming. One drink leads to another. Pro
15. Prophets and priests erred through drink. Isa 28:7 But 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.
16. Those who drink are set aside as useless. Because of spiritual
blindness Isa. 28:7 But 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.
17. There is a rebuke to drinking church members who are God's
watchmen. Isa 56:10-12 His
watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs,
they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they
are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds
that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one
for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch
wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow
shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
19. Priests are not to drink wine. Eze 44:21
Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner
court.
20. The greatness of John the Baptist was linked with his total
abstinence. Luk
Some Common Questions
1. Did Jesus serve fermented wine at the wedding at
Answer: If
a person can read and understand what they read they
would know He did not. Let's notice:
A. He did not serve the wine until the people had well drunk. Had
they been drinking fermented wine they would have been too drunk to
know whether it was good or not; so we know the wine was not
fermented.
B. When Jesus turned the water to wine He did the same thing that
nature does; it turns water to wine (juice).
2. Did Jesus drink wine?
Answer: No where
in the Word Of God does it say He did?
3. Was the wine fermented at the last supper?
Answer: No. The
juice that was served is never called wine; it is called the fruit
of the vine. Luke 22:17-18
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and
divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of
the fruit of the vine, until the
4. Was Timothy instructed by Paul to drink fermented wine with his
water?
Answer: No.
A. The word from which wine is translated in 1Tim. 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and
thine often infirmities. Means grape juice
B. Timothy was in
5. In 1Tim. 3:3-8 Not given
to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a
brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having
his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not
how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of
God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the
condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of
them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of
the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued,
not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; the word
from which wine is translated in verse 3 means fermented wine. In
verse 8 the word means not fermented. The context makes it clear, no
wine would be fermented, to much wine would be nonfermented ( notice
b. under #4 above) If you don't believe the context shows it, do a
word study on the two words.
6. Alcohol is not a natural substance. It is man made and is full of
poisons. It
defiles the body by destroying the liver and killing brain cells.
The Bible says we are not to defile the temple of the Holy Ghost.
1Co
7. Kings and priests were not to drink strong drink and we
Christians have been made priests and kings unto God. Pro 31:4-5
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, 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. Rev 1:6
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Conclusion
Christians should be continually trying to live as close to Jesus as
possible instead of to the world and sin. People who look for loop
holes to sin will say, the Bible does not say you can't drink
sociable. These same people will take a verse like, Deut 22:5
The woman shall not wear that
which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's
garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.,
which is plain, and still refuse to obey it. They have a wicked
rebellious heart. Mark 7:21-23
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness,
deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
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