Is It Okay to Drink Alcohol?

[memadelrey]

Been sober for 21 years. Praise the Lord 🤗 thank you Jesus setting me free

[chrisschene]

One of my pastors once said us: "Anything that hurts your walk and relationship with Jesus is sin to you." Pretty simple to me.

[bulldogsbob]

Drinking alcohol as long as you don't get drunk is okay but in my family we have a history of alcoholics so I avoid all drinks with that has the stuff in it.

[JedlI]

The Bible doesn't speak against having a drink of wine, but it speaks against drinking to excess to get drunk.

Ephesians 5:18 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled the Spirit.

The Word of God tells us to be sober (1 Peter 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 Peter 4:7)

[trishmason]

Thanks John. Thanks for considering the many people in our culture who struggle with addiction to alcohol in your decision to drink yourself.
Alcoholism has been a magor stumbling block for members of my family and has resulted in me never experiencing a really happy family event in my childhood.

[sleeperno]

Alcohol is literally destroying my life. If you are here, you have your doubts too. Just dont do it. It will destroy you.

[d-fenz]

“exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.  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” (Duet 14:24-26)

[awildamercado]

Thank you, Pastor John for your deeply thoughtful, compassionate, straight forward answer to this deadly problem.
Bless You!

[daniellenadia]

Loved what was said... Our family has alcoholics on both sides of our family tree. We decided a long time ago for the sake of our children and the culture we live in that drinking wasn't something for us. The balance you spoke of is just what we told our children. That the bible doesn't expressly speak against but is it wise in view of present circumstance. Thankfully so far our children agree with us. :)

[evievankirk]

Thank you so much.  So well-said.  Incidentally, the past couple of days, I've been listening to a CD I've had for a long time, "When I Don't Desire God."  I've known Him for nearly 37 years, but various life circumstances have put me in this place.  Your encouragement on the CD has been wonderful.  Thank you so much!

[derekyenser]

I respect John Piper. He really knows his stuff. I would agree with the statement that it's okay to drink but not okay to get drunk or to tempt somebody that struggles with it.

[SuperGreatSphinx]

Alcohol, also known by its chemical name ethanol, is a psychoactive substance or drug that is the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits (hard liquor).

It is one of the oldest and most common recreational substances, causing the characteristic effects of alcohol intoxication ("drunkenness").

Among other effects, alcohol produces mood lift and euphoria, decreased anxiety, increased sociability, sedation, impairment of cognitive, memory, motor, and sensory function, and generalized depression of central nervous system function.

Ethanol is a type of chemical compound known as an alcohol, and is the only type of alcohol that is found in alcoholic beverages or is commonly used for recreational purposes; other alcohols such as methanol and isopropyl alcohol are toxic.

Alcohol has a variety of short-term and long-term adverse effects.

Short-term adverse effects include generalized impairment of neurocognitive function, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and hangover-like symptoms.

Alcohol can be addictive to humans, as in alcoholism, and can result in dependence and withdrawal.

It can have a variety of long-term adverse effects on health, for instance, liver damage, brain damage, and an increased risk of cancer.

The adverse effects of alcohol on health are most important when it is used in excessive quantities or with heavy frequency.

However, some of them, such as increased risk of certain cancers, may occur even with light or moderate alcohol consumption.

In high amounts, alcohol may cause loss of consciousness or, in severe cases, death.

Alcohol works in the brain primarily by increasing the effects of a neurotransmitter called γ-aminobutyric acid, or GABA.

This is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, and by facilitating its actions, alcohol suppresses the activity of the central nervous system.

The substance also directly affects a number of other neurotransmitter systems, including those of glutamate, glycine, acetylcholine, and serotonin.

The pleasurable effects of alcohol ingestion are the result of increased levels of dopamine and endogenous opioids in the reward pathways of the brain.

Alcohol also has toxic and unpleasant actions in the body, many of which are mediated by its byproduct acetaldehyde.

Alcohol has been produced and consumed by humans for its psychoactive effects for almost 10, 000 years.

Alcohol consumption is generally socially acceptable and is legal in most countries of the world, unlike with most other recreational substances.

However, there are often restrictions on alcohol sale and use, for instance, a minimum age for drinking, and laws against public drinking, and drinking and driving.

Alcohol has considerable societal and cultural significance, and has important social roles in much of the world.

Drinking establishments, such as bars and nightclubs, revolve primarily around the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages, and parties, festivals, and social gatherings commonly feature alcohol consumption as well.

Alcohol use is also related to various societal problems, including driving accidents and fatalities, accidental injuries, sexual assaults, domestic abuse, and violent crime.

