Alcohol and the Bible

[B-A-C]

Another subject that comes up frequently has to do with drinking alcohol. It seems some Christians struggle with this, as much as they struggle with sex.

But what does the Bible say?

The first miracle Jesus did was in John 2. He turned water into wine. There is a lot of debate about this. Was it alcoholic wine, or was it more of a grape juice?
I don't think anyone can prove one way or another. Jesus did rebuke Mary for asking Him to do this.

John 2:4; And Jesus *said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come."

The Bible says a little wine now and then isn't so bad.

1Tim 5:23; No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

So then the issue isn't really having a drink every now and then. It's more about "how much" and "how often". While having a drink might be OK, getting drunk isn't.

Eph 5:18; And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

What is dissipation? Losing your inhibitions, losing control over your mind. Debauchery, wild-living, and ultimately making bad decisions because you aren't in control of your thoughts.

Now while Jesus may or may not have made alcoholic wine, it was something the disciples were familiar with.

Acts 2:13; But others were mocking and saying, "They are full of sweet wine."
Acts 2:15; "For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;

So the issue here isn't the fact you had a drink, it's more about getting drunk and losing control of yourself.

One of the requirements for overseers and deacons in the church, is that they don't like to drink too much.

1Tim 3:3; not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.
1Tim 3:8; Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,
Titus 1:7; For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,
Titus 2:3; Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

Older women shouldn't become lushes and be "enslaved" to wine.
I know here in the Northwest US wineries are all the rage. We've gone from less than a dozen to well over 200 in Washington and Oregon, farm land and apple orchards were burned down
in order to make room for these. We have wine tasting shows on television, we have channels that express we should drink wine with a movie, or while we cook, or just anytime we feel "the need".
Can you go more than an hour watching television without some beer commercial, or wine commercial, or even hard liquor?

So what does Jesus say about Christians who want to get drunk and party?

Luke 21:34; "Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;

Luke 12:45; "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;
Luke 12:46; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

How many of us call Jesus our "master"? Our Lord? and Yet how many of us will be assigned a place with the unbelievers?

Peter and Paul also mention drinking too much. There are "Christians" who think partying and getting drunk is OK with God. The Bible says otherwise.

Rom 13:13; Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
Gal 5:21; envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1Pet 4:3; For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.
1Thes 5:7; For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

I was told once that heaven is full of bars, and it will be one big party there. I was going to say, they will disappointed when they see heaven, but I'm not sure they ever will see heaven.

.. to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

There are words like "beer" and "marijuana" that aren't in the Bible. Some people take to mean, it's OK.

The Bible mentions the spirit of the law instead of the "letter" of the law. ( Rom 7:6; ) So while certain things may not be under the "exact letter" of the law they are in the spirit of the law.
The Bible does mention being drunk and dissipation. So this means anything, any drug that causes you lose control of your thoughts is a bad thing.

How many people have died because of alcohol? Liver poisoning, brain hemorrhaging, drunk driving, bad decisions, Suicides.
How many lives and marriages have been broken because of alcohol? Words said when people weren't really in control of their thoughts. Wicked sensual acts that people did while they weren't
in control of their thoughts.

A lot of people use alcohol as a crutch, an escape. The realities, harshness and pressures of life are too much for them. So instead of turning to Jesus and trusting Him, they turn to the
bottle and drugs to make them forget about these things. The problem is that the problems don't away, they're still there (usually getting worse by the day) you just aren't thinking about them.
Any substance that alters your mental state, and causes you to lose control of your thoughts is a sin.

Jesus can heal. He can heal broken bodies, broken spirits, and even broken minds. He can heal our emotions, and even change our desires if we let Him.

The Bible talks about being enslaved to alcohol ( Titus 2:3; ) Romans says we can be a slave to sin (which leads to death) or a slave to righteousness (which leads to life).
People are deceived into believing they have o have alcohol, they believe they can't live without it. It enslaves them, it controls them.

.. but there is someone who can set them free. Jesus.

 

[B-A-C]

Many years ago, I drove a beer truck. I was young and it was only temporary job for a short season.
I feel a little guilt that I was the person delivered beer to many of these people. I don't know that anyone died drinking the beer I delivered, but it's possible.

One of my largest accounts was a church believe it or not. It was in a small town near where I lived. On weekends they turned the church (it was the largest building in town)
into a Bingo hall and dance hall. Alcoholic drinks included of course.. because you can't have fun without alcohol, right? How far have some of us fallen?
If Jesus was angry because the money changers turned God's house into a business, I wonder how God feels about drunken parties in His house?

There is a verse that talks about grieving the Holy Spirit. How many of us have grieved the Spirit because of things done while we were "under the influence" of drugs or alcohol.

I myself have said and done some really foolish things when I was under the influence.

 

[TheWaytoGo]

I was a drunk for decades.

It killed the pain of childhood sexual and emotional abuse.

When the negatives began to outweigh the positives, I quit.

A few years later and struggling in every way, I realized that I didn't love The Father, or The Son, with my whole heart, mind and soul - my god was the bottle.

I greviously and sorrowfully repented.

Instantly, the daily effort and will power it had taken to stay sober was lifted, and I was set free of all compulsion.

Joh 8:36 "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. ​

Here is how you will know when you sin:

Jas 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. ​

​

 

[Mister]

Jesus took my alcoholism away. The underlying issues that caused me to drink were also taken away from me: anxiety, quick fix, and other psychological dependencies I really haven't defined. He also removed me from the family that so habitually gathers, upon any occasion, to drink and become drunk.

My wife the other night had a bottle of wine in our hotel room. Because Jesus healed me I refused to even take one sip. I will not be ashamed of what he has done for me! In this life or the life that proceeded mine and the life to come after.

I don't know of a scripture that calls taking a sip of wine sin, but I for myself, because of what Jesus pulled me out of, count it as drunkenness or sin as I am fearful of it causing me to be as a dog returning to his own vomit. Or putting my hand to the plow and looking back, unfit for his Kingdom.

 

[Garee]

Alcohol or wine the word used in the bible becomes a tool for the god of world to cause doubt when looking into spiritual matters as understanding . The gate way to hell drug approved by the Goverment taking away the thorn or sting of death of the scriptures .Christian women fought firecy against with many living with the outcome of it.

Latin vītis "vine," and other words, and they may be derived from the root *wei- "to turn, bend."

Proverbs 23:30-32 King James Version (KJV)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.

serpent and adller used to represent the poison of a false gospel

and I would add to the list of wine dissipation of Spirt . great remover remoes funiture ploish hasband families nations

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

But in that wine is anything that intoxicates or invigurates "things in excees. to turn and bend " to include pride. Eat little honey or vomit out the lukewarm .

Like another poster offered anything that is not of the faith the unseen eternal that comes from hearing in the scripture. It can cause dissapation of His Spirit that does work in us .

Guard your heart its there we can find the treasure spring of the puryfier of hearts (the Just and Justifier) who can keep it pure when yoked with him


2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us