Alcohol Consumption by Christians: What the Scriptures Say
However, alcoholic beverages are legal in most parts of the world as the global alcoholic beverages industry is said to exceed $1 trillion in 2014 alone. Alcohol which is recorded to be the most widely used recreational drugs in the world has been traced to ancient times through the discovery of late Stone Age jugs which suggests that intentionally fermented beverages existed at least as early as the Neolithic period or New Stone Age (10,000 BC). It has also been noted that many nonhuman animals also consume alcohol when given the opportunity and are affected much the same way as humans, although humans are the only species known to produce alcoholic beverages intentionally. This controversial subject of Christians and alcohol consumption has evoked many passionate opinions among people of the religion as one wonders if God's word is silent or in any way unclear about alcohol. Considering all these, people on their own or through others have formed their own biblically based conclusions on this subject.
Among Christians, there are two opposing or primary camps of thought on this sensitive topic. The first group argues that Jesus Himself drank wine, and since a Christian is a follower of Christ, how can it be forbidden for them to drink wine? However, this group admits that 'drinking should not be done to excess.' Then, there is the group who argue that alcohol is an addictive and destructive drug that no sincere Christian should use to any degree. Of course, between these two diametrically opposed poles, there are countless variations of opinions. The Scriptures have much to say regarding the drinking of alcohol. Some of the passages that deal with this issue include Leviticus 10:9; Numbers 6:3; Deuteronomy 29:6; Judges 13:4, 7, 14; Proverbs 20:1; 31:4; Isaiah 5:11, 22; 24:9; 28:7; 29:9; 56:12 among others. However, the Scriptures do not necessarily forbid a Christian from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. In fact, the scriptures also discuss alcohol in positive terms. Ecclesiastes 9:7 instructs, 'Drink your wine with a merry heart.' Psalm 104:14-15 states that God gives wine that makes glad the heart of men. Amos 9:14 discusses drinking wine from your own vineyard as a sign of God's blessing. The last part of Isaiah 55:1 encourages wine drinking where it states, 'Yes, come buy wine and milk without price.' We have also been told that alcohol, consumed in small quantities, is neither harmful nor addictive.
In fact, some doctors advocate drinking small amounts of red wine for its health benefits, especially for the heart. For many, consumption of small quantities of alcohol is a matter of Christian freedom, as drunkenness and addiction are sin. However, due to the biblical concerns regarding alcohol and its effects, due to the easy temptation to consume alcohol in excess, and due to the possibility of causing offense and/or stumbling of others, most Christian leaders often preach that it is best for a Christian to abstain from drinking alcohol. According to Pastor Lazarus Muoka, General Overseer, The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Ijesha, Lagos, Christians are forbidden to consume alcohol if they expect to have good communication with God. He added that drunkenness, which results from alcohol consumption is a sin in the sight of God. "Scripture forbids all that want to have communion with God to have anything to do with alcoholic drinks. This is because drunkenness which is the effect of alcohol is sinful and Scripture states categorically that all that indulge in it shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5: 19 and 21 states, 'Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, envy, murder, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.'
A Christian who takes alcohol has no business with the Kingdom of God. Drunkenness is carnality, which is an evidence of being dominated by the flesh. And a carnal minded person is a hater of holiness and righteousness and thus an enemy of God. "Rom. 8: 6-7 states, for to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' To take alcohol which is the father of drunkenness is a rebellious act to all purpose and intents. A person who takes alcoholic drink in any percentage is not a member of Christ, neither a Christian nor is he in a state of salvation, which is why the Bible states that though the person lives, but is dead", he claimed. Muoka further claimed that God commanded His people to abstain from alcoholic drinks which definitely would not only get them drunk, but also lead to their destruction. "For this reason God commanded Aaron, and by extension all His (God) children saying, 'Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: 10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; (Leviticus 10: 9-10).'This warning is to be passed to all generation of God's people.
The danger of death, to which we are continually exposed by this law, is enough to engage all to be sober about alcohol. In addition, abstaining from alcohol helps Christians to discern the presence of evil and flee from it. Indeed, it is an aberration that one would render himself a fool thus an enemy of God for the taste or excitement produced by alcoholic drinks", he stated. Prof Kunle Macaulay, Director of Studies, United Bible University, Ojodu, Ogun State, claimed that to understand the issue of alcohol drinking by Christians, the matter has to be treated from two perspectives; namely the spiritual angle and reasonableness.