[MARY-ANNSHEARER]

Well said John and I don't drink for exactly the same reasons as you. I also found.. that when I did have a beer or a glass of wine, that it took me 3-4 days to get my 'clarity of mind' back up to 100% !! And, if you are self-employed (like I am) you can't have off days!

I also find it difficult to pray if I have had anything to drink.. (I am 57 and have been a Christian for 37 years and I have not had a drink in 15 years now)

[victor-hnbh]

Chuck Northrop(article​)
The obvious answer to the question, "Did Jesus turn water into wine?" is yes. At the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee recorded in John 2:1-11, Jesus turned water into wine. However, this question does not usually ask what is meant by it. What is usually meant is "Did Jesus make intoxicating wine?" And the answer is no. Let me explain. The word translated "wine" in English ( in Koine‚ Greek) can refer to either alcoholic or non-alcoholic wine. At present, the term "wine" is almost used exclusively of alcoholic wine, but let us never be guilty of interpretation based solely upon modern day definitions. Consider these examples of the word "wine" being used in Scripture with reference to unfermented grape juice.

Joel 1:10 says "The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth." (This refers to grapes dried up in the fields, which could not be intoxicating.)
Isaiah 65:8 says "Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all." (Alcoholic wine in the cluster? No, the juice of the grape while in the cluster could not be intoxicating.)
Jeremiah 48:33 says "And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting." (The wine of fresh squeezed grapes coming out of the winepress is grape juice and could not be fermented.) Certainly other passages could be considered, but these are sufficient to illustrate that the word "wine" can refer to alcoholic wine or simply grape juice.

"So, how do we know when it refers to grape juice or intoxicating wine?" The context in which the word is found will determine whether it refers to alcoholic or non- alcoholic wine. So, consider the context. The immediate context of John 2:1-11 is quite clear. The guests at the marriage feast of Cana were able to discern between the quality of the drink that the Lord had made and that which had already been served. If intoxicating wine had been served, and people "well drunk" or "drunk freely" (American Standard Version, 1901) of it (verse 10), then they would not have had such keen discernment. Though the amount is not specified as to what they had previously drunk, if they consumed the six waterpots that Jesus had the servants fill with water and which contained "two or three firkins apiece" (verse 6), then they would have consumed somewhere between 106 to 162 gallons of booze! This is far more than enough to make the most casual drinker drunk. Those who twist this account to condone social drinking say the term "well drunk" refers to the idea that the crowd was so drunk that they could not distinguish. However, the point of "the governor of the feast" to the bridegroom is that the guests were able to discern between the "worse" and the "good wine." If it is the case that these wedding guests were so drunk that they could not distinguish, then the Lord made the six pots of alcoholic beverage for those who were already strongly under the influence, and caused them to be even more drunk! Thus, the "good wine" of the wedding feast of Canaan must have been the fresh juice of the grape. Also, consider the logical consequence of those who want to use this passage to justify the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Their argument goes something like this: "Since Jesus produced alcoholic wine, then it is morally right for a person to drink it." However, notice that their logic takes them further than most of them want to go. Since Jesus produced alcoholic wine (as they claim), then not only would it be morally right to drink it, it would be morally right to produce it, sell it, distribute it, and make a living from it. But since that would most certainly cause someone to stumble, then it must be morally right to cause someone to stumble. However, the logical consequence of their argument would oppose the Lord's teaching (Luke 17:1-2). No, the reasoning is a foolish argument that has no foundation in scripture. Further, consider the general context of the Bible. Habakkuk wrote, "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!" (2:15). The sin Habakkuk is rebuking is the sin of contributing to drunkenness. If Jesus supplied intoxicating wine to the wedding guests at Cana, then He contributed to their intoxication. Not only did Jesus contribute to it, He, also, condoned and encouraged people to get completely soused! Since intoxication is sinful, then Jesus sinned, and the "woe" of Habakkuk would be upon Him. If this be the case, then it would be better for Jesus "that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea" (Luke 17:2). As a perfect man, Jesus could not have turned water into alcoholic wine and offer such to others. Another passage to consider in this context is Proverbs 23:31-32, which says, "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." If Jesus had turned water into intoxicating wine, then He would have caused others to look upon the wine when it is red opposing the wisdom of Solomon. Since, Jesus is "greater than Solomon" (Matthew 12:42), He would know the wisdom of sobriety and would not tempt others with an intoxicating beverage. Again, Solomon wrote, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise" (Proverbs 20:1). "What, then, was the miracle of the wedding feast in Cana?" The miracle of Cana was that Jesus surpassed or transcended the normal amount of time and the natural process that it takes to produce and harvest grape juice. That, which normally takes months, took Jesus but a moment. Augustine wrote, "For he on that marriage-day made wine in the six jars which he ordered to be filled with water he who now makes it every year in the vines; for, as what the servants had poured into the water- jars was turned into wine by the power of the Lord, so, also, that which the clouds pour fourth is turned into wine by the power of the self-same Lord." (As quoted in "Bible Wines" by William Patton, page 91.) "How could this be? Did they have any methods of preservation of grape juice in the first century?" Yes. In fact, they had several methods. In the book "Bible Wines, " the author, William Patton, discusses four methods that the ancients used for the preservation of grape juice. One such method is to keep air completely excluded a method often used today. R. C. Foster in his book, "Studies in the Life of Christ, " said, "A Greek wine ship of the second century B.C. found by divers off the southern coast of France several years ago contained a great number of wine flasks that had been sealed so tight that after more than 2, 000 years the sea water had not seeped into them." With close examination, we must conclude that the Lord did not make intoxicating wine at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee. "Did Jesus turn water into wine?" Yes. "Did Jesus turn water into intoxicating wine?" Absolutely Not! Alcohol has caused and/or contributed to broken homes, every kind of accident imaginable, disease both physical and mental, poverty, and crimes of every kind. Since its effect is such, it is beyond my own imagination why anyone would ever want to justify its use let alone mar the Lord's perfect example with its production and distribution. Its use is not social in any way but is in every way antisocial. Its defense by sweet-talking, soft- pedaling, so-called preachers is religiously hypocritical, morally irresponsible, and socially despicable. It has victimized the unborn, children, teenagers, the middle aged, and the old. It has victimized business people and laborers, country folks and city folks, the rich and the poor. There is probably not one person who has not felt its evil bite and its viperous sting! It is beyond my reasoning power to understand how people who claim to be spiritually minded and morally upright will rationalize its use. Blood has filled our streets because of this vile beverage. Graves have filled our hills and vales because of this evil drink. Reproach has filled our nation because of this wicked intoxicant. Corruption has filled our society because of this corrupted liquor. Shame and disgrace has filled our homes because of this malicious booze. Rather than justifying its use, let us stand diametrically opposed to it for "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

