Alcohol Consumption?

[Aquatic_blue]

Reformed_Into_His_Image

I am not sure of what I believe when it comes to drinking as a sin. I have seen some scripture to warn us about wine, and another about only use it for stomach sake, which is in terms for medical purposes. I never tasted wine in my life, but I did taste beer when I was only 5 years old. My father had a glass of beer on the table and I took a sip. It was the most horrid tasting thing I ever tasted. I will never get that taste out of my mouth.

But when some ask me what I think about drinking, I always fall on this verse in Proverbs 21:1. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Basically, wine is a temptation that can lead into many temptations. Yes, it can lead to drunkenness, and we have a lot of scriptures talk about how drunkenness is a sin. However, being drunk can lead into other sins, such as rape, theft, or murder.

That is why I don't drink. Not because I do not like the taste, but it is a temptation that can lead to addiction and to other sins. Like I said to many people, "The best way to get rid of temptation is to get rid of the source."

Yup, drunkenness can lead to many other things, unfortunately. I can't tell you how many times I've had a friend or so tell me the things they did while being drunk and some of those things weren't silly little things like passing out, or falling down, but big sins. It makes me wonder why being drunk is so appealing to some considering all the repercussions it has.

You do have good points, too 3nodding choosing not to drink at all isn't a bad decision, either.  

[Aquatic_blue]

kdke

I used to be a party person between the ages of 17 and 20, and I drunk A LOT during that time. I even blacked out and passed out once during a party with some heavy drinking. It was a very dark point in my life, and I'm thankful God rescued me from it through His Word and wisdom.

Nowadays, when it comes to me and alcohol, I rarely drink. When I do, it's just a glass of wine, or one cooler, or on extremely rare occasions, a cocktail. That's enough for me.

It's no longer a temptation for me, because sadly, I had to learn the hard way what it does to a person. I found no real joy in being drunk, and now I see no real use or quality in life in getting drunk. I think some people get annoyed with me when I don't sit there and pat them on the back when they talk about how smashed they're going to get, or how they partied so hard the night before. Why would I be proud of that? lol Life offers way better things to do with one's time, and way better things that are actually beneficial to the liver, you know?

I am not tempted to drink a lot when I have my rare glass of wine, or my rare bottle of malt beverage. Sometimes that one glass is too much, because I'm just looking for the taste, not the amount I can drink. And I'm certainly not tempted to do terrible things when I have my one drink, either. My mother and I have two bottles of wine in our fridge, but like most bottles of wine we buy, they tend to sit in the fridge for months without being drunk ever again, lol. Fine by us.

That makes sense 3nodding I can imagine if some people learned the hard way and saw the terrible things that happened when people got drunk then they might lay off a bit. Unfortunately, some people don't back away from alcohol even though they have done some sinful things while being drunk, but luckily - there are people that realize that it's not a good path 3nodding

A bottle of wine can last a long time razz but that's not a bad thing - it only means that you are capable of drinking in moderation.  

[Sachie Whitby]

I think that the answer to this question is going to depend a lot on what your denomination of Christianity says on this. For those of us that are Catholic, alcohol consumption is acceptable and not a sin so long as it consumed in moderation and not an addition. If you're drinking to the point of falling down drink, for example, it's considered a sin. It's also considered a sin of you find your needing that alcohol because then it's an addition, regardless of how small the amount is. Even if the addition can be controlled to the extent of not being drunk, it's still a sin.

But again, your denomination of Christianity may have a different answer on this.  

[ChuckBreezy]

I think it becomes a sin when you drink to get away from your problems.  

[Anchor for the Soul]

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." -Matthew 11:18-19

I think this puts an interesting light on the issue. I don't see a reason why they'd call Christ a drunkard if he was drinking non-alcoholic grape juice.  

[Garland-Green]

Yeshua ben-Yosef

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." -Matthew 11:18-19

I think this puts an interesting light on the issue. I don't see a reason why they'd call Christ a drunkard if he was drinking non-alcoholic grape juice.

That's true, though I don't think there's anything in their charges of him being a drunkard. It seems unlikely that he consumed so much alcohol that he lost control, or did things that he later regretted. It is likely he had a glass of wine with his dinner, not sitting down with the intent of getting drunk.

Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Romans 13:13
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.  

[Anchor for the Soul]

Garland-Green

Yeshua ben-Yosef

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." -Matthew 11:18-19

I think this puts an interesting light on the issue. I don't see a reason why they'd call Christ a drunkard if he was drinking non-alcoholic grape juice.

