Struggling with a question

For some time now I have been struggling with a question. Is it wrong to drink alcoholic beverages? I know drunkenness is a sin but what if you have 1 here and there or a few everyday but do not get drunk? I have asked other fellow Christians that are in my life and some agree it's ok and others don't. Some have even told me Christ turned water into wine so of course it's ok to drink....

How do I find the answer to this question in the bible?
 
Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)
Hi, I think you summed it up nicely. drink in moderation but don't get pickled. Also be ready to forgo a drink if you are in the company of someone who thinks it a sin to have alcohol.
Paul advised Timothy to have a little wine for health reasons.
There are broadly two wines mentioned wine/strong wine and new wine. New wine is 'must' non fermented grape juice, and wine/strong wine is alcoholic.
hope this helps.
 
Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)
Hi, I think you summed it up nicely. drink in moderation but don't get pickled. Also be ready to forgo a drink if you are in the company of someone who thinks it a sin to have alcohol.
Paul advised Timothy to have a little wine for health reasons.
There are broadly two wines mentioned wine/strong wine and new wine. New wine is 'must' non fermented grape juice, and wine/strong wine is alcoholic.
hope this helps.
Yes, it's helping

So getting pickled is the sin not the beverage....am I correct?
 
It's my understanding that "wine"; depending of the context in the English translation can be used for an alcoholic beverage or 'fruit juice'. It is most often referring to the alcoholic beverage.

Getting 'drunk' is the sin; however Christ said: Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18, 'Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.'

So the thinking is this: Christ sets the example; therefore Christians don't 'drink' until we are gathered together with Christ. Are you breaking the 'law' having an alcoholic beverage? No; not explicitly. It is (and I don't ever use this word) like a 'sacrament' / promise to keep in honor of the LORD. By not 'drinking' of this earth's fruit; you are be separate/ not conforming to the world. You are showing yourself to be a 'special treasure' to God; seeking Holiness.
 
It's my understanding that "wine"; depending of the context in the English translation can be used for an alcoholic beverage or 'fruit juice'. It is most often referring to the alcoholic beverage.

Getting 'drunk' is the sin; however Christ said: Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18, 'Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.'

So the thinking is this: Christ sets the example; therefore Christians don't 'drink' until we are gathered together with Christ. Are you breaking the 'law' having an alcoholic beverage? No; not explicitly. It is (and I don't ever use this word) like a 'sacrament' / promise to keep in honor of the LORD. By not 'drinking' of this earth's fruit; you are be separate/ not conforming to the world. You are showing yourself to be a 'special treasure' to God; seeking Holiness.

I'm gathering it's more of a personal decision (or conviction) when it comes to alcohol.
 
The guiding principle I see in the New Testament is to live by faith (Romans 14:22-23), but not set any stumbling-blocks, for yourself or others. I think the passages on food offered to idols apply here, because both with alcohol and with food offered to idols, there was this mistaken notion that the food was somehow unclean or evil. See Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8:7-13.
 
For some time now I have been struggling with a question. Is it wrong to drink alcoholic beverages? I know drunkenness is a sin but what if you have 1 here and there or a few everyday but do not get drunk? I have asked other fellow Christians that are in my life and some agree it's ok and others don't. Some have even told me Christ turned water into wine so of course it's ok to drink....

How do I find the answer to this question in the bible?
Is it a sin or we are bringing curse with our lips touching alcohol? - NO
Is it better to abstain from any form of alcohol? - YES

There is no yes or no answer. What if a person who has just got out of drinking habits. Is it better to invite him for a cup of drink? Certainly no! And we would be sinning by doing something like that. On a different circumstance such as family dinner, is it wrong to have a cup of wine? No! Is it wrong to drink so much that we lose our consciousness? Yes

This is a not a question to answer in one word yes or no. 2 principles which can be applied for anything

- Whatever we do must be for glory of Lord
- Anything done without faith is sin

Applying this to the circumstance, we would know whether it would be beneficial
 
Is it a sin or we are bringing curse with our lips touching alcohol? - NO
Is it better to abstain from any form of alcohol? - YES

There is no yes or no answer. What if a person who has just got out of drinking habits. Is it better to invite him for a cup of drink? Certainly no! And we would be sinning by doing something like that. On a different circumstance such as family dinner, is it wrong to have a cup of wine? No! Is it wrong to drink so much that we lose our consciousness? Yes

This is a not a question to answer in one word yes or no. 2 principles which can be applied for anything

- Whatever we do must be for glory of Lord
- Anything done without faith is sin

Applying this to the circumstance, we would know whether it would be beneficial

I've noticed this is not a yes or no answer but I like what you said about...."whatever we do must be for the glory of the Lord"
 
It's my understanding that "wine"; depending of the context in the English translation can be used for an alcoholic beverage or 'fruit juice'. It is most often referring to the alcoholic beverage.