[PhilGeissler]

I don't always agree with John Piper, but here I think he nailed it!

[piratesmvp]

Some say that alcohol consumption today is a sin for believers. One argument that is used is that the alcohol from Bible times contained a much smaller percentage of alcohol than alcoholic beverages of today, and therefore, it was fine for the Jews to consume it but not for us today. This argument has a major flaw when the definition of sin is understood. We know that sin is anything that goes against God. We should not be doing anything that goes against Him. But, if this is true, than an assumption has to be made. We must assume that it is okay for Christians to sin a little bit (consume smaller percentages of alcohol), but not a lot (large amounts of alcohol in modern drinks). Of course, this is nowhere in Scripture, and in fact the opposite is true. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey my commandments." This is an absolute statement that is later supported by another statement Jesus makes when speaking to the churches in Revelation 3:16, "But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Further, if you read the account of the kings of Judah from 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles, you will see that the author repeatedly writes, "King X followed God, but not as his father David did, for he kept the high places" (high places being the alternative areas of worship that were forbidden after the Temple was constructed). The author acknowledges that the kings were godly, but they had character flaws that were obviously an issue worth noting. So, the point is that we are called to follow God 100% of the time. If alcohol consumption is a sin, any percentage of it would be wrong for Christians to consume, and this would then mean that Jesus and other characters in the Scriptures sinned. Because Jesus was without sin, we cannot conclude that alcohol consumption is a sin by this argument.

[DdidIStutteR]

He is definitely correct on this one. Why do any of us HAVE to drink? Reasons? To Enjoy? To take your pain away?
If that is, then it shows that you aren't enjoying your life. When we are completely content with God, we don't need alcohol to be happy. I go out. I dance. I have fun. I don't drink but my friends LOVE ME. I have so much fun & I love my life! I find the true peace in my heart when I read the Bible.

[CurtisMathis]

Proverbs 20:1 KJV
[1] Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

[boanerges]

Hear ye people what saith the Lord regarding this subject; "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1 I'll take what the Lord says over this man's opinion.

[jeffdhatch]

It is a sin to drink to drunkeness, especially if it is a pattern. A person without addiction problems who drinks beer or wine or cocktails in moderation, and not around brothers or sisters whom he knows to be alcoholic, commits no sin. I appreciate Piper's sensitivity on this matter, but his answer could have been just that simple.