What the Bible REALLY Says About Alcohol

so this is a study I've never done before and I've never heard before out of the thousands and thousands of Bible studies I've heard I've never heard a study where the goal is what my goal is today which is what the Bible really says about alcohol just a full full scope what the Bible really actually says about alcohol I think it's an important message but I also think that it's one of those things where this is not taught carefully and accurately by most people I've ever heard teach it guys I respect godly teachers and then comes to this topic and all of a sudden they want to give you their version of things instead of just giving you the text and so my goal is to just give you the text like I just want to know what the Bible actually says so heading into this I want you to know this this is not to change your convictions if you if you have convictions about your own drinking so you don't drink or something this is not to change that in fact I don't drink the goal here isn't to change that the goal is to ask this what does the Bible say about alcohol that's simply the question because pastors skew this stuff regularly and it can be hard as a teacher it can be hard to even tell when you're forcing your traditions on to the text because it's always been that way in your little circle and in your group and you were raised this way and so I've heard pastors say well the Bible says this but let me give you my reasons why I think you should have a different set of rules like I've literally heard this sort of study especially this week as I was preparing but there's another problem as well it's just people abused alcohol and so it's almost like you got these two two polarized versions of the Bible in when you hear people teaching either they they try to put a burden on believers that doesn't really exist and shouldn't be upon them or they casually talk about it without worrying about the very serious warnings in Scripture on the topic and so I wouldn't do the whole thing let's just do it all so here's what we're gonna do we're gonna try to give you a balanced teaching we're gonna talk about the positive passages that is passages in the Bible that speak positively of alcohol so I'm gonna cover those in order of just a bunch of passages then we're gonna look at the negative passages passages in the Bible that speak negatively of alcohol then we'll look at a couple other like in addition to this important point like for instance alcohol as medicinal use there's two passages in the scripture we're gonna look at that relate to this which I think are very different passages but very interesting content that we have in the Bible and then finally we'll try to give you a little bit of clarity if you're wrestling with should I be drinking or not hopefully we'll do that and then we'll do our Q&A at the end and if you're watching online do our Q&A in the comment section now before we do anything else you have to get this right you have to get the lordship of Jesus right in your life like if Jesus is not Lord of your life and if this is really about alcohol and not about Jesus then something's wrong with you and like nothing I teach you will be used properly if you're the abstinence person you'll abuse people with your abstinence if you are the Liberty person you'll abuse your Liberty because Jesus is not Lord in this area of your life and there's nothing that will fix that but that's not the topic of the study tonight it's not the lordship of Jesus it's just to get clarity on this topics but that's got to be first so let's let's dig in now to the positive passages Deuteronomy 14 Deuteronomy 14 this is a passage dealing with the firstfruits o Israel would plow their fields they bring in the firstfruits and then they would have a feast to the Lord where they and they'd offer their first fruits to God and this is what it says in Deuteronomy 14 22 I'll read all the way through verse 26 it says you shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year and you shall eat before the Lord your God in the place where he chose he chooses to make his name abide the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always but if the journey is too long for you so that you were not able to carry the tithe notice this was not money tithe this was actually physical produce from their farms and stuff or if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his name is too far from you when the Lord your God has blessed you that would be Jerusalem they're too far from there then you shall exchange it for money take the money in your hand and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses so they trade their tithe n all the produce they get cash then they take the cash to the place and then what do they do with that cash then you shall exchange verse 20 five exchange it excuse me verse 26 and you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires for oxen or sheep for wine or similar drink for whatever your heart desires you shall eat there before the Lord your God and you shall rejoice you and your household now I've actually heard a pastor take this verse and and sat there for I don't know how long and he basically tried to explain how this was not alcoholic wine but the Hebrew is pretty conclusive what it says here in verse 26 is that it's for wine or similar drink and there's no way around it this is definitely an alcoholic content it's not just grape juice like the Hebrews clear wine or similar drink this is definitely including a alcoholic beverage and there to take it in there and he says well oh but it's the first fruit so they just pressed the grapes so right if you just press the grapes they don't have time to ferment yes but it's once a year and it's in the first part of the year in May April May right well the harvest for the wine was months before that so this is this is yeah its firstfruits but anyway the point is this if you've sat under that teaching or someone tells you this is not alcoholic that's just not true and we can't build our theology off things that aren't true because we feel like it makes people's lives safer we've got to deal with what scripture actually teaches so they're to spend this money on wine or similar drink whatever they want and enjoy it unto the Lord this is a positive passage right it's not specifically about alcohol or wine or some but it but it includes that and this obviously could could get somebody intoxicated but they're not to get intoxicated but they are to enjoy with that liquid as part of their feast to the Lord that's something that they're able to do do they have to drink wine no but it's an option numbers 15 let's look at another another passage another positive passage so just to recap Deuteronomy 14 is showing us there eating it before God there rejoicing there loving God in the feast of their firstfruits and that would include alcoholic beverages at least potentially and God was okay with it and numbers 15 7 it says and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hint of wine as sweet aroma to the Lord now in the Hebrew there's like three different words they typically use for alcohol or for a wine or new wine one of them is a word that means new wine or sweet wine