Eccles. 7:16-17 Do not be over righteous, neither be over wise — why destroy yourself? Do not be over wicked, and do not be a fool — why die before your time?

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Wine in Scripture:

• New wine & mixed wine are intoxicating according to Scripture (Isa. 24:7; Hosea 4:11; Joel 1:5)

• Mixed wine refers to special wines where various wines are mixed together and/or mixed with spices and does not refer to wine cut with water (Psalm 75:8, Song of Songs 8:2)

• The only time such a practice is mentioned in the Bible is in regards to merchants who cut wine with water to rob customers (Isa. 1:22)

• God refers to pouring out the wine of His mixed wine on His enemies which does not mean He will dilute justice (Psa. 75:8)

• The Bible speaks of grape juice (Num. 6:3) and if God meant to speak of non-alcoholic wine he would have used that word to avoid confusion

Scripture on Wine:

• Rightly used for communion (Matt. 26:29; Mk. 14:25; Lk. 22:18), medicinal purposes (Prov. 31:6; I Tim. 5:23), and Old Testament worship (Num. 28:14).
• Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
• Ecclesiastes 9:7 “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart.”
• Deut. 14:26 “Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice.”

Prohibitionists

If I believed that Christ, knowing the nature of intoxicating wine…justified this use by His example, I would repudiate Him as a savior. - Prohibitionist Spokeswomen Helen Gougar

Difficulties arose however as they tried to rectify what appeared to be contrary teaching in the scriptures. The passages that declared that Jesus had turned water into wine had to be reinterpreted… other parts of the Bible were disregarded altogether. At the national prohibitionist meeting in 1882 a Louisville clergyman stated that he had previously thought that all passages in the Bible were worthy of belief and practice. However now he believed that certain admonitions, like when Paul told Timothy to, “Take a little wine for thy stomach’s sake,” were never meant to be absolute, but were provisional.

Scripture

Psalm 104:14-15 He [God] makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man…

John 2:1-11 Jesus’ first miracle –180 gallons of water into wine at a wedding party

Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."

The Bible is abundantly clear that drunkenness is a sin:

• Deut. 21:20
• Eccl. 10:17
• Matt. 24:29
• Lk. 12:45; 21:34
• Rom. 13:13
• I Cor. 5:11
• Eph. 5:18
• I Pet. 4:3

Drunkenness can lead to:

• Incest (Gen. 19:32-35)
• Violence (Pr. 4:17)
• Adultery (Rev. 17:2)
• Mockery and brawling (Prov. 20:1)
• Poverty (Prov. 21:17)
• Late night and early morning drinking (Isa. 5:11-12)
• Hallucinations (Isa. 28:7)
• Legendary antics (Isa. 5:22)
• Murder (2 Sam. 11:13)
• Gluttony and poverty (Prov. 23:20-21)
• Vomiting (Jer. 25:27, 48:26; Isa. 19:14)
• Staggering (Jer. 25:27; Ps. 107:27; Job 12:25)
• Madness (Jer. 51:7)
• Prolonged sleep (Jer. 51:39)
• Nakedness (Hab. 2:15; Lam. 4:21)
• Sloth (Joel 1:5)
• Escapism (Hosea 4:11)
• Depression (Lk. 21:34)
• Staying up all night (I Thess. 5:7)

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Abstentionists

Alcohol abuse:

• 100,000 alcohol related deaths in America each year
• 8.1 million alcoholics in US
  
• 43% of Americans have been exposed to alcoholism in their family
• 62% of high school seniors have been drunk
• 31% have had 5 plus drinks in a row in the last 2 weeks

"Do you suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused? Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit and abolish women?" Martin Luther

Romans 14:1-3 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.

Romans 14:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

Two Views about Food/Alcohol/Days to worship:

1) Partake in these things because God ordained them and created them good 2) God has convicted you not to partake so do not partake

Moderationists

I Timothy 4:5 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Reflection Questions

1) How did you come to terms with what you believe about the consumption of alcohol? What was the primary influence: abuse, enjoyment, legalism? How will you reconcile your life, your thoughts and your beliefs to Scripture?

2) Prohibitionists and Abstentionists rely on a subtle form of Legalism to forbid alcohol consumption. This is an important topic because it uncovers the core of the Gospel. We must only make rules where Jesus did and nowhere else. We must follow Christ because our only other option is to follow ourselves. We need Jesus. When we are in Him, we are made right with God. Are you in Christ? Have you bought into the subtle entanglement of Legalism? How will you repent/turn back to God, from this broken moral system?

3) We must strive to honor God with every moment of our lives. Therefore, drunkenness is not Godly and is sin. If you drink to get drunk, how will you find Christ in your broken state? If you are an alcoholic, Jesus is your only true Hope. How will you find Him? If you drink under-age, you defy God’s word and His Spirit rests heavy on your heart. Will you honor Him by living out Romans 13:1?

*A portion of these resources and Scripture provided by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church