Is it a sin to drink alcohol

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posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
13,094
113
#21
Wisdom says:

Come, and eat of my meat, and drink of the wine that I have drawn.
(Proverbs 9:5)
Foolishness says:

Stolen waters are sweet, and hid bread is pleasant.
(Proverbs 9:17)
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
41,243
16,252
113
69
Tennessee
#22
I tend to agree with your well written treatise and enjoyed reading it. It is quite evident from scripture that it is, in fact, not a sin to imbibe in alcohol but should use wisdom as to the amount to consume in any given situation. Glad to have you onboard with us. Welcome to CC.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,555
13,320
113
#23
Aprioric assumption, baseless in evidence, merely accusatory. My study, indepth, addresses all of it., but you will never know it, as you stated you did not desire to know it.
"Aprioric" is not a word. When someone holds a conclusion prior to examining evidence, the term is a priori.
 
M

Michael29

Guest
#24
Hello everyone. Can you drink alcohol? That depends solely on one thing, "what is your purpose?"

Every single thing on this earth can be used for good or bad (i.e internet, your hands, your lips, marital relations, alcohol, etc). Can you you have marital relations? Yes and No. Yes, you can with your wife and only your wife to strength your bond, when both mutually and respectfully agree and want to honour God without playing around. No, for any other reason.

Same goes with Alcohol, from Noah, to Lot, to Moses, to David, to Jesus and even with the disciples! Can I drink? Yes, when you do so when you want to be in Joy with God (in Judaism every Sabbath, High Holiday and Occasion and even a funeral they drink wine). Wine and bread are a staple and its there to see if one can elevate them. Now, if someone has an issue, then of course not only should they stay away, but do not invite them over and tempt them with alcohol. Now is wine superior to any other beverage? Yes. Why? Because God sanctified wine and even Jesus sanctified it. Wine was used in the daily offerings in the Holy Temple every day.

So in short, how will you use everything God gave you, for Holy purposes or to cause trouble and sin??? That is your choice.
 

Melach

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2019
2,022
1,506
113
#25
I'll wait for those interested in my study and say, "Yes" to my question, before presenting it. Thank you for your opinion.
deuteronomy 14:26 is opinion?

GOD SAYS you can buy WINE or STRONG DRINK, even if you think wine means grape juice, strong drink doesnt: case closed. how can you refute such a clearverse??

Deu_14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
 

Melach

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2019
2,022
1,506
113
#26
Not really true.
They knew how to dig wells both deep and not so deep.

The water was very drinkable

As well alcoholic wine does not purify water.
send me more if you got information about this

i get sick of hearing about this that no one had clean water to drink??? i think it was more pure then no cars no factories no led no nuclear waste no soviet union to pollute the air and water. less human waste too cause less people
 
E

EleventhHour

Guest
#27
send me more if you got information about this

i get sick of hearing about this that no one had clean water to drink??? i think it was more pure then no cars no factories no led no nuclear waste no soviet union to pollute the air and water. less human waste too cause less people
Will do!!
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
41,243
16,252
113
69
Tennessee
#28
"Aprioric" is not a word. When someone holds a conclusion prior to examining evidence, the term is a priori.
Perhaps the member meant apricot as in brandy. That might be considered strong drink though, meant to be consumed in small increments as the situation, whatever it is, warrants. I wouldn't know about that though because before abstaining from alcohol in 1992 my preference was Gilbey's gin, with tonic and a twist of lime. It killed the pain.
 
Apr 15, 2017
2,867
653
113
#32
What I got to say about wine is this.

Wine can mean fermented or unfermented grape juice.

I can understand drinking alcohol in the Old Testament for they did not have the Spirit, so wine could be a comfort to them.

But even in the Old Testament God warned against alcohol.

Pro 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
Pro 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Pro 23:33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Pro 23:34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
Pro 23:35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Pro 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Pro 31:5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Which wine for them that are in misery and of heavy hearts, but if you were with God then the joy of the LORD is your strength and His blessing upon you, so even in the Old Testament what is the purpose of wine, but for those that were not with God.

