Wine in the Bible

Here are some scriptural tests to apply before imbibing in alcohol (and sarcastic comments):

1 Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. (See my P.S. to realize that LOST people realize that a Christian sipping alcohol appears evil. Only backslidden saved people seem to think it doesn't.)

1 Cor 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or DRINK, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Miller LITE, Glory to God! 1/3 less calories, now we can drink 1/3 MORE (and still be deacons)! We can give 1/3 MORE glory to God!

Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the NAME of the Lord Jesus, giving THANKS to God and the Father by him.

"Thank you Father for this Seagram's we are about to receive, bless it to the nourishment of our bodies and the glory of God. In Jesus' name, Amen!"

Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to DRINK WINE, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

1 Cor 8:9-13 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

If you can get through these verses and still drink alcohol with a clear conscience toward God, prepared to give account at the Judgment Seat of Christ, well, "bottoms up"!

Shortly after I got saved, I had ONE small (deacon sized) glass of wine with dinner (so as not to offend my grandparents). My brother, who I'd been witnessing to, said, "You're having wine? I thought you were a Christian?!" That ONE small glass of wine could've sent my brother to HELL! (Praise God, he eventually got saved, but several years later.)

<< In 2 Timothy 3:3 ... bishop ... "not given to wine". In verse 8 ... deacons "not given to "much" wine". Does this mean that the bishop CANNOT drink wine and the deacon CAN drink a little??? Do you have a GOOD explanation?? >> (you meant 1 Tim 3)

For starters, EITHER phrase is saying to AVOID the stuff ("be ... NOT given to"). But you may be right. It may well be that God has tougher standards for bishops than for deacons. That would make perfect sense, as bishops are leaders, and deacons serve. It doesn't say that it's okay for the deacons to be given to a little wine, it just may allow a little more latitude in their qualifications. There are usually more deacons in a church than bishops. If the qualifications were too demanding, no one could serve. Sinlessness is not a qualification for either position, or nobody would qualify (but the Pope ;-) [Just kidding, he drinks like a wino].

It doesn't say that if a deacon takes a little nip, it's not a sin, but it may not disqualify him from that office. Booze is in no way advocated, or proposed as good in the passage. It does not advocate that a deacon CAN drink a little, that's the very reason that the wording pertains to what is PROHIBITED, rather than what is ostensibly allowed. If it said "deacons can drink a little shinny, but bishops can't have any", then God would be "permitting" alcoholic consumption. But it doesn't say it that way.

Notice that in Titus 1:7 and 2:3 the same wording is found opposing bishops to the aged women. We should certainly expect that God would also have more stringent qualifications for a bishop that for an aged woman teaching younger ones.

Also, neither mention of "wine" specifies whether it is "new" or fermented wine. Either COULD be referring to abstaining from being a glutton with grape juice. That is not as far fetched as it may first seem. God required Nazarites to abstain from anything of the vine, juice, wine, raisins, etc. It would not be inconsistent for God to limit, or prohibit products from the vine to his leaders in the church.

Personally, I believe the first explanation, but the second cannot be discounted as a possibility.

Prov 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Several people asked about:

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

  • It doesn't specify fermented or new wine.
  • It says use a "LITTLE".
  • For "OFTEN" infirmities.
  • It is probably advocating the health benefits of grape juice (see below). That's all that can be proven for certain from this passage. Even if we assume that it is talking about alcohol, the MOST that can be claimed is that it is saying if you are infirm OFTEN you can take a little swig of Nyquil. It does NOT allow for moderate drinking, social drinking, nor even a glass of wine with dinner. This verse is usually twisted to try to justify casual drinking, but it does no such thing. It certainly does not say, "Drink a 12 pack if you hear your tummy grumble".
  • The fact is, that it cannot be proven that this is a reference to alcohol at all.

    << (Stephen) So whatever type of wine (fermented or not) Paul is referring to must have some medical benefit. We now know that wine cuts the risk of heart attack significantly. But I suspect that it is some chemical other than the alcohol that produces this benefit.

    (Tom) You got that right! The same study found that PURE GRAPE JUICE had three times the good effect as wine! (But only the purple juice, not the white, they are looking for something in the skin of the grape that may account for it.) >>

    The ingredient that reduces heart ailments is called FLAVENOIDS. They are, as Tom pointed out, contained in the UNfermented grape. No booze necessary. Another ingredient, RESVERATROL, has been found effective at preventing cancer by blocking the cyclooxygenase. It also is contained in the UNfermanted grape (and mulberries). No alcohol needed.

    All this alleged health benefit garbage is just an EXCUSE to permit unnecessary alcohol consumption. One small drink easily leads to a bigger drink, then two, then more ... and 30 years later, cirrhosis of the liver unto death, if you survive the highways and broken families.

    << Deuteronomy 14:26 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 was the one verse that bothered me for a long time, but it's reconciliation is really very simple.

    First, the verse is speaking about a Jewish feast (and then only if "the place be too far from thee"), so it still does NOT permit a Christian to partake of alcohol at all. However, it does appear to permit alcohol for the specific occasion in the context.

    Notice though, that it does NOT state what to do with the "strong drink". Comparing scripture with scripture, we can see what is intended:

    Lev 10:9 Do NOT DRINK wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

    Num 28:7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be POURED unto the LORD for a drink offering.

    2 Ki 16:13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and POURED his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.

    The strong drink was NOT for consumption, it was to be POURED out unto the Lord. That was how it was to be offered. Check out Jer 19:13, 32:39, 44:19, and Ezek 20:28 for examples of Israel pouring out drink offerings to false gods, and thereby bringing on themselves God's jealous wrath. Though done for false gods, it gives some details as to how the offering was performed.

    << was the wine JESUS made at the wedding grape juice? >>

    I believe so, or He'd have been violating:

    Hab 2:15 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!

    From the "water to wine" account:

    John 2:10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

    Wine without a qualifier (new, fresh) can be either grape juice or booze. Context must be discerned.

    Drunk or drunken can mean intoxicated, or drank, as in Lam 5:4 "We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us." "Have well drunk" is not the same as "ARE drunk".

    In the above passage (John 2), had the guy been soused, he would not likely have been able to tell, or cared, which wine was the better quality. This suggests that it was not alcoholic. I know once I got drunk, it was harder to tell the difference, IF I would have cared.

    Teno Groppi