and it was like more recently made it may be alcoholic or it might just be grape juice same word then there's another word used for more aged wine and that's the word we have here forgive me if I mispronounce this but as a yin and it and it is a word that means definitely a fermented drink this passage is definitely a fermented drink so it can't be referring to grape juice numbers 15 7 this is this is where God says you can offer alcohol in this sense to him as a sweet offering in the Old Testament law right we're not following these same rituals we see the fullness not just a shadow but we can learn from the principles and there's a principle here where God allows them to offer wine as a sweet aroma to the Lord now if you're like me and you and you grew up the way I grew up if you feel like like especially you know when I was younger it was like alcohol is just wrong like alcohol sin like maybe maybe maybe I haven't found the verse that says it yet but I'm sure it's in here it looks like it's gotta be in here and that's kind of how I started I've literally been drugged by the Scriptures away from that perspective into a perspective that says no this is just my conscience it's not some rule I can press upon other believers because what does the scripture say here God's like you can offer this thing to me now did God allow them to offer wicked things to him no like it has to be a land without spot or blemish like he doesn't say you can offer disgusting things to me things I hate pour your wine out to me because that way you won't be drinking it like that's not what God's doing this is that that's not the biblical idea here he's like saying take the best in fact it's a sweet aroma to the Lord and so this is a positive now there'll be negative passages so if you hate alcohol don't worry I'm gonna help you out here in a minute but but I want to I want to be fair I just want to give us what the Bible says and let the chips fall where they may because God's right about what he says in his word and I believe that even if it conflicts with my own natural inclinations to be sort of opposed to these things because that's like I said that's kind of where I'm coming from in fact I feel like I'm the perfect guy to teach about liberties of alcohol in the Bible since I don't ever take them except nyquil every once a while so maybe that makes me evil but I have scripture for that today I'll share with you later okay so Genesis 14 18 this is again that word yayan or the word that refers to definitely a fermented or beverage with alcohol in it it's not firm it's in the sense of like like a scotch or vodka or something like that it's not as strong what do they call those there's a term for their more strong drinks strong drinks it's not one of those it's it is however talking about really truly fermented like wine and Genesis 14 18 it says that Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine he was the priest of God Most High so Melchizedek here he is he comes out and you guys know the story many of you right this is a picture of Jesus in the Old Testament and he comes out he brings to Abraham bread and wine picturing the Communion and the body and blood of Jesus Christ his offering for our sins which by the way consider the fact that his the great picture of Jesus's sacrifice involves wine and then he brings it out this is definitely a fermented beverage and he brings it out to Abraham Abraham partakes of it it's considered actually a very glorious moment in Scripture and it is not tainted by the fact that it involved alcohol now didn't involve drunkenness no and we'll get there in a minute it didn't no but it did involve alcohol so we're just talking about the positive passages here for a second Psalm 104 15 if I've bothered you so far I'm probably really gonna bother you now but not because I want to but because this is what the Bible says so I'm 104 so I'm 104 talks about things that God has blessed man with you can read it starting verse 13 if you like but verse 15 it says this listing those things it says and wine that makes glad of the heart of man oil to make his face shine and bread which strengthens his heart again this is that word yah and this is definitely an alcoholic or intoxicating beverage I stayed away from a lot of the verses that dealt with what might have been fermented or might not and just stuck with what we know was according to Psalm 104 it clearly indicates that the wine was meant to be a blessing this is an eye-opener for me as I read as I read and studied this liked wines meant to be a blessing and let me let me point out to you it not only says that God has given us this as a blessing it specifically says wine to make glad the heart of man so it mentions not only wine but its effects as being a blessing because some people say wine is meant to be a blessing but if you ever feel its effects you're in sin but that's not what this text says this text is implying and it's kind of odd to think that wine supposed to be a blessing but you can't ever feel any of its effects of any kind I mean that's this it just seems counterintuitive doesn't it a little bit but follow the hermeneutic here as we as we look at this verse okay so oil to make his face shine bread to strengthen man's heart and wine to make a glad man's heart you see how it's that it's the thing and that its effect is also bless now that is actually that's the first effect of alcohol is it just lightens your mood it brings you up a little but it brings you up a little bit as far as a sense of pleasure or joy in that sense that's the first effect of alcohol and that's actually definitely endorsed by God the later effects will see later are rebuked so you know what you consume a little bit more alcohol now you're moving into the sin territory but the initial small amounts of alcohol moderate drinking in a biblical sense is considered a blessing from God now this might come as a shock to you as it is to me because I haven't drank since I was 12 long story thanks to my cousin I hope so but I I'm like what that's okay but this is what the text says and I just want this is why I'm saying let's just talk about what the Bible really says about alcohol and let's let God shape our thinking now your conscience is fully allowed to restrict you further than this but let's not press that on others if it's not based on Scripture and it's just based on my conscience that's the thing all right let's let's keep going I feel like there's two groups of people right the ones they're gonna love the first half of the study and the ones they're gonna love the second half we're still in the first half so proverbs chapter 3 verses 7 through 10 it says do not be wise in your own eyes fear the Lord and depart from evil and then it talks about the blessing of following God in these areas it says it will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones honor the Lord with your possessions and with the firstfruits of all your increase so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine now again this this is the word that could mean grape juice but it also meant probably a lower alcohol percentage wine just because it was a newer that's why it's also called sweet wine because I guess as I was researching