And how much more in the New Testament having the Spirit is God a comforter to us.

For the Spirit is the Comforter that will comfort us in all our afflictions.

And Jesus gives us joy that no person can take away.

And God gives us peace that passes all understanding.

And God gives us power, love, and a sound mind.

And Jesus said take His yoke upon you and you will find rest for your soul, for His burden is light, and His yoke is easy.

So why would a person need alcohol when they have the Spirit in the New Testament.

Alcohol is a fleshy pleasure and has nothing to do with being spiritual, and we know alcohol is bad for the body, so how is it good and permitted by God.

Alcohol should only be for those who do not follow God and the truth, not for a saint, even though the world should still not drink alcohol.

Are you saying that alcohol can comfort you better than the Holy Spirit, and would the Holy Spirit think that is an offense to Him.

Also if God allowed us to drink a little alcohol as being fermented would that not be a temptation because some people might want to drink more.

And God does not tempt any person.

Did God say you can kiss a girl but do not fornicate if you are not married, for if you are not married you do not even hold hands with her for you have no physical contact with her unless you are married.

Did God say you can steal a piece of bubblegum, but do not steal a car, for stealing is wrong no matter the value of it.

Why would God say you can drink a little alcohol, but do not drink a lot.

Alcohol is straight up a fleshy pleasure not spiritual, and the Spirit is our Comforter, and alcohol is not a necessity to live and sustain the human body.

So drinking alcohol does not make any sense unless you want to enjoy a carnal lust.

Also it is not for kings to drink alcohol, but Jesus made the saints kings and priests unto God the Father.

If saints want to drink alcohol they are only engaging in a fleshy pleasure that pleases the flesh and does not add one inch unto their being spiritual, and is not something they need to survive according to their needs, and might cause them to drink a lot of alcohol because it is a temptation to them once they had their first drink.

Of course there is a positive note to them that drink alcohol they can always repent of it, but many will probably do it again, and many will not repent for they believe they did nothing wrong.

Which God said some have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

They love God but they love to drink alcohol, and watch pornography, and fornicate with someone not their spouse, and watch worldly movie and shows, and listen to worldly music, identifying with the world instead of with Christ.

Well thanks a lot for now we got to hear people from the world saying the Christians are hypocrites and do not act like Jesus and then the world slips farther and farther from God for they stray more from God and the Bible because of the hypocrisy of many who claim Christ.
 

Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,784
4,451
113
#33
God's word has much to say about the consumption of fermented and unfermented wine. In ancient times wine could be fermented grape juice mixed with water, thus making it somewhat diluted. Fermented wine could also be made without adding water and making it more intoxicating. The Bible often describes this type of wine as "strong drink". Without question the Bible condemns drinking to the point where a person is drunk. As Christians we are commanded to not let our bodies be enslaved by anything (1 Corinthians 6: 12) and getting drunk with alcohol would certainly fall under this category. Christians should not do anything that hinders the Holy Spirit's influence on us. A person who consumes alcohol to the point where they are drunk has let the alcohol influence their decision making instead of being "filled by the spirit". Alcohol by itself is not tainted by sin, it is the drunkenness and addiction to it that a Christian must absolutely stay away from. Scripture does not forbid Christians from drinking beer, wine, or anything else containing alcohol in it. As a matter of fact, there are times the Bible speaks of alcohol in a positive light.

Ephesians 5:18 "be not drunk with wine where in excess; but be filled with the Holy Spirit." This passage of scripture is warning us to not be "drunk" or drinking to the point where it is to much or "excess". Drinking to much leads to intoxication, which leads to bad decisions. God wants us to be filled by the Holy Spirit which leads and guides us into making better decisions in life.

