A Moral and Biblical Case Against Alcohol

This past Wednesday was my 52nd birthday. Years ago I had looked forward to having birthday drinks in bars. Nowadays I consider myself a teetotaler. I’ve seen firsthand the devastation alcoholic beverages can bring.

During my twenties, I frequented nightclubs and beer parties. One night I was arrested for drunk driving. Eventually, I plea-bargained to lesser charges but still had to pay over $400 in towing charges, fines, and court costs. Two other times I went to the hospital for stitches after being attacked by men who were intoxicated. One of them was a roommate.

Family and friends have also been negatively affected by drinking. My mother grew up in a home where her father physically abused the family when drunk. One of my uncles died from alcoholic poisoning. Another former roommate of mine was killed when his car collided with a drunk driver going the wrong direction on the freeway.

A few months after giving my life to the Lord in 1991, I made the decision to shun alcohol completely.For those of you who think I’m being “religious” or “legalistic”, the Bible has accounts of ruined lives resulting from the consumption of intoxicating drink…

•    Noah became uncovered in his tent and pronounced a curse upon one of his sons. (Genesis 9:20-25)

•    Lot had incest with his two daughters producing races of people that caused future problems for Israel. (Genesis 19:30-38)

•    Amnon raped his half-sister and was later killed by his half-brother. (2 Samuel 13:28-29)

•    Belshazzar drank from temple treasures and lost his kingdom as well as his life. (Daniel 5:30)

Many will argue, “But Jesus drank wine!” One person emailed me claiming “the wine Christ made from water [in John chapter 2] was not grape juice.” On the contrary. The wine drunk in Biblical times was often unfermented (Hebrew word “tîyrôsh”) and diluted with water. It had far less alcohol content than most of the wine manufactured today.

It should also be pointed out new wine takes up to eight weeks to ferment. I can’t imagine Jesus instantly adding alcohol to wine. Otherwise, He would have produced approximately 180 gallons of a destructive drug to launch a new marriage with slurring lips and staggering feet. The Lord would violate His own Word by doing that (see Leviticus 10:9-10, Habakkuk 2:15; Luke 12:45-46, and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

A fellow missionary recently told me about a time he visited Spain and drank one glass of wine at somebody’s house. Afterward, he noticed it took away his spiritual discernment and for a while felt totally lost. I remain convinced nothing good comes from drinking booze especially for those aspiring to be in Christian leadership. 1 Timothy 3 warns against bishops and deacons “given to wine.” Romans 14:21 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.”

Instead of looking for loopholes to justify moderate drinking, I exhort all sipping saints reading this to sincerely seek the Lord as to whether or not He wants you drinking alcohol at all. Would you be willing to give that up if He asked you to? Isn’t being filled with the Holy Spirit enough?

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” - Ephesians 5:18

Refills of the Spirit

Today is Pentecost Sunday, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church 50 days after Easter as recorded in Acts 2...

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 

3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

God wants us to experience our own personal Pentecost. Unfortunately many Christians are mistakenly taught that being born again and filled with the Holy Spirit are the same thing. Numerous Scriptures disprove that. Look at Acts 19...

1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 

2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Ephesians 5:18 says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” Keep in mind this was not written to unsaved people but to the believers in Ephesus. It’s also worth noting the verb tense in the original Greek says we should be continuously filled. All of us can use occasional refills of the Spirit. 

This past Wednesday I attended the midweek service at Living Word Christian Center. Associate pastor Steve Sibinski ministered that night. Often when he takes the pulpit, the joy of the Lord manifests. This particular night was no exception although the service started on a more serious note. Pastor Steve read Scriptures about the rapture as a reminder the Lord could return any day. Later he invited those who wanted a fresh touch from the Holy Spirit to come forward. I responded and the power of God flowed through me. Holy laughter continued on even after the service was formally dismissed.

So if you have already received the baptism of the Holy Spirit but feel spiritually dry, ask the Lord for a refill. He wants us to be full of Him!

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” - Acts 13:52

Thinking About Drinking

Shortly after giving my life to the Lord twenty-two years ago, I became convinced it’s best to totally abstain from alcoholic beverages. However, a minister I know recently posted a YouTube video claiming it’s okay for Christians to drink booze in moderation. Initially, I was reluctant to watch this video knowing this minister uses fermented wine while serving communion. Nevertheless, I decided to give the video a fair viewing and became a bit troubled when I heard him quote Deuteronomy 14:26 (KJV)…

“And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.”

This verse appears to contradict other Scriptures warning against the consumption of intoxicating drink. As I did more research on the subject, I came across a two-part video series by Perry Stone called “A Little Toddy for the Body.” One thing Perry points out is the wine drunk in Biblical times was often diluted with water. It had far less alcohol content than most of the wine manufactured today.

The famous inventor Thomas Edison (who never even professed to be a Christian) stated, “To put alcohol into the human body is like putting sand in the bearings of an engine. I am a total abstainer from alcoholic liquor. I always thought I had a better use for my head.” 

Personally, I think it’s irresponsible for any minister to encourage believers (especially those young in the Lord) to have an occasional drink of liquor. Moderate drinking still results in moderate intoxication that can impair a person’s judgment and influence them to sin. For some, it has led to devastating consequences. 

Four years ago at an ApologetiX concert in Maryland, I heard a young man share his testimony. Nathan Jones had once gone to a party where he drank just one beer. While driving home that night, Nathan blacked out and discovered the next day he had caused a car accident that killed a middle-aged Christian couple. Although the couple's family members forgave Nathan and pleaded with the authorities for mercy on his behalf, he still spent a couple years in prison.

During my missionary travels, I sometimes stayed with believers who had beer or wine in the house. Usually, I didn’t say anything about that unless they asked or offered me a drink. As for my household, I don’t want alcohol in any part of it. Ephesians 4:27 tells us to give no place to the devil. One does not have to be an alcoholic to have alcohol ruin his life and those closest to him.

If a believer never starts drinking in the first place, then he will never have a problem with drinking.

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.” -   1 Corinthians 10:23-24