these things the sugars break down and that increases the alcohol content so the sweeter wine has less alcohol and but it's still there so it's seen as a blessing again there's there's a blessing in this proverbs chapter 9 verses 1 through 6 talks about wisdom here wisdom it says this wisdom has built her house she has hewn out her Seven Pillars she slaughtered her meat she has mixed her wine she has mixed her wine she has also furnished her table she has sent out her maiden she cries out from the highest places of the city whoever simple let him turn in here as for him who lacks understanding she says to him come eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed forsake foolishness and live and go in the way of understanding now this is this is really symbolism not literal wine here this is symbolic but you can't use wine symbolically as a blessing and good thing if it's actually an evil thing so it's symbolically being used as a blessing speaking of plenty speaking of benefit speaking of having more than enough in your life that's the idea and something we we should be aware of Isaiah 25 verse 6 it says and in this mountain and speaking actually about probably the millennial reign it's a future time if you read the whole passage Isaiah 25 is this and in this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of well refined wines on the LEAs and and that phrase the well refined wines on the leaves that's speaking of aged wines definitely and that includes a noticeable alcohol content and that scene is a good thing you can't make it symbol if it's symbolic you can't use it as good symbolism if it's actually bad and then you shall be blessed like the snake in the garden like you just doesn't work you know you can't use that kind of symbolism it has to be sums in some sense of blessing a good thing this is the thing that I've been drug to as I've studied this this idea over the years is the idea that wine is something alcohols something God intended to be used as a blessing for mankind I just have seen it used as abuse so much that it was hard for me to perceive of it that way but the Bible is you know the Bible is the Bible so let's let it speak Isaiah chapter 1 verses 21 and 22 it says how the faithful City has become a harlot it was full of justice righteousness lodged in it but now murderers your silver has become dross your wine mixed with water so it's considered a bad thing that their silver has become like draw straws is like that the offscouring the impurities in the silver and the wine has been mixed down with water now so as we like hooray mix it down you know but but this is seen as like a sad thing Oh your wines been watered down that's that's a seen as a I think that's not good we can also go to the New Testament we can look at John chapter 2 and we think of the wedding at Cana Jesus's first miracle everybody knows this every drunk in the world can tell you what Jesus's first miracle was it's like the only verse they know in the Bible some people say that this was not alcoholic now I have looked this stuff up because I'm open I'm open either way god I just went I want to know your word so I know what it really says and they quote some of these guys there's these guys that these Greek and Roman guys that lived around that same time and they said that the best wine was wine that heaven had lost all of its alcohol through firm and tape or through filtering excuse me and it hit through processing it would not cause people to be intoxicated that was the very best wine and then when in the wedding at Cana the Toastmasters like hey this is the best wine and they combined those two ideas but what I was able to find online just doing some research looking for people that would actually give me some ancient history on this stuff is that the Romans did have a typical thing where they would water down to add pretty strong wine they water it down about two parts to one back then so about two parts water to one part wine which would make it more like modern-day beer in its alcohol consistency and then the the Jews the only source I could find on this was one source that suggested the Jews didn't do this and they would consider it like uncouth to water down the wine and there of course we're in a Jewish environment so I don't know if I want to quote the Romans to find out what the Jews were doing at that time the Jews very much had their own culture very much did their own thing but let me say this in John 2 verses 9 to 10 let's look at the the the comments of the master of the feast what did he say about this says when the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine and did not know where it had where it came from but the servants who had drawn the water knew the master of the feast called the bridegroom and he said to him every man at the beginning sets out the good wine and when the guests have well drunk then the inferior you have kept the good wine until now now these comments actually I'm just I'm just doing Bible study here just hermeneutics this is obviously not to feed my own drinking habits I haven't done right because I like pomegranate juice is really good grape juice just grapes you know I'm down but this is just because I want to give us the Scriptures here right and the scripture here makes it clear that this was definitely alcoholic wine that Jesus made how do I know this because the guy says normally the guy sits out the good wine and then after the guests have well drunk and the Greek there he means that they've became somewhat intoxicated that's what that means in the Greek so he then compares that wine that Jesus made to the wine that could intoxicated wine so his version of good wine could intoxicate people and he calls but Jesus is wine good wine so we know what what kind of wine he was talking about it's right there in the text you don't need to study ancient Greek you don't need to study ancient Roman cultures to see just read the text mm-hmm now I just want to add this some people will take this and they'll act like it met Jesus is okay with drunkenness Jesus sends people to hell for drunkenness let's get we'll get to that in a second okay any use of this text because I've seen this many times this text used to excuse drunkenness or to have a low attitude on the sinfulness of drunkenness we'll come to that in a minute it just means that Jesus did in fact make alcoholic wine for the people that were at that event so Matthew 11 19 Jesus says that he's and he's accused of them of being a bad guy because it says the Son of man came eating and drinking and they say look a glutton and a wine-bibber a friend of tax collectors and sinners now if Jesus only drank a grape juice then you couldn't be accused of being a wine-bibber probably so Jesus himself would have drunk never once ever becoming too tipsy or a little bit over the line of what's appropriate never ever ever but he would have drunk okay so those are those are it to me those are like a lot of really important positive passages I draw from this the conclusion that wine is intended by God to be a blessing for man used in moderation but now we'll talk about the negative passage ISM here's the negative passages proverbs 20 verse 1 and there's a lot of them we will