IT’S TOUGH TO ARGUE from the Bible that Christians shouldn’t drink alcohol, many insist.
After all, Jesus’ first miracle on record was to whip up enough wine to get a thousand people too drunk to drive a donkey cart—at least by today’s measure of blood alcohol. He turned no less than 120 gallons (454 liters) of water into wine at a wedding celebration in the village of Cana (John 2).
Some argue it was grape juice.
They should visit Israel in August and September, when grapes are harvested. It’s hot. Grapes start to ferment right away.
Jesus drank
- “The Son of Man appeared—He didn’t fast, as John [the Baptist] had, but ate with sinners and drank wine. And the people said, ‘This man is a glutton! He’s a drunk!” (Matthew 11:19, The Voice).
- “He [Jesus] took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it” (Mark 14:23). This was at the Last Supper, in the springtime—six months or more after the grape harvest.
Paul told Timothy to drink
- “Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often” (1 Timothy 5:23).
Kids drank wine
Wine was the preferred drink during Roman times, served at nearly every meal.
Even children drank at least a watered-down version. Wine, many speculate, was safer than some of the water. Alcohol killed bacteria and parasites in the water.
Why some Christians today don’t drink
In some local churches, all it takes is a strong-willed preacher telling his flock that if they drink, they’ll burn in hell. Some would call that brainwashing by intimidation.
But many Christians have what they consider solid, well-reasoned arguments against drinking.
Family addicts. Some Christians avoid alcohol because they have alcoholics in their family, they’ve seen the damage it caused, and they fear they might have a genetic predisposition toward alcoholism.
Health risks. There are health risks to drinking wine, perhaps outweighing the benefits, some researchers say.
Benefits of a glass of red wine every day or two: lowers bad cholesterol, prevents heart damage, reduces risk of blood clots and strokes.
Risks: high blood pressure, diseased livers, injury caused by drowsiness.
The Mayo Clinic reports that grape juice produces the same affects as wine, without the risks. For those who choose wine, Mayo recommends no more than one glass a day for women and two for men.
Drunk drivers. Most people who drink and drive drunk genuinely believe they’re driving safely. Christians don’t want to be counted among those believers.
Excerpt from Stephen M. Miller’s Bible Snapshots.
Coming from an alchoholic background I have personally observed what drinking does to good people. Having said that, I also have no issue with anyone enjoying an adult beverage, Christian or non Christian. Everything in moderation may be the way to go on this particular subject.
I personally don’t care if someone who identifies themselves as Christian has a drink or not. Of course, I come from a Catholic background, where we are really big on wine and beer. But hey, each to his own!
The issue/write up appears inconclusive…I’d like to know the conclusive end….I.e I wanna know how this write up ends
The case for alcohol in reducing heart disease is speculative. Research showed that low/moderate level drinkers were found to show low lever heart risk. But it has not been established why. They were not able to prove that the alcohol was responsible. Cos its being argued that people who are able to restrain themselves to low level consumption regularly, are likely to have good lifestyles that will maintain their health.
Then low and moderate is relative. Cannot be established cos it varies from one individual to the other.
This is a major concern cos the same research shows that beyond low and moderate, heart risk is higher.
Higher risk of death, cancer, liver cirrhosis, trauma
Alcohol anticlotting effects, while reducing risk of ischemic stroke, may increase risk of hemorrhagic stroke….that’s a research by two guys…
Hmmmmmm…..
Hi, Ruth.
Here’s the link to a short Mayo Clinic article I think you might find engaging:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089
Steve
The case for alcohol in reducing heart disease is speculative. Research showed that low/moderate level drinkers were found to show low lever heart risk. But it has not been established why. They were not able to prove that the alcohol was responsible. Cos its being argued that people who are able to restrain themselves to low level consumption regularly, are likely to have good lifestyles that will maintain their health.
Then low and moderate is relative. Cannot be established cos it varies from one individual to the other.
This is a major concern cos the same research shows that beyond low and moderate, heart risk is higher.
Higher risk of death, cancer, liver cirrhosis, trauma
Alcohol anticlotting effects, while reducing risk of ischemic stroke, may increase risk of hemorrhagic stroke….that’s a research by two guys…
Hmmmmmm…..
Besides, People who suffer psychological distress and rely on alcohol to relieve them are more likely to develop alcohol abuse and dependence.
In the bible days it was Judaism…we’re practicing Christianity… But the key here is…why did Timothy need permission to take a little? If it was normal/ usual practice among believers, Paul had to instruct him to do so, with specific reasons stated And finally, I want to be sure that my Pastor, leader or mentor is clearly not under any influence (but that of the HolySpirit) at any time, since I can’t exactly tell how much alcohol in ones system is too much 🙂
Ruth, if your pastor gets in the back seat of his Buick to drive home, he’s had too much to drink.
Lastly:
Lev.10:8-11 GOD instructed Aaron: “When you enter the Tent of Meeting, don’t drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, lest you die. This is a fixed rule down through the generations. Distinguish between the holy and the common, between the ritually clean and unclean. Teach the People of Israel all the decrees that GOD has spoken to them through Moses.”
Prov.20:1 Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome— a staggering drunk is not much fun.
1cor.6:12 Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.
Aii….I’m off to bed, its way past me bed time….