My Statement of Faith:
(Continued)
23. Alcohol (Part 1)
There are 4 major views on Alcohol:
#1.
Prohibitionist
Believes that the bible absolutely prohibits the consumption of strong alcoholic beverages socially; And it is a sin to drink such beverages (except for medical reasons). Note: This would not be wine diluted with water back in Biblical times.
#2.
Abstentionist:
Believes that the bible does not absolutely prohibit the consumption of alcohol but for numerous reasons, Christians should abstain from using it. In this view, any amount of drinking that causes one to not be sober in any way directly contradicts those passages that tell us to be sober minded. Also, this view holds that drinking should be done in private and not publicly where your brother could see you and stumble. This view recommends that while it is lawful for you to drink, it is not always profitable so it is highly encouraged to abstain from it. Not out of some sense of legalism but out of love for God, yourself and your brother. Thus, it preaches the reality of the dangers of alcohol and how it can bite you like a serpent (despite it being lawful).
#3.
Undecided
Those that are not sure if drinking alcohol is right or wrong.
#4.
Moderationist
Believes that alcoholic drinks are a gift from God that should be, like all of God’s gifts, consumed moderately. However, the problem with this view is that many of the Moderationists do not warn against the dangers of alcohol. They only paint half the picture that alcohol is good and they get overly defensive in their consumption of alcohol when encouraged to walk the higher road out of love and not as a commandment or legal law within God's Word. Many or most Moderationists believe they can even drink in front of others publicly because Jesus turned water into alcoholic wine publicly. Thus, many of them believe that public drinking could not lead a brother to potentially to stumble (When clearly such a reality could happen).
However, that said, I also believe there is a small number of responsible drinking moderationists who drink in a way to stay sober minded and who believe the proper thing to do is to preach against drunkenness strongly. These Moderationists do not want to do anything to make their brother to stumble. They drink knowing that the beverage they have in their hands is potentially dangerous but yet they drink soberly to the glory of God in private. However, in good conscience, it is my duty as a Christian to remind even these Christians that it can bite like a serpent if they start to forget the dangers of this deadly drug. In fact, it is my encouragement that they walk the higher road and show that they are different from the rest of the world. Again, not out of legalism, but out of love.
My Viewpoint:
I am a Prohibitionist in regards to strong alcoholic beverages of today. But I believe there was a wine that was watered down that the Israelites were allowed to drink.
The Old Testament saints were forbidden to even look at a strong alcoholic beverage let alone drink it.
21 WARNINGS
That Speak Against The Alcoholic Beverage Itself.
(That is not specifically or exclusively talking about drunkenness)
Passages For the Old Testament Saint:
(Before the Cross: The OT Saint did not have a liberty in Christ to drink intoxicating beverages)
(Just as they did not have a liberty in Christ to eat unclean animals)
1) Deuteronomy 29:5-6
- God gave no grape juice to Israel nor did they have intoxicating drink in the wilderness.
(The reason for this action was taken so as to show how they knew God).
2) Deuteronomy 32:33
- Enemy's wine is like the poison of serpents vs. Israelite's pure blood of the grape (verse 14).
3) 1 Samuel 1:14-15
- Accused, Hannah said she drank no wine.
4) Proverbs 4:17
- Alcoholic drink is called the wine of violence.
5) Proverbs 20:1
- Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.
6) Proverbs 23:31
- God instructs not to look at intoxicating drinks.
7) Proverbs 23:32
- Alcoholic drinks bite like a serpent, sting like an adder.
8) Proverbs 23:35
- Alcohol makes the drinker insensitive to pain so he does not perceive it as a warning.
(It also says Alcohol is habit forming).
9) Proverbs 31:4-5
- Kings, Princes, and others who rule and judge must not drink alcohol. Alcohol perverts good judgment.
10) Ecclesiastes 2:3
- The king tried everything, including intoxicating drink, to see if it satisfied. It did not.
(c.f. Ecclesiastes 12:8)
11) Ecclesiastes 10:17
- A land is blessed when its leaders do not drink.
12) Isaiah 5:22
- There is a woe unto them who mix strong drinks.
13) Jeremiah 35:2-14
- The Rechabites drank no grape juice or intoxicating wine and were blessed.
14) Daniel 1:5-17
- Daniel refused the king’s intoxicating wine and was blessed for it along with his abstaining friends.
15) Hosea 4:11
- Intoxicating wine seduces the heart.
Passages For the New Testament Saint:
(After the Cross: NT Saints (Not All) have a liberty in Christ to drink alcohol soberly & privately)
(Just as they have a liberty in Christ to eat unclean animals)
(Those whose conscience condemns them in drinking are not to drink)
(Those who are leaders in the church are not to drink alcohol)
16) Romans 14:21
- Do not do anything (Including drinking intoxicating beverages) to make your brother to stumble.
17) 1 Timothy 3:2-3
- Bishops (elders) are to be temperate, sober, and not near any wine.
18) 1 Timothy 3:8
- Deacons are to be worthy of respect and not drinkers.
19) 1 Timothy 3:11
- Deacons’ wives are to be temperate and sober.
20) Titus 1:7-8
- A bishop is not to be given to wine.
21) Titus 2:2-3
- The older men and older women of the church are to be temperate and not addicted to wine.
Source Used:
75 Bible References on Drinking Alcohol
(Please take note that I only agree with the Scripture that they posted; This does not mean I am in agreement with the author's other beliefs on other topics).