not cover all of them because we don't have much time proverbs 20 verse 1 it says wine is a mocker strong drink is a brawler and whoever's led astray by it is not wise you drink you become the mocker you become the brawler that's what happens III lose my inhibitions I start to say dumb things foolish things I criticize I ridicule I have no filter for this mouth which I desperately need you know I become a fighter I'm more likely to get into trouble and cause battles and fights both physical and just strife emotionally and so it says whoever's led astray by it is not wise and that's the point though it may intended to be a blessing it can lead you astray and that's the danger I imagine that if you love the first part of this study the most you probably need the second part the most and if you love the second part the most you probably need the first part first because that's kind of the way this balancing act goes with understanding alcohol it is something that can lead you astray if you are being led astray there is no excuse this is not wise it's not okay proverbs 21 verse 17 it says he who loves pleasure will be a poor man he who loves wine and oil will not be rich the danger here is not just that I can enjoy it it's that I love it like are you a little too romantic with your glass of wine with your with your beer or is it like too much to you is it out of its proper place I mean hey I like you know hamburgers are great but am I like I need him you know I'm it's not like I have this passionate love for burgers and there could just be an over commitment of my heart into this substance that's actually gonna mess me up and that's of course a possibility the people I've known who can who can handle wine can easily not have wine people have known who can who can take it easily can set it aside easily as well and this person probably has an issue with that and it's included in oil it's just a lover of pleasure I just like pleasure too much I want to feel good I want the oil I want the finer foods I want the I want the alcohol I just want to partake it more of this stuff that's a danger proverbs 23 verse 20 and 21 it says this do not mix with wine-bibber x' or with gluttonous eaters of meat for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty and drowsiness will clothe the man with rags this glutton and the drunkard are those who either eat food or alcohol to excess to excess now both of these things are bad and gluttony is wrong and at this point someone's like you should teach more about gluttony Mike and I really like that's great wait for that study how about you pay attention to the alcohol for this study instead of using gluttony as an excuse for your alcoholic nature because I see that way too often well let's just change the subject and ignore what the text says about the thing we're actually talking about right now so yes gluttony is an issue it's not the same thing as wine but it's connected for sure not in excess and here the statement is this if you know people who drink too much and their habitual too much drink too much of whatever the pleasurable things in life don't even hang out with them don't even make them part of your friends circle that's that's what the proverb is saying here don't let this be part of your cluster of friends it's not good it doesn't do good for you proverbs 23 verses 29 through 35 it says who has woe who has sorrow who has contentions who has complaints who has wounds without cause who has redness of eyes those who linger long at the wine those who go in search of mixed wine do not look on the wine when it is red when it sparkles in the cup when it swirls around smoothly and someone's like I need some wine right now and if you're just like craving you're just hearing that maybe something's wrong oh yeah it is very vivid and so what do they have they have whoa they have sorrow they have contentions complaints wounds without cause how'd that happen oh no no I just woke up and I had an injury I don't know what happened redness of eyes that's interesting redness of eyes is thrown in there if you see these symptoms something's wrong with you like if your wine causes problems in your life who has whoa causes whoa in your life you're doing something wrong if it causes sorrow in your life instead of bringing a sense of joy something's wrong if it causes contentions and fights in your life with with loved ones and friends something's wrong if it causes complaints or downsides because of the drinking of the alcohol something's wrong if it you wounds without cause even redness of eyes if you wake up the next day and you have something of a hangover you did something of a sin the night before pretty simple those who linger long at the wine notice it's not just see if the Bible was just against drinking it all together it would just say those who drink wine but it says those who linger long at the wine that's the issue it's too much man it's too much so don't look at it and maybe that's the advice for you for those who linger long at wind those who abuse it don't look at it when it's read in the cup in sparkles and goes down smoothly maybe this is the statement to those who say man this is an area for me I stumble in the area of drinking then maybe you need to not drink at all maybe that's the best thing for you do you have woe and sorrows and contentions and wounds without cause and redness of eyes then don't even look at it just stay away from it maybe that's that's a an advice from the scripture to say to the drunkard don't even touch the stuff let me keep reading because it goes on it says in verse 32 at last at the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a Viper your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things that jumps out to me because do you know that it's it's so interesting even you know secular information about alcohol when people have a lot of alcohol they say bad things like this is just what people do it's not like they go man I thought I'm gonna give all my money to the poor like this isn't generally what they do they their perversities come out the inappropriate ungodly things come out to selfish things that the wrong things come out and so this is this is the nature of man the sin nature of man having easier access to control you when you drink too much so your heart will letter perverse things yes you will be like one who listen to this who lies down in the midst of the sea or like one who lies at the top of the mast the mast of a boat saying they've struck me but I was not hurt they have beaten me but I did not feel it when shall I awake that I may seek another drink if you wake up craving alcohol something's wrong when shall I awake that I may seek another drink like I wake up and I already want it in the morning something something something is seriously wrong like this is don't put the name of Jesus on this and make it try to make it okay like something's wrong the description of one who's sleeps in the mass now the mast of the boats on the top of the boat the boats Rocking well nothing moves more than this mast this thing's just going all over the place and I think sleeps in the mast why sleeps in the mast my best guess is that the guy he sleeps in the masts that's his position