Getting 'drunk' is the sin; however Christ said: Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18, 'Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.'

So the thinking is this: Christ sets the example; therefore Christians don't 'drink' until we are gathered together with Christ. Are you breaking the 'law' having an alcoholic beverage? No; not explicitly. It is (and I don't ever use this word) like a 'sacrament' / promise to keep in honor of the LORD. By not 'drinking' of this earth's fruit; you are be separate/ not conforming to the world. You are showing yourself to be a 'special treasure' to God; seeking Holiness.

To be brutally honest I think this is a very worrying application of Scripture.
When Jesus spoke the words cited, He knew full well that He was about to be betrayed that very night and subsequently crucified.
Exactly what opportunity did He have for further wine drinking between the 'last supper' and His crucifixion?
Answer............... Nil, zilch, none, zero.
Indeed when on the cross He was offered a mix of wine and other bilge, true to His word He did not drink any of it. Possibly He spat it out, but whatever He did, He did not drink it.

How then is it even remotely possible to use His words here as any kind of example for the guidance of someone seeking to understand the Biblical attitude to the consumption of alcohol?
 
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Specifically, alcohol is a drug - but then so is aspirin. It can be used in moderation - I believe, without damage, either physically or spiritually. It is a "poison" to the physical system and causes people to loosen controls in their thinking and actions. Anyone who has had "too much" can tell you the dangers of that. You have to decide for yourself if you think it is beginning to be a problem for you or if perhaps you are too dependant on it. I drank most of my adult life - the last 14 years for a bit of physical pain control. I gave it up awhile back as it only helped a little and the physical risks grew too high to continue as I grew older. So I stopped. I don't think it's a place to judge someone else's Christianity on though. Let the Holy Spirit inside you (all puns intended - grin) to guide you.
 
Specifically, alcohol is a drug - but then so is aspirin. It can be used in moderation - I believe, without damage, either physically or spiritually. It is a "poison" to the physical system and causes people to loosen controls in their thinking and actions. Anyone who has had "too much" can tell you the dangers of that. You have to decide for yourself if you think it is beginning to be a problem for you or if perhaps you are too dependant on it. I drank most of my adult life - the last 14 years for a bit of physical pain control. I gave it up awhile back as it only helped a little and the physical risks grew too high to continue as I grew older. So I stopped. I don't think it's a place to judge someone else's Christianity on though. Let the Holy Spirit inside you (all puns intended - grin) to guide you.
Thank you all for your replies....they have helped tremendously. I have realized that in myself I have envy and judgement going on. You see I can not control my consumption of alcohol so I think that others can't, yet I wish I could. This has opened up a reality for me that will require much needed strength from our Father and a lot of prayer on my part! Once again thank you all for your comments it has been a blessing!
 
Thank you all for your replies....they have helped tremendously. I have realized that in myself I have envy and judgement going on. You see I can not control my consumption of alcohol so I think that others can't, yet I wish I could. This has opened up a reality for me that will require much needed strength from our Father and a lot of prayer on my part! Once again thank you all for your comments it has been a blessing!
OK, thank you for sharing. We as a community of brothers and sisters in Christ need to uphold you in prayer.
Perhaps you might like to post a request on the 'prayer requests' board as more praying people might see your need there tht will here on this board.
 
...so it is not that the Lord is against a person (Proverbs says do not deny the Laborer their wine) having alcoholic beverages now and again but that drunkedness is a sin. One of the things I find odd is that since the mid-1800s in Europe this idea of using grape juice for the Lord's Table has become something people fight hard to defend. It is a myth. The whole church universal since Christ (and at the Passover for 1000 years before) ALWAYS used real red wine for the Lord's Table (a symbol for blood). They are without excuse and have imposed the ideas of men into the body.

Now having said all that, I once was an alcoholic and do not drink as much as a drop, save at communion. I am not promoting getting sloshed or drinking regularly but I am saying do all things in moderation, let nothing master you, and whatsoever you do in word or deed do it unto the glory of God and rejoice, and again I say rejoice.

In His love

Paul
 
The aspect of the drink in communion is that the blood of the grape symbolizes the blood of Jesus. Alcohol content does not contribute or detract from the symbolism. That the church has used wine for so long is that wine stays preserved longer (IMO).
 
The aspect of the drink in communion is that the blood of the grape symbolizes the blood of Jesus. Alcohol content does not contribute or detract from the symbolism. That the church has used wine for so long is that wine stays preserved longer (IMO).

You are right when you say the alcoholic content is irrelevant to the symbolism but none the less the wine of Passover and the wine of the Last Supper has always been actual wine. Here is a question....why in the earliest church and even in some Catholic and Orthodox sects do they mix water and wine in the chalice? I believe (but do not know for sure) the co-mingled cup as it was called was enacting putting back together the elements (water and blood) which came out on the cross when His side was pierced...any other ideas (all are welcome and equally good ones)...
 
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