Exodus 32:6-7 The people were so intoxicated with wine that the Lord said, "they have corrupted themselves."
Proverbs 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise." To be led astray is to be led by the intoxication of wine, where God wants us to be lead by the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 31:4-7 verse 4 says that it is not for kings to drink wine. If the king is drunk and is under its influence, he may forget the law, his morals, or himself. A drunken king will use bad judgement when making important decisions concerning his kingdom. A king who stays drunk all the time cannot lead his people or country. Now notice in verse 6 this passage is actually giving permission to drink intoxicating wine. "strong drink" to those who are about to die and may need it for pain and "wine" who have a heavy heart and is afflicted with anxiety, nervousness, or something troubling them emotionally.

Final thoughts
It is incorrect to say that wine in the Bible was just simply grape juice, but equally incorrect to say that wine was fermented the same as modern day. It has been clinically proven that a glass of red wine soothes the stomach. The drunken state is what the Bible most warns about. The fact is, many people have a problem with having just "one glass" of red wine and want to keep going until it is too late. They become enslaved by the alcohol and do and say things they normally wouldn't. For these people it is a good idea to stay completely away from any kind of alcohol beverage. Keep in mind, back in ancient times the water was not very clean. Without modern sanitation, the water was filled with bacteria, viruses, and all kinds of contaminants. It is still true today in some third world countries where immediately after you step off an airplane they tell you not to drink the water! Regarding alcohol and its effects it has on people, the easy temptation to consume more than one can handle, and due to the possibility causing another brother or sister stumbling in their walk with Christ, it may be best for a Christian to abstain from drinking all together.
God bless everyone!
Everything has a design and purpose by God. In theory wine in moderation I see no harm both scientifically and health wise. Our bodies are a temple and should be taking care of. Many alcoholic drinks even if regularly drinking in moderation is quite unhealthy due to its contents. The ancient world was a different time when water was hard to come by. It was much easier to create wine as the environment also allowed grapes and different fruit trees to grow. Also due to sanitary reasons it was safer to drink fermented wine. Which also is clear indication that their tolerance was probably much higher than ours today.

Scripture also says not to be a stumbling block to weaker believers. Also a leader of faith has to protect their image from slanderous accusations. In our culture drinking alcohol is largely a pagan practice with bars on every corner. It carries a bad vibe culturally for the faith leader regardless if they are acting in moderation.

So even though I do not believe drinking alcohol in moderation is Biblically a sin just as taking meds in moderation isnt a sin. But one must consider the paragraphs above.
 
E

EleventhHour

Guest
#34
"Aprioric" is not a word. When someone holds a conclusion prior to examining evidence, the term is a priori.
I was wondering about that...you have solved a great mystery!!
 
Feb 29, 2020
1,563
571
113
#35
Those strong in the faith, who have power over their bodies, can choose to drink alcoholic beverages in moderation if they choose to do so because the scriptures are clear that drinking wine or strong drink is not a sin and only discouraged for those in positions of authority and those who would drink it to excess.

However, as was mentioned by another poster, we should be mindful of the weaker believers who are offended by wine and avoid drinking it in their presence.

It would only be fair for the weaker believers to also recognize that their choice to abstain from wine is their personal choice and not to be lorded over the stronger believers, especially when they falsely claim that the Bible teaches it is sin to drink wine. The Bible does teach it is sin to drink wine. Only drunkenness is condemned.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,195
6,508
113
#37
If the individual is under the control of alcohol, that is to say addicted to it, it is a sin. However nothing by entering into the stomach corupts a man, it is what proceeds from the heart that may corrupt him…….. Do not look for birds in the lion's den, unless the lion is eating them.
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
1,370
113
#38
Everything has a design and purpose by God. In theory wine in moderation I see no harm both scientifically and health wise. Our bodies are a temple and should be taking care of. Many alcoholic drinks even if regularly drinking in moderation is quite unhealthy due to its contents. The ancient world was a different time when water was hard to come by. It was much easier to create wine as the environment also allowed grapes and different fruit trees to grow. Also due to sanitary reasons it was safer to drink fermented wine. Which also is clear indication that their tolerance was probably much higher than ours today.

Scripture also says not to be a stumbling block to weaker believers. Also a leader of faith has to protect their image from slanderous accusations. In our culture drinking alcohol is largely a pagan practice with bars on every corner. It carries a bad vibe culturally for the faith leader regardless if they are acting in moderation.

