I know the story of a preacher who for years forcefully taught his congregation that Christians should refrain from drinking alcohol, since “drinking alcohol is a sin.” He said that his father, with whom he had a bad relationship, was a drinker and that is why he made up his mind to never try alcohol.
In time, the preacher became engaged to a woman who liked to drink wine occasionally. To the surprise of the congregation, his position on alcohol softened. He began to teach that drinking alcohol was something the Bible did not forbid and could be done in moderation.
The people of your church were confused and trying to discern which is the correct position: the old one or the new one? Abstinence or moderation?
This is an example of how our convictions can be based on experience, or circumstantial preferences, and not on Scripture.
In fact, the consumption of alcohol does not seem to have been a matter of discussion in the church (at least in a known way) until the time of the Reformation. Especially by some Puritans who taught that the Bible condemns this practice.
In this discussion there are two common positions in the church. On the one hand, there are those who affirm total abstinence, establishing that Scripture prohibits all forms of consumption. According to this position, all Alcohol consumption, without exception, is sinful. On the other side, there are those who defend moderation. The latter establish that the Bible does not prohibit responsible and moderate alcohol consumption, but its abuse does.
In the midst of this debate, let’s go to the Word to take our convictions from there.
The use of wine according to the Bible
References in the Old Testament to alcohol consumption are varied and include warnings. For example, in Proverbs 20:1 we read that “Wine provokes, strong drink riots, and whoever gets drunk with them is not wise” (Prov. 20:1).
In Isaiah we see that surrender to drink is a mark of impiety that the Lord abominates: “Woe to those who get up early in the morning to go after drink, to those who stay up late so that the wine lights them up!… of the heroes to drink wine and brave to mix drinks…!” (Is. 5:11, 22). In fact, drunkenness is a sign of corrupt leadership that the Lord detests and deserves condemnation (Is. 28:7). God brings his judgment on those who disobey his Word to seek wine and get drunk with liquor (Is. 56:12).
At the same time, let us not ignore that in the Old Testament wine is often seen as an expression of God’s blessing on his people, just like any other fruit of the earth. For example, in Deuteronomy 7:12-13 we read:
“Then it will come to pass, that because you hear these decrees and keep and fulfill them, the Lord your God will keep His covenant with you and His mercy which He swore to your fathers. He will love you, bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain, your new wine, your oil, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock in the land that He swore to your fathers that he would give you” (see also Deut 14:25-26; 16:13).
Furthermore, the pleasurable effect of wine is not always censured. For example, the psalmist says that God is the one who makes “the wine that gladdens the heart of man” (Ps. 104:15). This positive mention of the delightful effect of alcohol suggests that it is a legitimate benefit that can unfortunately be misused and misused by man.
Now, many believers argue that the wine in the Bible was actually grape juice. Furthermore, they say that Jesus did not drink fermented wine and that the miracle at the wedding at Cana involved grape juice (Jn. 2:1-12). But this argument does not seem valid to me, because then the Biblical warnings against drunkenness would not make sense. Furthermore, to say that Christ did not drink wine is to ignore that he is suggesting that he did (Luke 7:33-34).
The New Testament has several warnings about the abuse of wine. It tells us explicitly that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:10). But we also see that its consumption is mentioned as a natural and legitimate practice. The institution of the Lord’s Supper was carried out with wine and the Church practiced it that way. For example, in 1 Corinthians 11:3 Paul rebuked believers who got drunk while eating dinner, indicating that dinner was with wine and not just grape juice.
On the other hand, although in Ephesians 5:18 we are warned against drunkenness, the passage does not actually forbid us to drink alcohol, but to get drunk. The text says: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” There is no ban on never drinking wine. In addition, we know the recommendation of wine, for its medicinal effect, that Paul made to Timothy (1 Tim. 5:23).
Therefore, since we only find warnings regarding the abuse of alcohol and not an absolute prohibition, I believe that the position that most reflects the biblical teaching is moderation. That is, the Christian can drink alcohol only if he does so in moderation and in a way that glorifies God. However, in our fallen world, and countries damaged by alcoholism, this is not as simple as it seems.
Some considerations
This position must take into account some issues if we want to be diligent and responsible in the matter. Drinking in moderation means not getting drunk, but this is not the only important criterion.
Here are some considerations to take into account:
- In accordance with prudence, it would be foolish to drink alcohol for someone who has had alcoholism problems or who is susceptible to this sin.
- We should not drink alcoholic beverages in front of brothers in Christ who have had these problems (Rom. 14:21). The principle of love should lead us to abstain if we are with a brother who has struggled with this.
- We should not drink alcohol if we are going to drive a vehicle or if its consumption is detrimental to our health.
- We should not drink alcohol in the midst of work responsibilities. If you are going to carry out an activity that requires your physical and mental faculties to be at their maximum focus, it is not convenient for you to drink. Paul taught that everything is lawful for us, but not everything is convenient for us (1 Cor. 10:23).
- Because of their public position, many pastors have decided not to drink alcohol, either in public or in private, lest they be a stumbling block. This is also left to the freedom of each congregation before God.
final words
I have written as someone who believes that the Bible does not prohibit the consumption of alcohol, but its abuse. In the Bible, drinking wine or beer is not condemned, but drunkenness is. However, I myself am not an alcohol consumer. I prefer to abstain completely.
I am aware of how destructive the use of alcoholic beverages has been to our culture. The diseases they cause, addictions, domestic violence, family crises, traffic accidents, injuries, tragedies, and deaths are terrible consequences that should make us more cautious when analyzing this issue.
This matter should not be treated lightly. If the people around you say that you have a drinking problem, run away from alcohol and go quickly to professionals who can help you, and especially to a healthy local church where you can receive counseling and be fed with the Word. If you know a brother who struggles with addiction, confront him by speaking the truth in love and help him get out of it in any way possible. If you like to drink in moderation, have limits, be accountable to other believers, and avoid being a stumbling block for other brothers and non-believers who see alcohol as something bad. Let’s be responsible.
Finally, as believers, we should not limit ourselves to asking if something is a sin or not. The standards of a believer are much higher than that. Rather, the question we must answer is whether what we do reflects the character of Christ (Col 3:17), builds us up as believers (1 Cor 10:23), and glorifies God (Col 3:23). This should be the orientation of our life, even on the subject of the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
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