Although the meaning of the verb “to imbibe” is simply “to drink any type of fluid,” it is often used for the drinking of alcoholic beverages (“booze” to you non-technical types). Therefore what does the Bible say about “imbibing booze?” Does God’s Word teach that it should be refrained from completely? Or does Scripture allow “imbibing’ under certain conditions and situations?
Drinking and Salvation
In John 2:1-11, we see our Lord and His disciples attending a wedding and reception. During the reception or banquet, the wine ran out. Our Lord performed His first miracle of turning water into wine. Like all of His miracles, this one proves that He is The God-Man-Savior; the Messiah of Israel and the Redeemer of mankind! His disciples had already believed on Him and, of course, partook of this wine. Therefore demonstrating that “to imbibe or not to imbibe” had nothing to do with their salvation or subsequent spiritual life. This miracle revealed Christ’s glory and caused His disciples to place their trust in Him, as those who had already placed “faith alone in Christ alone” for salvation. (Note their salvation in John 1:35-51.)
Some people erroneously believe that it was permissible for Christ and the disciples to “imbibe” because this was pseudo wine with no alcohol in it, without the cognizance of any of the “imbibers”. This view detracts from the reality of this miracle and turns our glorious Lord Jesus Christ into some magician, or cheap trickster. I is clear that the guests expected real wine becasue in vs 10, it is expected to numb their taste buds.
This social, non-intoxicating type drinking of wine was not sinful because it “revealed” Christ’s “glory” and increased His disciples assurance of Who and What He was. Remember, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is the only issue in salvation – not believing and giving up “demon rum” or any other type of liquor. Later on in our study we will see that while imbibing in NOT a sin, drunkenness most definitely is. But, if we add the elimination of intoxication from one’s life as a part of getting saved, we destroy the principle of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Drinking and the Spiritual Life
By the spiritual life, I refer to spirituality by grace and spiritual growth, “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18a N.I.V). Spirituality by grace is simply the filling of the Holy Spirit, based upon the grace-basis (non-meritorious) of confession of sin. (See the author’s notes and tapes on confession of sin.) We’re commanded to be “continually filled, (fully controlled or fully influenced) with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18 T.V) The fruit of the filling of the Holy Spirit includes “gentleness” (humility) and “self-control,” (Galatians 23a N.I.V.) but not abstinence; i.e., abstinence from imbibing. Some Spirit-filled Christians will choose not to drink, because of personal convictions; while other Spirit-filled Christians could choose to imbibe in moderation, based upon personal convictions. These personal convictions, or personal dos and don’ts are the result of ones’ spiritual growth, under Bible Truth; but personal dos and don’ts are never the basis for spirituality or spiritual growth and maturity.
The issue of the believer’s spiritual life consisting of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God controlling the life, and NOT whether the Christian imbibes or not, is illustrated by our Lord’s encounter with the Pharisees in Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34.
In these two companion passages our Lord Jesus Christ uses drinking alcoholic beverage, as a part of His lifestyle (impeccable lifestyle); as contrasted to the non-drinking lifestyle of John the Baptist, as an example to show that His and John’s critics were subjective and self-serving in their criticisms and not at all objective. The argument here makes no sense if our Lord was not imbibing alcoholic wine, or if His imbibing was sinful. In other words, His argument against the subjectivity of the self-righteous, legalistic Pharisees was rooted in His claim that He drank wine just as assuredly as the Baptizer did not drink wine.
John was a great believer who never imbibed because he lived under the Nazarite vow; but our Lord Jesus Christ was perfect, sinless, and impeccable in His humanity, and He had a lifestyle of the moderate use of alcoholic beverage. Although the Scripture prophesied and declared our Lord a “Nazarene,” this is a reference to the area of his childhood rearing and NOT a reference to the Nazarite vow, which vow included being a “teetotaler.”
1 Timothy 3:3 and 8 state that church leaders such as pastors and deacons are not to be addicted to wine or involved in intoxication, but these verses do not forbid imbibing. Although this is true, there are conditions and/or circumstances when an imbibing mature Christian leader or otherwise, should refrain from imbibing; at least temporarily, or in a certain situation requiring the application of the Four Spirituality Laws.
These four “laws” are principles to be applied when liquor is involved. Remember Ephesians 5:18 condemns intoxication as “dissipation” and obviously a personal sin.
