To Drink or Not to Drink? that is the question...

The past few days I've seen a meme floating around, just a simple sign that says "If your preacher says it's ok to drink, find a new church".


I immediately took issue with that. Because if that's true then we should take issue with Paul, and even Jesus himself.


If you look at the Scripture, only the Nazarites were given the rule to never drink alcohol. beyond that the actual command is not be a drunkard.


what does it mean to be a Drunkard? Webster defines Drunkard as a person who is habitually drunk.


A person who is habitually drunk.


But does that mean everyone who drinks is a drunkard? If it does that means everyone who eats fast food or fried chicken is obese. If it does that means everyone who's been given pain medication is a drug addict.


We've all heard, or at least those of us in the Baptist/Evangelical circles, that we are to never drink, never do drugs, don't party, don't you dance like that, read your bibles every day, and go to church at least three times a week and don't you dare smile in church!! I over exaggerate ... kinda... at least sometimes... anyway


But what does God's Word actually say about it?


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


clear there, do not drink wine! wait... no it says do not get drunk with wine. that's the debauchery. but obviously, drinking wine is a terrible thing to drink because it says this in Timothy 5:23: No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

So... wine has beneficial uses? according to Paul it does!


But what to make of this passage? Solomon's wisdom in Proverbs 20:1 states Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.


Pretty harsh words for the drinks, but the warning isn't not to drink but to not allow it to lead us a stray... but that doesn't mean that we should avoid it as if it burns us. the opposite sex can lead us a stray, but we still have to communicate and if we wish to be married and have a family we have to make contact with them sometime... good food can lead us to gluttony, but that doesn't mean we should stop eating all together. Money can lead to the sin of greed, but we still have to have it and use it to buy and trade goods to survive in this modern economy. Spending time with those lost in sin and in the world could lead us to sin ourselves, but if we don't interact with them and create relationships we will never lead them to Christ.


I'll be honest with you, I do enjoy sharing a glass of wine with family or friends. particularly this tasty but cheap white wine sold at Wal-Mart, And I confess I like the taste of bourbon, rum, and Jack Daniels whiskey. yet, I can count on one hand how many times I've mistakenly allowed myself to be drunk, and have many fingers to spare.


Even Jesus Himself, His first miracle as recorded in John 2:1-11:


On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.  Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.


 If Wine is something we should never touch, why did Jesus make it out of water for the wedding party? I know, I've heard many say that the wine was diluted, or not as strong as alcohol today, etc., etc. but that doesn't make sense with master of the banquet asking why save the best, which means strongest and best tasting wine, for the last. see in the culture you serve the strong good stuff first, then as the party guests began to indulge, they'd bring out water down and weaker wines, to help prevent those at the party from getting too drunk and losing control of the party.


   Jesus took dirty hand and feet washing water, and turned it into wine that would cost hundreds of dollars today. aged, tasty, and strong. So, either drinking wine is a complete sin and Jesus led those at the party to sin, and thus sinned himself, making himself not the perfect blameless flawless Lamb of God, OR we have the wrong idea of sin.


So, then, with all that said. Why are we like this? Why do we push to completely avoid any touch of alcohol. Well, there's two possible reasons. One is good and honorable to God, and the other not so much.


The first, if you have a alcoholism problem, then you don't want to play with fire. just like if you're prone to heart disease, you wouldn't eat a large pizza or a bucket of fried chicken. Nor would you do this in front of someone who suffers that. If you're with someone who has a problem, don't cause them to stumble with temptation. If I'm with friends and family who have no alcoholism issues at all, I have no problem sharing a glass. but if I'm with someone who does struggle with it, I drink water tea or soda. To avoid yourself or others falling into sin, that is a good and honorable reason.


the other reason... If you want to look the part of a good Christian? Do you want to make yourself look holy and devout? Do you avoid alcohol while wearing a high dollar 3-piece suit, KJV under your arm, clean cut hair cut, answer every question with a Bible verse, all the while looking down on others and being a beacon to show how good you are? Don't you see that's just like the sinful Pharisee that Jesus criticized, who thanked God that they're not like so and so who do this and that. look at me, look how good I am! Jesus had a specific metaphor for people like that. white washed tombs. you look good on the outside, but on the inside you're dead and rotten. If you avoid drinking, or anything else just to make yourself look good, to show how good you are, to honor yourself so you can look down on others... That's just as ugly of a sin in God's eyes as drunkenness.


The bottom line is this. We put so much focus on legalistic rules and laws, that we don't realize that we can't keep them all. We can never do it. We will all eventually break some of God's Law. And if you break just one part of the law, you've broke it all, and no amount of good you do, no matter what you do or don't do, no matter how you look, no matter if you never taste a drop of wine or alcohol in your life, no matter how much Bible you know and say will do you any good. It's only through Jesus and the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life can you be given the ability to stand before the Father righteous and blameless, pure and holy, because it's not about you. It's not about what you've done. It's about Him and what He's done.