up there and then when he comes back ashore he has the hardest time walking on solid ground because he's used to the constant roiling of the waves and everything and so that's I mean there's the drunken person you're alright do you have a hard time walking you drank too much no I think I'm fine I think I'm fine the funny thing about alcohol is the more of it you drink the less you think it's affecting you because it impairs your judgment the worst person to know if a drunk person is drunk is the drunk person and so the advice I think you'll know when you've drunk too much is actually really terrible advice because the more you drink the less you tends to be aware of it we need we need better rules in our lives then I feel pretty good about it good luck living life like that right I feel pretty good about it so specifically it says do you not feel pain they struck me but it did not hurt so are you at the point where you drank and you're like right like I'm like like numb do you think I have more pain resistance it's not pain resistance you're just pained um like you just don't know what's going on they start me but it didn't hurt if that's you you drank too much I think that that's that's a biblical boundary to say yep you had too much because your your pain resistance resistance that's fun has gone up you drink too much are you saying sinful things you have drunk too much or is your body unable to balance and walk properly and normally you've drunk too much and again if you crave alcohol in the morning you've drunk too much that's based at least I'm trying to look at the scripture for cues as to what is too much alcohol because I feel like nobody talks about this and I want to know what the Bible says about it proverbs 31 verses 4 through 7 it says it is not for Kings o Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine this is by the way this is this is one passage in the scripture written by a woman pretty cool interesting passage a mother to her son and she says it's not for Kings o Lemuel is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Prince's intoxicating drink lest they drink and forget the law and pervert the justice of all the afflicted again a negative passage about alcohol specifically it's like Kings don't drink wine and the question is does that mean Kings never drink wine I don't think so I think specifically it's talking about not in the discharge of their duties so for a king they're making judgment calls on on the entire nation decisions for the nation you know should we go to war like do you really want to make that call after you've been drinking someone comes before you and they've been you have to like use your discernment to figure out who's guilty and who's innocent who to protect and who to go out and you've been drinking and your judgments potentially somewhat impaired even a little bit that's not gonna be good I I can understand how like as a US president should probably never have any moment in their life when they're drinking while they're president because like I would hate it if the president had put back like three or four beers and then someone asked him if they should drop a nuke in response to some crazy thing that just happened and he's like yeah yeah let's do it like that scares me to think that someone would be making judgment calls in a moment of even just even even appropriate drinking it could be a little scary to be thinking making those kinds of judgment calls so the principle here is that there may be certain duties that you're doing where it's like don't even you know like if a pastors like I'll just have a beer right before I go teach I'm like you're gonna go handle the Word of God and and you're a little bit happy or whatever like this does not seem right to me this seems like your judgment is gonna be a little bit off there's another verse that talks about this it's Leviticus 10 9 now the context is this so here we are Old Testament we have the the the Israelites and they have the camp where they have the tent where there's like the meeting place and all this other stuff is going on right they have the tabernacle well we have made a banana by who these are the sons of Aaron how they go in to minister to God and burn incense and they drink too much or at least drink some but probably were intoxicated and they go into the presence of God that way and they bring burn they burn strange fire is the statement God fires them destroys them burns them kills them and then he tells this to to Aaron it says in Leviticus 10 9 do not drink wine or intoxicating drink you nor your sons with you when you go into the tabernacle of meeting lest you die it should be a statute forever throughout all your generations so there are certainly moments in life where no no alcohol is acceptable in any regard at this point this is too much of a holy moment this is too much of an important thing Ezekiel 44 21 reinforces this it says no priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court if you find that your worship is just better when you've had a couple that's not worship yeah that's a problem Ephesians five verses 17 and 18 this is where we get and you might think in the Old Testament there's these pretty strong statements about alcohol the strongest ones are in the New Testament actually are the strongest statements about alcohol in the negative sense so Ephesians 5:17 through 18 it says therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is and do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation but be filled with the spirit now there may be times where no one should drink at all because they're in a discharge of some important duty but there are also simply rules about drunkenness and the rule is never ever ever ever is it okay to get drunk as a Christian that's the general rule of thumb if people think Oh drunkenness is like when it's habitual but you know every once in a while on a Friday nights a guy you have a really good time he's okay you're in sin that's that this is clear the scripture is very clear on this you're sinning against God in a very serious sin you know in all reality in fact I'll put it this way how often should I as a Christian be filled with the holy spirit yes every Sunday morning for two hours nothing all the time I should always be filled with the holy spirit so how often should I avoid drunkenness all the time all the time so these things are mutually exclusive like drunkenness means you will not be controlled by the Holy Spirit you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit let me put this into simple simple terms when I drink too much I hurt my relationship with Jesus in a very present and immediate way I'm not gonna be filled with the spirit when I'm drunk with wine that's what scripture says or drawn with anything else for that matter it's a sin that messes up your walk with God and this is a pretty serious thing in my opinion people who feel the Liberty to drink you have the liberty to drink biblically you've got it okay now there's other wrist ripple talk more about restrictions and things like that but but you people who drink you have got to be the most strict about drunkenness than anybody else people who don't drink you don't have to worry about it I