First, we have the law of Christian Freedom taught in 1 Corinthians 6:12, under the phrase “all things” (not prohibited by the Word) “are lawful for me,” and 1 Corinthians 8:8 and especially 1 Corinthians 8:9 under the phrase, “this freedom of yours.” This law permits the Christian the non-intoxicating use of liquor; under this principle he is free to drink moderately, sparingly – but this law of liberty must be balanced out with the other three laws of spirituality. As we apply 1 Corinthians 8:8 to the situation, we note that nothing is gained in our fellowship with God, whether we “imbibe” or not.
Next we see “The Law of Christian Profit,” from 1 Corinthians 6:12 under the phrase “not all things are profitable,” (NASV). Although the “Principal of Freedom” allows us the right to drink, this second law supersedes it for the profit or benefit of the unbeliever. If moderate imbibing does not profit the non-Christian, in the sense that he is offended by it, then don’t drink in his presence. Your witness to him is not profitable if hemakes an issue of your use of liquor. Your privilege and responsibility in witnessing is of far greater importance than your right to drink!
“The Law of Christian Love” is found in 1 Corinthians 8:9-13. The thrust of this passage is simply this, the maturing Christian in fellowship with God, has such an unconditional virtue love toward the “weaker brother,” i.e., the one who is unable to imbibe in moderation, that he freely chooses to restrict or omit drinking in the presence of “the weaker brother,” lest he become a “stumbling block” instead of a stepping stone in his brother’s spiritual life.
The fourth spirituality law is derived from 1 Corinthians 9;1-6, and is known as “The Law of Supreme Sacrifice,” directed toward God. It may be bona fide for some Christians to imbibe in moderation, but for the sake of not hindering their ministry or Christian service, they set aside their right to drink under “The Law of Liberty,” and choose to function under “The Law of Supreme Sacrifice” for the greater glory of God.
This is not a legalistic, self-righteous, arrogant attitude of “holier than thou” because of alcohol-abstinence, but a Spirit-filled motivation of not offending, for the sake of the ministry. Remember, our ministry “as unto the Lord” is infinitely more important than our “right to imbibe.” What are your priorities and where do your values lie?
Drinking and Sickness
Both physical and soulish sickness can result from alcohol abuse; i.e., a lifestyle of intoxication. When one is under the influence of liquor (or drugs), this intoxication dulls, depresses, and eventually destroys norms and standards of virtue and morality. This leads, not only to immorality, but also to verbal, physical, and even sexual abuse of rape and incest. The intoxicant can also become involved in other sexual perversions as we’ll study later on.
Some of the physical illnesses caused by excessive imbibing include:
1. Cirrhosis of the liver: This can destroy the liver and destroy it life. It can kill the person.
2. Delirium Tremens (DTs): Perpetual shaking, confusion, anxiety, terror, visual distortions and hallucinations. I recently on a TV news report, a young man shaking uncontrollably in his hospital bed. The reporter stated that the hospital had spent over $80,000 in treating him. What’s the solution? Salvation and subsequent Bible doctrine! As always!
3. Korsakoff’s Psychosis: This is where the alcoholic becomes a pathological liar.
4. Wernickes Disease: Produces a paralysis of the eyes, uncoordinated speech and a “permanent stagger.”
5. Marchiofavis-Begranis Disease: Names of two physicians who discovered that alcoholism and/or excessive imbibing destroys brain cells and tissue. The drunkard destroys his own ability to think.
Immoral, unethical, dishonest, passive and abusive behavior results from this “chemical destruction of the soul.” Alcohol and other drugs serve as depressants, lower the inhibitions born of good norms and standards, and dull physical and volitional reflexes.
With the use of the word “sickness,” I’m not implying that alcoholism is a disease! It is a personal sin which must be corrected by God’s grace and the power of the Word of God! Remember, God’s solutions always relate to salvation and the sufficiency of Scriptures, and not the modern evangelical trend of “integrating” Bible Truth with psychotherapy.
From Proverbs 31:6-7 and 1 Timothy 5:23, we see the “medical use of booze.” A person can be a little up-tight and an occasional “nip” can be beneficial by opening up blood vessels a little, and relaxing the person. A limited amount of alcoholic beverage, (and I do mean LIMITED) can benefit in three areas.
1. The brain and nervous system. “A little wine,” i.e., a small amount of booze can act as a sedative.
2. “For your stomach’s sake.” (1 Timothy 5:23). Evidently, Timothy had some sort of gastric disorder, and “a little wine” settled his stomach, stimulated his appetite, and aided digestion.
