The Believer and Drinking OR "Hey Bartender, Jobu Needs a Refill!"

No doubt you’ve seen the marketing campaign based on me.
As they accurately quote me, “I don’t always drink, but when I do I make it Dos Equis!”

Seriously, the Bible is really clear on this and unfortuanely the church muddies the water.
The Bible condemns drunkenness.
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.” (Ephesians 5:18)
This is a straight forward command. It’s as clear as light!

The Bible does not forbid drinking completely.
It does not command complete abstinence from drinking.
It does give very strong warnings about drinking.

Here’s a few…
“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1)
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path. 20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. (Proverbs 23:19-21)
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! 32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things. 34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” (Proverbs 23:29-35…sounds like one of Ants nights out!)

Don’t miss that all of these passages come from the book of Proverbs. A book written by a father to his son in order to teach him wisdom, that is, to skillfully negotiate life. Note his message, “Son, watch out for this stuff. People who allow their life to be dominated by it usually don’t end up successful”

This is one reason why the Bible continually instructs leaders not to allow alcohol to control their lives.
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, 5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. 6 Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! 7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. (Proverbs 31:4-7)
In 1 Timothy 3 church leaders must not be addicted to drinking.
In Titus 2 older women are instructed to teach and mentor the younger women and again are instructed not to be addicted to drinking.

Two final points…
1. Some argue complete abstinence based on the fact that wine in Bible times had a lower alcohol content than today’s wine. This argument is invalid!
The Bible speaks of "wine” and “strong drink”. The term wine was generally used for any fruit or berry based fermented drink and had an alcohol content that ranged from 1-3%. Strong drink, often translated “beer” by new Bible translations, was grain based drinks made by other processes (distilling, etc). These drinks had an alcohol content that ranged from 4-6%. Clearly there were drinks than that rivaled today’s drinks in alcohol content.

This view misses that the Bible’s argument has nothing to do with alcohol content but the fact that alcohol has the ability to take a person out of their “right” mind. The believer is called to be in their right mind so that they can properly assess life and respond as the Holy Spirit prompts (Ephesians 5:18, 1 Peter 1:13, 4:7, 5:8).
This principle applies beyond alcohol to any mind altering substances. The believer needs to be careful with anything that alters the mind (including prescription drugs).

2. The freedom to drink is governed by the same guidelines as all Christian freedoms.
Romans 14:20-22 puts it best,
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.