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About John Fields
Expertise
I can intelligently and respectfully discuss MOST thoughtful questions pertaining to doctrinal issues within the Churches of Christ. I feel myself to be especially adept when answering questions regarding the Gospel of Christ and baptism. I always strive to be humble, realizing that there are some issues that are respectfully and honorably debatable. I realize that the Bible is perfect and able to provide any truth that the seeker of truth is after. At the same time I realize that though I am very conscientious about pointing people in the right direction, I am still a fallible human being and certainly capable of making mistakes. I will always give my opinion AS my opinion and strive not to state as fact something which cannot be supported by good logic or a good thorough study through the scriptures.

Experience
I am a minister within the Churches of Christ. I have been preaching for 14 years and have been on five separate mission trips to the Volta Region of Ghana, West Africa. I have preached the Gospel to literally thousands of people and it is my passion to do so.

Education/Credentials
I graduated with honors from Atkins High School in Atkins, AR in 1984. I went on to get my Bible degree at Harding University in Searcy, AR where I graduated Cum Laude.

You are here: Experts > Religion/Spirituality > Christianity - Restorationism > Churches Of Christ > Alcohol

Churches Of Christ - Alcohol

Expert: John Fields - 10/14/2009

Question
QUESTION: Can you give me a reference to an Old Testament LAW that generally condemns consumption of alcohol in any amount? I'm not asking about drunkeness or special cases such as priests going into the temple. I'm just asking about a general, catch-all, condemnation of consuming alcohol in any amount, even if you don't get drunk.

ANSWER: The only law I know of which condemned the consumption of alcohol in any amount was the Nazirite vow detailed in Numbers 6:1-21. The Nazirite vow was of a highly symbolic nature. They were not to consume anything with yeast in it because yeast represented sin. For instance, they could not eat regular bread because it had yeast in it. The prohibition against drinking wine or strong drink in the Nazirite vow was likewise due to the yeast inside, NOT the alcohol itself. The Nazirite was not even allowed to touch grapes, to say nothing of eating them because they COULD have contained yeast.

God had laws concerning alcoholic beverages. I will name three with some comments.

Numbers 28:7 'Then the drink offering with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb, in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD.

Would God regulate a sacrificial law about a drink offering if it was sinful practice in and of itself? Logically one would think he would forbid drinking if it was a sin, not tell you how to offer a drink offering to Him. Since God was obviously not encouraging sin here, one can only logically conclude that drinking in and of itself was not wrong, only the abuse, DRUNKENNESS, was wrong.

Deuteronomy 14:26 "You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

God was here saying that individuals at the time could spend their money for wine or strong drink. He obviously would not have done so had he considered it a sin.

Leviticus 10:9 "Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die--it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations.

Nadab and Abihu, priests and sons of Aaron, had apparently been drinking when they went in to serve God in their duties. Their drinking had caused them to not be as careful and reverent toward God as they should have been, thus, God killed them with fire. As a result of this a new law was instituted for the priests not to drink prior to performing their religious duties. Notice the wording of the law. Do not drink wine or strong drink WHEN you come into the tent of meeting. We see the qualifier was WHEN they were in the tent of meeting. This seems to mean that when they were NOT in the tent of meeting performing their duties there was no prohibition.

Now one might ask, "If all these things are in the scripture why are their people condemning it or condemning others who do it?" Sadly, there will always be Pharisees, people who create law or mis-apply tradition and enforce it on others. Maybe they were taught that drinking was wrong under any circumstances. I was taught this. I've heard some say that one drink is one drink drunk. I now believe this to be nonsense, since, when I could study on my own, I could see that scripturally this is PLAINLY not so.

Those things said, we are told in the New Testament to be careful not to do anything in a way that would cause others to stumble. Drinking has ruined MANY lives because it has led so many people to addiction. One should always guard themselves against temptation and question their own motives for why they want to do a thing.

Examples of times when one could drink responsibly and no sin or problems arise, from my point of view would be: If you have a small group of friends you know well who, having a proper understanding of this, will not be encouraged to sin; If you like a moderate amount, in your coffee, a dish, a dessert, a candy, or just a glass of it by itself; special occasions with family like anniversaries; medicinal uses, etc. This is not an exhaustive list.

On the other side I think one should be extremely cautious about drinking anywhere at anytime in order to fit in and to be seen drinking. I can't see that this would ever be a good thing and could lead many to sin and addiction. Also consider that some can be addicted almost immediately, which is obviously a great danger.

By the way, I have discovered a book which details a way to supposedly break alcohol addiction more than 80% of the time. If anyone would like the info they can email me and I will send it.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: A very thorough answer.

So, if, according to the OT drinking in and of itself is not sinful, then reading Luke 7:33-34 it is consistent to interpret that Christ, himself, drank alcohol (without getting drunk)?

If so, then under the NT, are Christians authorized to drink alcohol so long as these other principles are not violated (drunkeness, cause another to sin, disobey parents/law, etc.)?

Thanks.

Answer
Thank you. I would rather give too much information than too little.

Are Christians allowed to drink provided other biblical principles related to the area of drinking are adhered to? I say that is absolutely correct.

Many try to make the point that in the scriptures speaking to wine in the New Testament that they are referring to non-alcoholic wine, in other words grape juice. That does not hold up contextually. Look at the following scriptures.

In Luke 7:33-34 It DOES seem here that Jesus drank wine in that instance WITHOUT getting drunk. John the Baptist was a Nazirite, whatever wine John was NOT drinking was the kind of wine Jesus WAS drinking. Jesus drank but did NOT get drunk.

Matthew 9:17 "Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."
I don't see Jesus using this example of fermenting wine expanding wineskins if it was wrong to drink.

Jesus also created wine for a wedding in John 2:1-10 which in the context would be considered by most unbiased folks to be alcoholic wine.

Jesus drank wine when He instituted the Lord's Supper at the time of Passover.

Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23 to "Drink a little wine for your stomach's sake."

In qualifications for elders and deacons:
In 1 Timothy 3:8 deacons were not to be addicted to "much wine."
In 1 Timothy 3:3 and in Titus 1:7 elders are not to be addicted to any wine at all. Would Paul have taken trouble to warn them against drinking non-alcoholic grape juice?

Romans 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.
Paul had already said that eating meat sacrificed to idols is okay (if nobody is harmed by seeing you do it), obviously having mentioned wine in the same vein the same applies. Again, have you ever known someone to warn you against drinking plain grape juice?

Titus 2:3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good.
I don't know anyone who has ever been in any way enslaved to grape juice, yet it was okay for these to be have some so long as they are not enslaved to a lot.

Revelation 14:10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
I don't see this analogy being used of not diluting the wine of God's wrath if He did not have the real thing in mind. Does one dilute non-alcoholic grape juice? He does only to make it last longer, but not to reduce its strength. Would God speak of not diluting wine if it was a sin to drink it?

I hope this helps. God bless you.

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