3. Some physicians prescribe a glass of wine in the evening for older people to dialate the blood vessels and improve circulation. Like the British custom of a little sherry or port before going to bed.
The commands in Proverbs 31 and 1 Timothy 5 imply the medical use of booze, but remember, Paul never commanded Timothy to get skunk drunk and sublimate, and substitute partying as a solution to personal problems. Our solutions to life’s problems are found in receiving Christ as Savior and fulfilling God’s plan for our lives through the intake of doctrine and obedience to the Word!
Drinking and Social Life
In John 2, from the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, we see our Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples involved in social drinking. Also from Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34, we noted that social, moderate imbibing was a part of our Lord’s lifestyle. The limited use (not the drunk abuse) of liquor and other spirits is permissible for the Christian. However, as we studied under our Four Spirituality Laws, there are circumstances where we set aside our right to drink so as not to become a bad testimony to an unbeliever or a weaker believer. Also, if our right to drink hinders our ministry we set it aside for the greater glory of God. We willingly and joyously do this because obedience to the Word is our number one priority, and our love of our Lord Jesus Christ and our fellow Christians is number one in our scale of values.
Drinking and Sinfulness
We’ve already established that drinking is not a sin, but the drunkenness is as stated in the following passages: Isaiah 5:11-12; 28:7-8; Proverbs 20:1; 23:20; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 5:18.
We all must rule ourselves in this matter through spiritual growth and maturity. You are free to drink provided you are not a minor and you have the common sense to drink moderately. You are also free to use your judgment and say no! Because of certain genetical engineering flaws some of you shouldn’t even smell the cork! The volitional strength of spiritual growth will enable you to “just say no.”
But remember, whether you say no or yes, you are not saying no or yes to something forbidden by the Scriptures, and you are neither better or worse, spiritually speaking, by imbibing or not imbibing. But, of course, the chances of being worse off are always on the side of drinking.
You become worse off if you are a leader and make judgment calls while under the influence of booze. Heavy drinking must be avoided where leadership judgment and discernment are required. Leaders can only make good decisions from a stable thought pattern as a result of not being involved in alcohol abuse. The “Jekyll and Hyde” syndrome of being a different person while intoxicated than when sober, will result in bad decision making as a leader.
This is why “kings” are ordered by Proverbs 31:4-5 to not become heavy drinkers. Alcohol abuse leads to political leaders making bad decisions. Alexander the Great was a “total lush,” he imbibed constantly. And although he “conquered the world,” he could not conquer himself! In his excessive abuse, he lost all self-control and became a “daily-drunk!” He murdered one of his greatest and most trustworthy generals while intoxicated. Alexander’s alcohol abuse contributed to his dying at age 32!
The point we’re striving to make here is that you cannot be in charge of a military group, a church, a business or any other area of leadership and be a heavy drinker. 1 Timothy 3:3 and 8 teach that pastors and deacons must not be addicted to booze! I believe personally that this addiction becomes “a double sin” for church leaders because it adversely affects their decision making and eliminates the good example and “hero” they should be to their congregation.
Our audio tapes and notes on Biblical Self-Respect demonstrate how our love of God as maturing Christians, not only produces such a fantastic contentment and tranquility that we don’t need to try to find happiness in the bottom of a bottle; but this Biblical self-respect also includes a tremendous stability of thought for good decision making. People without Biblical self-respect can try to find happiness and fulfillment in life through partying which centers around drunkenness. They do this under sublimation. This word comes from the word “sublime,” which word has a meaning of to convert something into something of higher value. Sublimation means the act of changing who and what you are into who and what you desire to be, as far as human attitudes and behavior are concerned. If you resent being shy, while sober, then you think you’ll become more outgoing and relaxed while intoxicated. If you’re lonely, while sober, then you think you’ll be able to become socially adept and meet people while partying. If you feel rejected, while sober, then you think yhou’ll be accepted by the partying crowd when you “get a buzz on.”
The solution here is not to sublimate but to stay Spirit-filled, claiming God’s promises and applying Biblical contentment and Biblical stability to any situation of stress and pressure. Booze can never become a substitute for the inner happiness, stability and contentment received through living the Christian life; therefore, I’ll see you in church and Bible classes, so that through our mutual edification and growth in the Word, we can “outgrow” any temptation to use any “substance” (or anyone or anything else) as a sublimation, substitution and solution to anything in life, other than God’s solutions to our problems.