So even though I do not believe drinking alcohol in moderation is Biblically a sin just as taking meds in moderation isnt a sin. But one must consider the paragraphs above.

https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20110224/moderate-alcohol-drinking-may-boost-heart-health

Moderate Alcohol Drinking May Boost Heart Health
Researchers Say Benefits May Be Related to Effect of Moderate Drinking on HDL Levels
By Denise Mann
 

NOV25

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2019
967
384
63
#39
God's word has much to say about the consumption of fermented and unfermented wine. In ancient times wine could be fermented grape juice mixed with water, thus making it somewhat diluted. Fermented wine could also be made without adding water and making it more intoxicating. The Bible often describes this type of wine as "strong drink". Without question the Bible condemns drinking to the point where a person is drunk. As Christians we are commanded to not let our bodies be enslaved by anything (1 Corinthians 6: 12) and getting drunk with alcohol would certainly fall under this category. Christians should not do anything that hinders the Holy Spirit's influence on us. A person who consumes alcohol to the point where they are drunk has let the alcohol influence their decision making instead of being "filled by the spirit". Alcohol by itself is not tainted by sin, it is the drunkenness and addiction to it that a Christian must absolutely stay away from. Scripture does not forbid Christians from drinking beer, wine, or anything else containing alcohol in it. As a matter of fact, there are times the Bible speaks of alcohol in a positive light.

Ephesians 5:18 "be not drunk with wine where in excess; but be filled with the Holy Spirit." This passage of scripture is warning us to not be "drunk" or drinking to the point where it is to much or "excess". Drinking to much leads to intoxication, which leads to bad decisions. God wants us to be filled by the Holy Spirit which leads and guides us into making better decisions in life.

Exodus 32:6-7 The people were so intoxicated with wine that the Lord said, "they have corrupted themselves."
Proverbs 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise." To be led astray is to be led by the intoxication of wine, where God wants us to be lead by the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 31:4-7 verse 4 says that it is not for kings to drink wine. If the king is drunk and is under its influence, he may forget the law, his morals, or himself. A drunken king will use bad judgement when making important decisions concerning his kingdom. A king who stays drunk all the time cannot lead his people or country. Now notice in verse 6 this passage is actually giving permission to drink intoxicating wine. "strong drink" to those who are about to die and may need it for pain and "wine" who have a heavy heart and is afflicted with anxiety, nervousness, or something troubling them emotionally.

Final thoughts
It is incorrect to say that wine in the Bible was just simply grape juice, but equally incorrect to say that wine was fermented the same as modern day. It has been clinically proven that a glass of red wine soothes the stomach. The drunken state is what the Bible most warns about. The fact is, many people have a problem with having just "one glass" of red wine and want to keep going until it is too late. They become enslaved by the alcohol and do and say things they normally wouldn't. For these people it is a good idea to stay completely away from any kind of alcohol beverage. Keep in mind, back in ancient times the water was not very clean. Without modern sanitation, the water was filled with bacteria, viruses, and all kinds of contaminants. It is still true today in some third world countries where immediately after you step off an airplane they tell you not to drink the water! Regarding alcohol and its effects it has on people, the easy temptation to consume more than one can handle, and due to the possibility causing another brother or sister stumbling in their walk with Christ, it may be best for a Christian to abstain from drinking all together.
God bless everyone!
I think you covered just about everything, well said.
 

WithinReason

Active member
Feb 21, 2020
929
136
43
#40
"Aprioric" is not a word.
Those who know the English language, and use it rightfully so, disagree with you, in mathematics, debate, logic, rhetoric, science, medicine, politics, etc:

https://www.wordreference.com/roen/aprioric

https://duckduckgo.com/?q="Aprioric"+definition&t=ffab&ia=web

http://www.bu.edu/wcp/Papers/TEth/TEthSeid.htm

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q="aprioric"

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0,5&q="aprioric"&btnG=

And so on. If you cannot even manage that correctly, how shall we trust anything you say upon "alcohol" (Arabic origins) and matters scripture?