"To treat this issue justifiably, we need to check the spiritual side of it i.e. what the Bible says on the matter and we also need to act on what is called reasonableness. Is it reasonable to drink or how reasonable is it for us to drink? We need to look at it from these two different angles. Many people, especially the Christian leaders teach the Bible wrongly i.e. out of context telling people that the Bible says we must not drink. The Bible never said we shouldn't drink. That is why I said, we should look at it from these two angles because if you look at it from these angles, then you can form your argument, depending on the rationality or reasoning. What does the Bible say about drinking alcohol? The Bible does not condemn alcohol or drinking alcohol. The Bible states that you must be reasonable when you drink. The Bible also talks about drinking too much i.e. when you drink too much and lose your senses; the Bible notes that it is dangerous to drink to the level that you would lose your senses. So, the Bible is there to tell you.
The Bible does not say don't drink, but the Bible states if you drink, be reasonable; don't over drink, don't get drunk. When you get drunk, you lose your sanity; you lose your sense of reasoning. So, that is it about the Bible. When we speak of the other aspect i.e. reasonableness, if you look at it and ask, 'why do I even have to drink at all?' If it is going to cost me my health, why do I have to touch alcohol? Then you see that it is not reasonable to drink, you are not even talking about getting drunk. So in this instance, the best thing is for one not to touch it. This is the way it should be when it comes to such matters. We are talking about teaching the truth now. Also, people will tell you, 'the Bible instructs that you must not drink; if you get drunk, you are not useful, you are a useless man.
The Bible does not teach that. So, we are expected to teach the truth; the real truth from the Bible", he claimed. On the total condemnation of people who take wine in any degree, Macaulay said, "Even fruits are not left out. If you squeeze out the juice from any fruit and you preserve it for some time, it will ferment and you can get drunk from drinking such. Fermentation can cause drunken effect. For me, it is wrong to condemn those people who drink. If people drink and get drunk, then you as a Christian leader need to counsel them because they are human. There are some people who cannot control themselves, this notwithstanding; no one has the right to condemn people. When people are weak and cannot control themselves in any situation, then we should be there to help. The Bible states that those who are strong will help those who are weak. In Christianity, you have no right to condemn anybody.
All you have to do is to note what the Bible states concerning human situation and then correct whatever wrong there is. That is what we call theology; you apply the word of God to human situation for application. To sum my explanation on this issue, it involves what the Bible states and what human being say regarding alcohol. The Bible does not condemn drinking, rather, the Bible cautions people on over-drinking i.e. that they shouldn't get drunk. Coming to man, a reasonable man would wonder why he wants to touch alcohol at all, if it is going to harm him, so, he won't touch it. If people drink and get drunk, then they need. In this case, such people need to be counselled. Even now, in any alcoholic drink advertisement, people are advised to drink reasonably or responsibly." For Archbishop Ojo Joseph, Christians are not supposed to consume alcoholic drinks even moderately as he claimed that total abstinence from such drinks is a better option for them.
"Though, the Bible did not mention complete abstinence when it comes to Christians consuming alcoholic drinks, but we know human beings are prone to over doing things. For this reason, it is better to preach complete abstinence than to encourage Christians to take little alcohol. Another thing is that if you encourage them to take this drink in moderation, you won't be there when they decide to overdo it. When the Bible states don't be drunk with wine wearing in excess, it means taking too much of alcoholic drinks. For me, i will keep advising for people to preach abstinence than moderation because you can't determine what people can do when given the licence to drink", he said. On the argument of some people that Jesus' turning water to wine is an indication that Christians can take alcoholic drinks to some degree, Ojo said: "The wine which Jesus produced with the water was not alcoholic, but sweet wine.
The gospel states in the gospel of John chapter 2 that the wine Jesus Christ produced from the water was sweet wine, sweeter than the one the guest at the wedding had consumed initially. So the wine at Cana was sweet wine. I would say for us Christians, malt is sweet, coca cola is sweet, fanta is sweet; that is true. So, it wasn't alcoholic wine that people consumed when they drank wine at the wedding in Cana." On the existence of trees like the palm tree that produce natural alcoholic drinks, Ojo said: "You can take palm wine when it is new because at that point it does not intoxicate. But when it has fermented, it has become alcoholic and intoxicates. Whatever intoxicates is not of God. Anything that intoxicates makes people go out of control and just like hard drug, it would influence people negatively. Like I said earlier, alcoholic drinks is not of God because when taken in excess, it makes one go out of order. Abstinence is the watchword and abstinence should be preached at all times so that Christians would stay away from these harmful drinks."
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