What are God’s solutions to any problems of life? Confession of sin whenever necessary giving us the filling of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to live a life of trust and faith-rest in God producing humility and teachability to continue to take in Bible Truth daily. This regular, consistent intake of the Word causes us to love the Lord and the brethren. We also come to share God’s happiness which includes a fulfillment in life which is so great, we never think of needing the good feeling or rosy glow of intoxication. God and His plan for our lives has become our all in all.
Intoxication is a sin, not only because it keeps us from attaining God’s solutions to life, as just studied, but because it leads to bad behavior which hurts us and others, and prevents our spiritual growth and resultant divine problem solvers for God’s glory. Remember the principle – you do things while intoxicated which you would never do while sober!
In Genesis 9:21, we see Noah getting drunk and permitting his grandson to commit a homosexual act with him. Obviously, Noah, as a mature believer, would never have permitted that while sober. This great believer, Noah, should not have imbibed at all, he just couldn’t handle it. Alcohol so inflamed his sexual lust, that it temporarily destroyed his self-control, and caused him to submit to incestuous sexual perversion. Obviously, if a great believer like Noah should have been a total abstainer from imbibing, so should any one of us with the same proclivity from our sinful nature.
This same area of weakness is seen in Lot in Genesis 19:32-36. Although Lot was a believer, (remember Peter calls him “righteous Lot”) he spent a great deal of time in incest as a result of overloading on booze.
The sinfulness of alcohol abuse is not only self-destructive, it is also a part of national decline and eventual destruction. (Isaiah 28; Jeremiah 13:12-17; Joel 1:3-6) In Joel 1:4, we see alcoholism contributing to the economic woes of the country. With a large number of abusive boozers in the nation, good business judgment decreases and contributes to economic recession and depression. Also, alcoholism leads to self-pity, frustration and emotional depression (all of this from arrogance), so that neurosis and psychosis is multiplied in the nation.
Joel 1:6 refers to military invasion. In other words abusive imbibers are easy to conquer!
Substance abuse continues to be a major problem in the decline and apostasy of America. As Christians, we can reverse this decline by leading problem drinkers to our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ and introducing them to the power and provision of Bible teaching for living the Christian way of life. This is the one sure solution; satisfying the needs of the soul and glorifying God!
Old Testament Words for Drinking
1. YAYIN: Wine, the fermented juice of the grape. Used of Noah’s intoxication (Genesis 9:21), Lot’s intoxication (Genesis 19:32), also Nabal’s inebriation (1 Samuel 25:36-37 and the drunkards of Ephraim (Isaiah 28).
2. TITROSH: Non-fermented wine or grape juice; sometimes translated “new wine.” It was made for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The grape juice used during these Levitical feasts was a type of the perfect work of Christ on the Cross; whereas the unleavened bread (no yeast used) was a type of the perfect person of Christ on the Cross.
3. SHEKAR: Beer in Old Testament times. It was fermented from pomegranates, honey or barley. It was stronger than our present day alcohol content beer.
New Testament Words for Drinking
1. OINOS: This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word YAYIN. (Matthew 9:17)
2. OKZOUS: Sour wine. Jesus refused to drink wine mixed with myrrh (gall) while on the Cross. (Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23) He refused this “narcotic,” because He had to endure the horrors of separation from the Father while bearing the sins of the world, without the dulling of the senses from this mixture; but with full dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit, plus the power of the Word of God resident within His soul. This dual power carried Him on the Cross. It also can carry us through any cross-bearing God permits us to endure for his honor and glory! Our Lord did, however, receive the sour wine to relieve His thirst at the end of the crucifixion; after He had already paid for our sins and completed His work on the Cross. (Matthew 27:48; mark 15:36; John 19:28-29)
3. LEUKOS: Sweet wine. (Acts 2:13)
4. SIKERA: Liquor (Luke 1:15) Barley beer and other drinks usually differentiated from wine.
5. LINOS: Wine press (dug or carved). (Matthew 21:33)
6. HUPOLYNION: Vat under the wine press. (Mark 12:1)
7. PAROINOS: Addicted to wine. (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7)
8. OINOPOTES: Drunkard. (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34)
9. METHUO: To be drunk. (Ephesians 5:18)
10. METHUSOS: A drunkard. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
11. There was also a classical Greek word not found in the New Testament, used for grape juice, TRUKZ. But points 1-10 refer to alcoholic beverage. Remember, believers in the Bible did drink, but they were never to get drunk. (Ephesians 5:18)