mean you know how much in my life how many hours of my life I spent worrying about where's the line between not enough and too much like never because I don't drink so didn't even come up but if you drink you better be very serious and concerned about what is too much versus too little because it's a serious relational issue of sin between you and God that hurts your walk Hosea 4 verse 11 it says harlotry wine and new wine enslave the heart enslave the heart speaking here the biblical point is addiction wine new wine this stuff can it can cause addiction it can enslave the heart and if I see that happening that's a bad thing this is like not a good thing 1st Corinthians 6:12 has this great principle that applies very much to this topic it says all things are lawful for me but all things are not helpful all things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any meaning if wines bringing you under its power if you are enslaving yourself to this issue then that's a real problem now this is a separate issue which is this I've known several people who had drinking problems and very rarely would they admit it even to themselves all I'm gonna say is this you've got to deal with it if it's you like you've got it you got it like I don't need to have an intervention you you need to do this for yourself like grow up take a look in the mirror and deal with it if it's you if it's you you just got to look at it straight on and deal with it because it is it is causing problems don't be brought under the power of anything and yeah big warning against that and I could go on for days about statistics about alcoholism and drinking and car accidents and you name it but um but the scripture is clear that's a big issue Habakkuk 2:15 it says and this speaks of a different side of the alcohol issue it's about using alcohol to manipulate others it's really interesting it how it cook 215 it says woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor pressing him to your bottle even to make him drunk that you may look on his nakedness or his shame you want to watch him do something shameful you want to see him get drunk he'll do something embarrassing or funny that she could make him make into a vine video or whatever it is they don't even have vine videos anymore sorry that was like seven seconds ago they're coming into there's a new one coming out vine - okay there we go that's what I meant this is God's judgment woe to them on those who use alcohol to manipulate other people or cause other people to sin or to watch other people's inhibitions fall away so that they might be entertained or exhilarated by the things those people will do now that they've been drinking God has judgment for those people lots daughters did this lost daughters gave him alcohol so they could do inappropriate things with him David got Uriah drunk so that he could get him to go back to Bathsheba against his vows so that he could cover up his adultery and God says woe to you to use this use this drink to manipulate someone into sin Isaiah 28 verse 7 says but they also have erred through wine and through intoxicating drink are out of the way that that means that the drinking has caused their life direction to move away from obeying God to disobeying God the priest and the Prophet have erred through intoxicating drink they are swallowed up by wine they're out of the way through intoxicating drink they err in vision they stumble in judgment the errant vision they stumble in judgment these are a couple specific areas they're airing in some people I've met have you met this guy he says I'm not like that man I'm better when I drink people like me when I drink they err in vision they stumble in judgment you're not the best person to make this judgment call like God's makes it pretty clear if you think I'm better when I drink and when I get you know a little tipsy when I get a little bit drunk that's when I'm my best person no you're not you're not you're deceived and you're insane that's what scripture would say Isaiah 5:11 says woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may follow intoxicating drink who continue until night to wine and flames them this would be like a a shameful thing they get up early and they drink like all day this is like what what most people think should happen at some point when you're in college but not god not God God's very much opposed to this sort of thing it's a shameful thing it's not a college liberty thing um so my Wild Oats all right you're insane like this is pretty simple pretty basic stuff Isaiah 5:22 says it even stronger it says woe to men mighty at drinking wine woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink the world likes to boast about how much they can handle in alcohol if you're a Christian you should never know how much booze it takes to take you down if you even know how much alcohol it takes for you to black out or not remember the night before then you were in sit and it's like oh I can handle that or I can have the drinking competitions and things like this this sort of thing is wickedness it's evil in the eyes of God no no disagreement about it whatsoever and if you're gonna have the Liberty to drink you have to have like some serious sin radar when it comes to the issue of drinking and not be casual about those issues woe to men mighty of drinking wine are you really great you're really powerful in your wine drinking you're a great fool woe to you a godly person shouldn't even know what they're like when they're drunk no one should ever know what you're like when you're drunk because you should never be drunk easy peasy so these are severe warnings Galatians 5:21 let me give you it gets stronger God says to us in Galatians 5:21 that a list of people who will not go to heaven they will not inherit the kingdom of God envy murderers murders drunkenness revelries and the like of which I tell you beforehand just as I also told you in time past that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God if you practice drunkenness we can assume you're not saved like that's kind of what it's I mean I'm not sure how else to interpret this passage 1st corinthians 6:10 says something similar it says nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God I cannot overstate this warning it applies to all of the topics we mentioned it applies to thieves it applies to covet it applies to revilers extortioners but it also applies to drunkenness will not inherit the kingdom of God I cannot overstate this morning drunkenness is a great sin it's kind of like you know you have you God invented marital relations for the marriage bed but you do this outside of that environment and it's a great in terrible sin and alcohol seems to be very much the same kind of thing in its right context in its right way it's a blessing it's meant to be there to encourage your heart bring joy outside of that context it's a great wickedness that God's very serious about Psalm 75 verse 8 it says for in the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red it is fully mixed and He pours it out surely it's dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down and we have lots of verses like this in the Bible where God uses wine to symbolize judgment so wine is