That's true, though I don't think there's anything in their charges of him being a drunkard. It seems unlikely that he consumed so much alcohol that he lost control, or did things that he later regretted. It is likely he had a glass of wine with his dinner, not sitting down with the intent of getting drunk.

Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Romans 13:13
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

Oh, of course not. It seems pretty clear in the passage that Jesus is pointing out that the Pharisees were quick to demonize (to galvanize against, to blow out of proportion) John based on his abstinence from food and drink and even quicker with relation to Jesus' consumption. I believe he probably drank socially, in moderation. The way I've heard it told is that what we have today is much stronger than the wine they had back then; most wine, beer, liquor, etc. of today would fall into the category of "strong drink," because of added alcohol and other unnatural modifiers.  

[Neuneu]

I am not sure how many of you are old enough to drink yet, or what happens to your body when you become intoxicated, but for me it's a very scary concept to think about. I always like to have control of my body and I don't ever let myself become this sort of monster that overtakes me when I am drunk. I have only been drunk twice in my lifetime, and I rarely drink, but for my mother its a different story.
On my twenty-first birthday she became, a whole different person. The slurring speech, the over affection, the smell of the booze on her breath. I went up into my room to hide from this monster. This is the day where she got into an accident and I had to drive her to the ER.
Now, she is 6 months sober, ( and I am 23 now ) and I am very proud that she has come so far. In her AA all they do is read from the bible and share experiences with one another. She keeps bibles around the house, and reads me versus. I encourage her to keep reading because I believe this, and other people helping her is what is making her strong.
I could never let myself get to where she is, but I think alcohol, like as someone said before, in moderation is good, but anything more I think you are slowly killing yourself.  

[Garland-Green]

Neuneu

I am not sure how many of you are old enough to drink yet, or what happens to your body when you become intoxicated, but for me it's a very scary concept to think about. I always like to have control of my body and I don't ever let myself become this sort of monster that overtakes me when I am drunk. I have only been drunk twice in my lifetime, and I rarely drink, but for my mother its a different story.
On my twenty-first birthday she became, a whole different person. The slurring speech, the over affection, the smell of the booze on her breath. I went up into my room to hide from this monster. This is the day where she got into an accident and I had to drive her to the ER.
Now, she is 6 months sober, ( and I am 23 now ) and I am very proud that she has come so far. In her AA all they do is read from the bible and share experiences with one another. She keeps bibles around the house, and reads me versus. I encourage her to keep reading because I believe this, and other people helping her is what is making her strong.
I could never let myself get to where she is, but I think alcohol, like as someone said before, in moderation is good, but anything more I think you are slowly killing yourself.

Some should probably never have been introduced to it. It is not in everyone to moderate themselves. For some the first time they try is enough to trigger an addiction. I haven't had anything to drink in years, mostly because I don't feel like it. I don't like the taste of alcohol, and I don't want to be a bad example for those around me. At my previous workplace I had co-workers who attempted to persuade me to party with them, but I never gave into it. I think many people don't feel too good about their drinking habits, and when they meet someone who doesn't drink it makes them uncomfortable with their own choices. Great that your mom is reading the Bible. It is a good road-map, and a great source of encouragement.  

[Neuneu]

Garland-Green

Neuneu

Some should probably never have been introduced to it. It is not in everyone to moderate themselves. For some the first time they try is enough to trigger an addiction. I haven't had anything to drink in years, mostly because I don't feel like it. I don't like the taste of alcohol, and I don't want to be a bad example for those around me. At my previous workplace I had co-workers who attempted to persuade me to party with them, but I never gave into it. I think many people don't feel too good about their drinking habits, and when they meet someone who doesn't drink it makes them uncomfortable with their own choices. Great that your mom is reading the Bible. It is a good road-map, and a great source of encouragement.

I think everyone should try everything, at least once. I don't want to feel like I am a shell of a person if I don't get out there and do something. With addiction it plays in the part of the devils advocate. You want to drink because it makes you feel better, but for my mom, it's her drinking a poison. There are some drinks that I like, and I hate all beers. So gross! My boyfriend doesn't like to drink, but he will have one with me to make me feel better if we are out together at a bar. I would never encourage him to drink, but I see how it relaxes him from a tense day. We both never drink more than one.

She feels like she has done something wrong in her life that both of her children don't believe in God, but my younger sibling and I really push her to read the bible and we let her share her thoughts and feelings to us even though we don't share the same perspective.  

[Necessitarian]

The initial post seems to be both a question and an answer. Closure!

But just to put my two cents in, I would say teetotalism is contradicted by Paul in Colossians 2:20-23 (with clarification on replacement of such legalism in the beginning of the next chapter).