The Christian and Alcohol Beverages

[xfrodobagginsx]

Now I've read that back in those days, they had to use a little wine to kill the bacteria in the water, as some water sources were not clean. Even children had to drink water mildly mixed with wine. So wine here is strictly for anti-bacterial purposes only.

True or not, the wine that they drank had alcohol in it and they were allowed to drink it. No where in scripture are we forbidden to drink, only to get drunk. It's the same with eating too much food or gluttony of any sort. It says that Pastors cannot drink, but deacons can drink in moderation. Also, Jesus clearly drank or they wouldn't have called Him a winebibber. Show me where the bible says it's a sin and I will agree. Trying to determine intent "it's for anti-bacterial purposes" is not using bible, it's trying to make excuses why you can add to God's word.

Pastor's can't drink:

1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; {of good...: or, modest} Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous

Deacons CAN drink in moderation (if the wine din't have alcohol in it, it wouldn't matter how much they drank)

1Ti 3:8 ¶ Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

[George]

All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient...I used to drink occassionally and moderately, until I got into ministry. If you are teaching or representing the Lord, and the leadership of your congregation, you might want to reconsider the particular freedom of alcohol. It could become a stumbling block for weaker Christians...

Bottomline...each of us has a responsibility to follow the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our own walk. The general question about alcohol is that it is not a sin, but it very well may be a sin for some.

I think the above sums it up very well.

[lcolem]

Personally for me, I don't think it's sin as long as its done in moderation so basically I'm in agreement with a lot of people here. I only have wine or a martini on special occasions like when I go out to eat with my husband. (date night)

[Tall Timbers]

Deuteronomy 14:26 You may then exchange the money for whatever you desire, oxen or sheep, wine or strong drink, or anything else you would enjoy, and there before the Lord, your God, you shall partake of it and make merry with your family.

[happymommy728]

I've also read that they used wine to decontaminate the water.

[Dave-BNBIH]

I would like to add a tidbit to the previous excellent posts:-)
A covenant meal required wine and bread:-)
The Lord even instructed 6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.

[dramama]

we are to be sober at all times, so if you are getting buzzed or drunk then yes. Personally I hate the taste of all alcohol (I'm lucky! )

[denny272]

There is a verse in the Bible ( can't find it now ofcourse ) that says " relax have a glass of wine it settles your stomach!!! So a glass of wine on occasion is ok, it is getting drunk and acting like fools that the Bible warns about.

Yes there is. And i agree.

[Dave-BNBIH]

Red wine is good for the circulatory system when not abused. My uncle actually wrote a prescription for my grandaddy[a Baptist pastor] to get him to drink 4oz. of wine every night to avoid prescribing drugs that[in that day and time] would have accomplished the same thing but had side effects that wine does not have.

[BereanGirl_21]

According to the Bible it is not a sin....as long as you don't become drunk. But you also have to take into account each persons individual conventions....for one it may be right and for another it may be wrong.....it's kinda of like (cant think of the scripture) when Paul was telling the Christians not to put a stumbling block in the path of other christians....so if it is ok for me to drink but not ok for my sister/brother in Chirst to drink then I should't put that temptation (and thus cause them to stumble) in their paths....just the way a see it For me personally, I chose not to drink, that way I don't ever have to worry about it getting out of control.

[Waiting...]

Yes.

[bleatingsheep]

Jesus drank alcohol so how can it be a sin.
The Bible warns strongly against drunkeness

[Waiting...]

Jesus drank alcohol so how can it be a sin.
The Bible warns strongly against drunkeness

We have many more options than ancient middle eastern times. Back then, wine was much safer than water. In todays culture, alcohol has a very different place in societal circles. JMHO

[Gospel Messenjah]

No I would not say it is a sin to drink wine in moderation. I agree with mostly everybody in the thread.

[Vickimac]

Jesus drank a little wine so it can't possibly be a sin.

What is a sin is letting anything control you whether it's wine, alcohol or food or anything other than God. Getting drunk is losing control to alcohol.

I have maybe 1 drink a year if I'm lucky.

[xfrodobagginsx]

I am still waiting for those who said it WAS a sin to drink in moderation to provide us with a biblical basis for their beliefs....otherwise it's legalism....

[fishguy7]

im guessing most alcoholics started drinking in "moderation" so best to stay away from it all together even if its ok or not .... just my 2 cents heh

[BlessedinHim]

There is a verse in the Bible ( can't find it now ofcourse ) that says " relax have a glass of wine it settles your stomach!!! So a glass of wine on occasion is ok, it is getting drunk and acting like fools that the Bible warns about.

I believe Paul was telling this to Timothy, I will look it up......

1 Timothy 5:23
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

Romans 14:19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

[HeIsEnough]

An oft overlooked verse....

1 Cor 11
The Lord's Supper

17In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 20When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 21for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Aside from drinking wine in the observation of the Lord's supper, here we have Paul's rebuke of the Corinthians for getting drunk during their fellowship. Obviously, it was wrong as Paul pointed out. But he also points out that if you are going to do that, do it at home.

To be clear, I don't think anyone here is advocating to go out (or in) and get drunk. God's word says what it says, we should just accept it.

[xfrodobagginsx]

...to those who voted that it's a sin to drink in any amount...if you don't base you opionions on the bible, then what do you base these "feelings" on? Did you know that it's a sin to add to the bible?