like getting their just desserts now and now what some pastors will do I've heard this is they'll take all these bad passages but they'll ignore the positive ones I mentioned earlier we want to take them all get the full teaching of God's Word on the topic Luke 1:15 this is about John the Baptist properly called John the Baptizer actually the word Baptist it's actually a verb in the Greek he's a Baptizer he's not a Baptist like Southern Baptist or something like that so it says for he will be great in the sight of the Lord and he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink he will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb John did not drink ever in his life that was the rule for him Jesus did that's an interesting idea isn't it you got one person who never drinks wine at the command of God and someone else who does and there's no sin in it whatsoever and this describes some of the church doesn't it some of you you don't you have a conviction I don't touch this stuff I will not touch it good for you but don't put that piety on someone else as though that's piety for them John honoring God didn't drink wine others can drink it to the Lord and honor God in it and I think that's the balanced thing don't make it a rule for everybody if it's a rule for you in Titus 2 we have recommendations for the older men and the older ladies of course back then we're talking like you know your past like 18 I can't maybe not 18 but but yeah old back then was a little probably considered a I'm old compared to them so but as for you speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine that the older men be sober reverent temperate sound and faith and love and patience the older women likewise that they be reverent and behavior not slanderers not given to much wine teachers of good things of course if wine was we were to completely abstain that it would say not given or no wine at all basically over here says not giving a much wine there's instructions given to leaders and we have strict instructions given as requirements for bishops or elders same term there and then deacons in first Timothy chapter 3 so in first Timothy chapter 3 the bishop or the elder is told not given to wine not violent not greedy for money gentle not quarrelsome not covetous so these are character qualities meaning this if you are given to wine if wine is an area where you compromise in your life on some sort of regular basis you are disqualified for this position of Christian leadership not because everyone else can compromise there but because it's not much more important that the leaders in the church have godly character not just speaking skills now first Timothy 3:8 it says likewise deacons must be reverent not double-tongued and not given to much wine not greedy for money not greedy for money so they're told to not have these qualities and not not given over to this sort of thing if there's the old story about the pastor who he gets drunk like he's disqualified like this is a serious issue in the scripture I don't say that callously I just say it to get us serious I want us to realize a couple things for one wine intended bite or alcohol intended by God for a blessing abused by the sinfulness of mankind and the abuse is far more serious than most people admit they just think well maybe I had a little bit too much to drink that was Grievous sin in the sight of God that Jesus had to die for it was pretty serious so we want to put these bookends together and have like a full scoped understanding let me give you a couple other informative passages in the scripture first Timothy 5:23 talks about this first Timothy 5:23 this is where Paul tells Timothy many of you are thinking his passage already he says no longer drink only water but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities he's actually implying a little used a little wine he's implying taking wine and mixing it into the water so this is like a mixture in order for it to probably kill some of the bacteria or something like that because Timothy is a true is a guy who traveled with Paul and he knows that man I'm just gonna guess here that his stomach and his issues couldn't handle the different water as he went from place to place like if you go to New Mexico you're you the waters you know yep they're coming water it's gonna come out water like that's what its gonna happen and so they'll say like in Mexico you know you could drink the alcohol down there but not the water if you're from California yeah well that's what he's told so I think this is an essential it really is it's just a purification thing is being told yeah you know what Timothy obviously Timothy's normal policies I don't drink wine I don't drink alcohol at all that's Tennessee's normal policy but because of a medical issue he says you know go ahead and have mix in some wine I don't think Tennessee what Timothy was ever gonna even probably get buzzed or anything off of this that was just for him to be medically taken care of but there's one of the really intriguing passage and I kind of saved this towards the end here because I thought it was so interesting proverbs 31 turn back to proverbs 31 we read it earlier where it's the king's mother saying oh lemme well it's not for kings to drink wine you know it's not you'll feel lose judgment you'll forget justice don't do it but then it goes on so let's um let's hear like a proverbs 31 I'll just read from verse 4 again it's not for kings Oh lemme well it's not for kings to drink wine or for princes intoxicating drink lest they drink and forget the law and pervert the justice of all the afflicted and then it has this really to some very strange statement give strong drink to him who is perishing and wine to those who are bitter of heart let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more is this just exaggeration and they don't really mean it you know gods like I don't really mean give drink to people that are poor like give jury if you oh you're poor have a bottle of vodka or something like that like that's but if you read the passage carefully that's not exactly what it says it says give strong drink to who him who is perishing pairs they're dying someone's on their deathbed isn't that interesting now I'm just curious raise your have you been at someone's deathbed before would you have withheld any medication that would make it easier for them I wouldn't and that's what they do at the end they say we're just trying to make them comfortable and at that point the family's like you don't need to be sober-minded right now buddy like we just want to help you through this and I think there's a biblical precedence for this in Proverbs give strong drink to him who is perishing but it also implies something else when is it really okay to get drunk well when you're dying anyway so it's it really is God understands he's giving us I think medicinal use of not only alcohol but whether I don't was morphine or whatever it is you're gonna give this person to help them through this incredibly bad time incredibly hard time there's no u-turn here they're dying let's help them out and I think there's a biblical precedence I don't think I should feel guilt I don't think a Christian should feel like oh I'm no I've