Clueless

Here's something that's been on my mind for a while now, I was raised into a Christian Family(for that I'm grateful) and my folks tend to believe in the faith of that of methodist/Nazarene. In all the years I've been living, I had the thought process of smoking/drinking being a sin against God but in the past few years I've gained some really good Christian friends who are really into the word and such, but happen to drink socially. I stop to think to myself that I don't really recall anywhere in the Bible that would be a sin or would cause you to lose your salvation. I'll admit that I'm not a strong Christian or read my Bible as much as I ought to, so I was wondering what your take on this is. Thanks in advance.

M. Reborn

Many of us have at times questioned whether drinking alcohol is sinful. Since Jesus changed water into wine for the wedding guests at Cana, apparently He didn't judge alcohol to be sinful. Like so many things that are normally non-issues, it's how we use them that can transform them into sin. (Fire is fine to warm oneself, but sinful when you burn someone's house down. Water is great for drinking, but sinful when you drown someone in it. An alcoholic beverage used prudently may enhance your digestion, but when abused it can lead to various sins.) The Bible says "your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own." So we must respect our bodies, always considering carefully how we treat them.

Otetiani

I have chosen to respect both sides of this issue. It is complex with arguments over the definition of new wine and old wine and this makes it rough to discuss.
I fall on the side that alcohol is fine to consume. Wine is the fruit of the vine that is very integral to Passover and Jesus and the Blood of the lamb. Jews have used it in celebration for thousands of years. Jesus’ first Miracle was to turn water into wine. The Marriage at Cana is an event reported by the Gospel of John but not by any of the Synoptic Gospels. John reports that Jesus was attending a wedding in Cana with his disciples for the Jewish rite of purification. When the hosts ran out of wine, Jesus' mother (unnamed in John's Gospel) told Jesus, "They have no more wine." Jesus replied, "Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come." Jesus' mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." John 2:3-5. Jesus ordered the servants to fill the empty containers with water. When they had done so, Jesus told them to draw out some of it and take it to the chief waiter. After tasting the water that had become wine and not knowing what Jesus had done, he told the bridegroom that he had departed from the custom of serving the best wine first by serving it last.John 2:6-10. This was the first miracle of Jesus and it was performed to reveal his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.John 2:11
It was customary for the best wine to be served first then when people were a little bit tippsy they would not notice the quality of the wine had lowered.

Paul does warn Christians not to get drunk.
Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

I drink but I do not get drunk. What others do I am hesitant to judge.

Struick

Lately first time posters come up with the usual controversial questions.

Anyhow, here's my take on it: getting drunk is a sin.

Its that simple and it's right there in the Bible.
Any Christan would know and understand, specially if one has been a Christian since 1980. :-)

Drinking some wine is not a problem. Jesus made wine himself as anyone knows and has been pointed out by the previous poster.

Btw, Clueless, your profile said you accepted Christ on the first of January 1980, you were baptised the first of January 1980, and you were born in 1986.

Theophilus

Acohol is not a sin. Alcohol it'self is nothing but a chemical. Apple cider and grape juice that has been left out too long turns to wine with a low alcohol content.
Vanilla extract contains alcohol, so do the majority of cough and cold medicines.

Biblicaly, the consumption of alcohol in moderation is shown as a medicine. Paul tels Timithy to take a sip to settle his stomach or nerves. It aids in digestion. Scripture indicates that alcohol taken in moderarion is an acceptable thing. Scripuraly it is ok for elders and decons so long as they don't abuse it.
It's the abuse of alcohol that is a problem inapropiate and indiscriminate use without concideration for it's effects, dangers and the appearance of drunkeness. Not to mention what other things being under the influence may bring. Drunkeness leads to other imoralities and sins.
We need food to live. Certianly no one questions that. But glutteny is a sin.

I don't have a problem with drink. But some of my brothers do and so I don't do it. One shouldn't place before a brother or sister a stumbling block. Paul mentions this in relationship to food offered to idols. One shouldn't eat ice cream and cake in front of a diabetic. That's just as wrong as sucking down a beer in front of an alcoholic.

