Is it sinful for Christians to consume alcohol?

There are many in the church that are staunch opponents of Christians consuming intoxicating beverages; beer, wine, champagne, rum, vodka, margaritas, etc.

Drinking because of the propensity of drunkenness is considered sinful and should be avoided at all costs by Christians some will say. It’s considered worldly, a compromise, carnal and pagan. They are also called "Sippin Saints". But, is this assessment fair? Is it actually sinful for believers to drink, even socially?

For the record the writer has never drank – a personal choice. I do not condemn believers that do – their choice.

What does the bible have to say about it?

                                                               Old Testament

The King-Priest Melchizedek offered bread and wine to Abram after he and his men defeated some kings and rescued his nephew Lot (Genesis 14:18).

When Jacob lied to his father Isaac and pretended to be his brother Esau so he could steal the double portion blessing of the first born, he fed his father Isaac the game (probably Venison), and he drank wine (Genesis 27:25).

God required wine in one of the Israelites daily offerings; not for consumption, but for worship (Exodus 29:40).

In Deuteronomy 14:22-26 we read, “You shall surely tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. And you shall eat before the Lord your God in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe or if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand and go the place which the Lord your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your soul desires; for oxen or sheep, for wine  or similar (some versions say strong) drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and shall rejoice, you and your household.”

This was an annual ordinance amongst the children of Israel. They were to have a celebration, a party and rejoice in all the Lord’s goodness towards them when they offered the tithe. Wine was permitted for them to enjoy; obviously not a sin before the Lord.

A warning regarding drinking wine and strong drink is in Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker. Strong drink is raging; whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

The temptation to become inebriated is always lurking at the door so the wisdom of King Solomon provides his insight to be careful of the violence of lingering long at wine and intoxicating drink.

Proverbs 23:29-35 candidly describes one who is actually drunk and hungover:

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints?

Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? ³⁰ Those who linger long at the wine,

Those who go in search of mixed wine. ³¹ Do not look on the wine when it is red,

When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly. ³² At the last it bites like a serpent

And stings like a viper. ³³ Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things.

³⁴ Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying

³⁵ “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it

When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

Being in a drunken stupor is obviously sinful and a reason not to drink at all. Being drunk impairs judgment, dull the senses, brings embarrassment, and is an abuse of the fruit of the vine.   

So we see the wine is a staple commodity within the economy of the Patriarchs and Israel. It was also a good product used in commerce as it is today. Wine is like money; what we call “a-moral”; it’s neither good or bad. Its effects is based on the possessors of it.

                                                                

                                                              New Testament

Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding of Cana in John 2:9. Even unbelievers will cite this account in the Bible; some most likely to pervert the meaning of the text so as to indulge in their liquor to get drunk.

Paul recognized that we have liberty in Christ but provided this caveat in I Corinthians 10:23,24, “All things are lawful for me, but not all thinks are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no man seek his own, but each one the other’s well being.”

What Paul is saying is that mature Christians should support young and immature Christians in their conduct so that they do not stumble. As an example, if you are at dinner and you order a glass of wine, and realize your friend is a new convert and a recovering alcoholic, sober for several years, your freedom may become a stumbling block to that weaker brother or sister; unintentionally tempting them to slip back into a life of reckless drinking. Your good is now evil spoken of because of the choice you made although you gave thanks for your meal with a clear conscience ( I Corinthians 10:30).

The weaker Christian’s conscience is defiled and you’ve sin against them and Christ Paul says (I Corinthians 8:13).  In an instance like this, your love for your weaker brother has to supercede your liberty to eat or drink certain things in their presence so that they do not fall, hindering their faith in God.

                

Long story short, in this scenario one should leave the wine alone.

Romans 14:13-23 says this:

   ¹³ Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. ¹⁴ I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. ¹⁵ If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, ¹⁸ because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

¹⁹ Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. ²⁰ Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. ²¹ It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

²² So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. ²³ But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Ephesians 5:18, “Be not drunk with wine where in there is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.”

                                                                       

 These passages are parallel to that of I Corinthians 10:23-33. We are to sacrifice our liberty and love our brother and sister if what we are doing causes them to be offended. In those days it was common for foods to be offered to idols prior to it reaching someone’s dinner plate. Now, you’re consuming that food and drink with a pure conscience, you have given thanks for it. But, if someone tells you that the food you’re eating was part of some pagan ritual offered to some false god, and their conscience is smitten, then Paul says you’re better off not eating that food and drink for conscience sake; that is for the one who told you conscience. You’re not bothered how the food arrive to you because you know an idol is not real, but the one who told you is bothered. In their mind the food and drink in this instance is cursed and not blessed, and see it as an offense to them for you to consume it.

                                                                                  

                                                                                  Conclusion

The main subject once again is alcohol consumption. We as Christians have to/should ask ourselves the questions,  “is what I’m doing expedient or helpful, or is what I’m doing harmful and causing a stumbling block to my brother or sister who I’m commanded to love and for who Christ died?” Yes we have liberty in Christ, but a Christian’s choice to drink should not plant bad seeds and ruin our gospel witness or hinder the kingdom. Remember, we have unbelievers looking at us too. If we are no different than them, our light is dim or not shining at all. Something as simple as eating and drinking should not be able to tear down the kingdom of God due to our misconduct, but that’s exactly what happens when we abuse our liberty.

We must conduct ourselves in such a way that we endeavor to edify all and not offend any. Our liberty in Christ must be treasured, honored, and used with holy discretion. It should never be flaunted which in of itself is an abuse and makes what God gave as good to be talked about by others as evil due to misuse.

Drinking in of itself is not wrong, however drunkenness is sin. Drinking innocently in the presence of a weaker brother and sister is sin if it causes them to drink or eat and condemn themselves. Why? Because they did not eat or drink with a clear conscience; without faith or confidence. The Bible makes the offender culpable for their stumbling. The one offended has committed sin as well because they made a choice they knew they had no fortitude to handle; an indictment due to their weakness.

Remember love has to be the ultimate aim, not our liberty. That’s the best choice.

So, is consuming alcohol always a good choice? Based on the aforementioned sometimes no. Environment and moderation has to be your standard. Once again, we can’t allow our liberty to be an occasion for someone to malign the kingdom of God. If eating and drinking certain things causes an offense, we should avoid it for the kingdom of God’s sake. What should be more important, your liberty in Christ or sacrificing your liberty to love your weaker brother and sister in Christ?

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31).