stayed sober my whole life and now I'm not going under the influence of this it's like no this is I think that this is the exception to the rule and it's in the text which I think is kind of exciting that God gave us such a rounded teaching in his word I think this is a case for hospice or for making them comfortable in those moments now obviously this can be misused oh my back really hurts so I have to drink to feel better or I have to take these drugs and but there is such a thing as medicinal use or taking even a painkiller that you normally would stay away from under all conditions because of this particular situation easily abused frequently abused just like alcohol but I don't want to take away the baby with the bathwater there may be I believe there is an appropriate time and I think that the scripture gives us the the room for that in this passage so what are some conclusions well let me let me to round this all out let me go back to Romans 14 which we've been in Romans we deserve a little pause to talk about the issue of alcohol because it's been coming up in the passage so Romans 14 21 it says it is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak this is the the clause where you say it least temporarily at least in the presence of this brother I wouldn't touch the stuff because I don't want to hurt her offend them entirely appropriate I've told I've taught a lot about that recently so I won't get into great detail and then if you would turn to first Corinthians 10 first Corinthians 10 one of our last verses for tonight first Corinthians 10 verse 30 through 32 this is really a great balanced passage for us there's the person who drinks and says I drink and I thank the Lord for it and someone else who says I would never touch the stuff and they really both need to be able to respect each other appreciate each other try not to change each other and and this passage helps so first we're the ins 10:30 it says but if I partake with thanks why am i evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks therefore whether you eat or drink or whatever you do do all to the glory of God if you can hold this glass in your hand and drink it and say I will not I will not cross the line with this I'll just enjoy it me like Gort you gave me this and it's a blessing of thank you for it praise You Lord and then two houses down there's the other believer who's in their living room and they're just like drinking their their glass of grape juice or whatever milk or or whatever Martinelli's and they're having their non alcohol and they're going lord thank you for this I thank you that I'm free from having to be in some bondage to something and they just and they both are glorifying God and God goes great do what you're doing do it all for the glory of God but don't speak evil of the one who drinks purely without compromise as unto the Lord and don't look down upon the other but then it has this in verse 32 really interesting it says give no offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church of God give no offense so he's like yeah you could eat anything drink anything whatever as unto the Lord you know with those biblical boundaries in place but then it adds the issue of culture he goes ah there's a Jewish culture there's a Greek culture and he's and Paul knows because he's been in both he's done outreach to both I'm over here with the Jews I don't do anything that's outside their culture if their culture sees drinking is wrong what am I gonna do I am NOT going to drink because I would not want to offend them it's not because it's wrong it's because I don't want to offend them same thing over here I'm not gonna offend the other culture I led this teaching to go out and not be a teaching for Americans but be a teaching for Christians now we have to apply it in in our culture and consider where you live and the people around you and if it's a cultural issue around you respect the culture and be wise and honor God with it and I think like I started out by saying if your heart is all about serving Jesus with this stuff then you're gonna be fine I think you're gonna be fine but if you're if you're leaned towards Liberty then you probably need to come down a little bit and if you lean towards abstinence you probably need to relax a little bit at least in your attitude towards towards others there's a lot of issues I didn't get into tonight about like the ancient wine like how percentage proof was it I don't think that matters because the issue isn't about how much alcohol you drink versus how percentage proof it is it's really issue really one thing the issue is how it's impacting me am i getting drunk so whether it's stronger drink less strong drink I need to stay sober but I'm still able to enjoy its effects with God's liberty unto the glory of God so there there is there's the the Bible study that I've never heard anyone teach and I hope it's a blessing to you guys because in my opinion I really believe that pastors by and large the pastor's I've heard the circles I've been in not not not our pastor my pastor he's never done this but I've heard many pastors do this where they literally a my opinion abuse the body of Christ trying to steal their liberties from them because the pastor doesn't trust them with those liberties well I don't get to trust you with anything I get to teach you God's Word I don't want to be the filter who protects you from the liberties of God like that's not my job so let's uh let's take it take it to heart and hopefully we can see ourselves responding perfectly in these situations because we have the balance of Scripture let's pray father God we ask for wisdom for us for those who hear this message later whether it's a tomorrow a week from now a month from now a year from now we just pray Lord that every one of us has to make decisions about whether we should drink and and win and all that we just pray for great wisdom to be led of your spirit to walk in the spirit to be able to do so for the glory of God always whether we drink or don't we pray Lord for unity amongst believers who drink and who don't drink for clarity I pray that pastors who get in the pulpit and out of fully sincere in a sense good motives but still they misrepresent the scripture when they give fifty reasons why no one should drink after casually acknowledging that the Bible says you can't Lord we just pray that the church would grow up on this issue more and it would not be a cause for division or for hurts or for wounds and that we can learn moderation just like the scripture tells us in Jesus name Amen [Music]

Channel: Mike Winger

Views: 727,415

Rating: 4.8301477 out of 5

Keywords: what the bible really says about alcohol, what the bible says about alcohol, is it ok for Christians to drink, can Christians drink, how much alcohol is ok, what does the Bible say about medicinal drugs, drinking and the Bible, alcohol and the Bible, just what the Bible teaches about alcohol, the Bible's teaching on alcohol, alcohol in the Bible, did jesus drink real wine, Psalm 104:15, does the Bible say that alcohol is sinful, does the bible say that drinking is sinful

Id: MRpA4njHF64

Length: 57min 2sec (3422 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 26 2018