For many years in europe beer and wine were common beverages. The most common in fact until "Coke". The reason being that much of the water there was contamiated and unsafe to drink. Alcohol was safer until the water purification process was developed. Today it still isn't uncommon, in Germany, to see a worker open his lunch box and have a beer inside. Yet alcoholism isn't near the problem there as it is in the U.S. Alcololism is the symtom ,not the problem. And a sin when it dominates ones life.

Pastor Gary

Moderation is the keyword... not only in this topic but in most everything that we do so as not to damage our bodies with external influences.

Scripture warns us about wine in excess in several locations; One being in Judges 13:7 (KJV) where the wife of Manoah is warned not to consume any at all during her pregnancy.

It must also be understood that the word 'wine' in scripture can mean BOTH a fermented OR unfermented product. Our studies group has traced the usage of the word "wine" backward, from English, to Latin, to Greek and finally to Hebrew. The study shows that the four related words; 'wine' in English, 'vinum' in Latin, 'oinos' in Greek and 'yayin' in Hebrew, have been used historically to refer to the juice of the grape, whether fermented or unfermented.

The unfermented variety of grape juice was spoken of to represent the divine blessing of material prosperity (Gen 27:28; 49:10-11; Deut 33:28), the blessing of the messianic age (Joel 2:18-19; Jer 31:10-12; Amos 9:13, 14), the free offer of God’s saving grace (Is 55:1), the wholesome joy God offers to His people (Ps 104:14-15; 4:7), and the acknowledgment of God through the use of grape juice as tithe, offerings and libations (Num 18:12; Deut 14:23; Ex 29:40; Lev 23:13).

The fermented variety is spoken of as a beverage that distorts the perception of reality (Is 28:7; Prov 23:33); they impair the capacity to make responsible decisions (Lev 10:9-11); they weaken moral sensitivities and inhibitions (Gen 9:21; 19:32; Hab 2:15; Is 5:11-12); they cause physical sickness if excessive (Prov 23:20-21; Hos 7:5; Is 19:14; Ps 60:3); and they disqualify for both civil and religious service (Prov 31:4-5; Lev 10:9-11; Ezek 44:23; 1 Tim 3:2-3; Titus 1:7-8).

Wine is also mentioned as a medicinal remedy as found in 1Timothy 5:23, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities."

It is the responsibility of the individual who considers drinking alcohol to think very carefully about the results of that decision and how the actions of that individual, if impared, may affect the lives others - family members, co workers, pedestrians and drivers. Unfortunately in many cases, it is the alcohol that does the deciding, not the individual. As a former law enforcement officer of 21 years seniority, I can tell you first hand what alcohol does to individuals, families and innocent persons. Countless times, I had to break up civil disturbances, send little kids into County Protective Custody to keep them from being beaten to death by a drunk parent and to scrape the remains of innocent drivers out of their vehicles after some DUI driver smashed into them head on...

Boanerges

I'm with brother Struick- the Apostle Paul even told Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach and the scriptures to declare be not drunk-however and this is just me personally- I won't drink a drop- if I drink and if someone with a problem follows my example I would feel terrible. I don't want to "cause even one of these little ones to stumble" . Again this is only my personal decision and I will add this- I used to drink and drug like a wild man until I had a real encounter with Jesus- He took those desires away from me completely twenty years ago and I have never had the urge to embibe since.

Banarenth

I personally never drink alcohol, but not because it would be a sin in general. For ME it would be a sin, simply because I've made a vow against alcohol in ANY form. I avoid foods that have been prepared in alcohol. Not because I believe that Christians should never imbide alcohol, but because my personal convictions has made me greatly desire this additional consecration.

WasLost

I don't drink alcohol or eat any kind of meat for ethical reasons. I believe the message of moderation that some have replied with is the best advice, but it's something that you ultimately must decide for yourself.

Pastor Gary

This has been going on for years, not only here, but in many sector forums. Persons who post one time and sit back to watch the discussions, many times are searching for JUSTIFICATION to continue a lifestyle that they themselves question. They find a trend in the answers that are posted and use that as their guide RATHER than praying directly to Our Father about their situation and following His advice by way of His guidance.

However, God may possibly be using us all as a tool for these one time posters to disseminate information, so who are we to question His way of reaching these persons?