Is drinking sin?

[VictoryinJesus]

If you're dying, or have nothing left to live for, the Bible says Drink up!

James 5:13-14 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. [14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

trying to picture how supportive people would be if the elders visited hospital rooms of the sick and dying with a bottle of wine in tow, to give to the afflicted to help them forget their misery. But then again, when I had a kidney stone I wanted drugs. Strong ones.

 

[Stan B]

Regarding the OP: no, drinking is not (a) sin. By "drinking" I assume what is meant is drinking alcohol. If Jesus drank wine, converted water into (excellent) wine, and shared it with His disciples, that should be sufficient to answer the question.

On the other hand, drinking to excess, i.e., becoming drunk, is not advisable.

God has given us wine for our enjoyment, and it can be enjoyed, and it can be abused. But wine is just a small player in the gifts God has given us that can be abused. The big one is SEX! Wow! What wonderful pleasure He has given us, but when abused is the most common gift that destroys life big time!!

These gifts are not bad, and can be handled by the believer who enjoys a fruit of the Spirit: Self Control!

 

[Stan B]

James 5:13-14 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. [14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

trying to picture how supportive people would be if the elders visited hospital rooms of the sick and dying with a bottle of wine in tow, to give to the afflicted to help them forget their misery. But then again, when I had a kidney stone I wanted drugs. Strong ones.

It would be nice if the elders would bring a bottle or two of fine wine. The stuff they serve at the hospital is okay, but the stuff they had at my long term care facility made abstinence the preferred option.

 

[farouk]

@My Dreams it is odd for you to post anything that ends up as a debate. Can you, or do you want to share why you asked?

Hi @VictoryinJesus Some ppl are a lot more into discussions than others are...

 

[Bob Carabbio]

It's already been answered and proven.

Don't put yourself out.

O.K. I won't (chuckle).

 

[GEN2REV]

The Bible tells us that we are kings with Christ. Does it not?
The Bible also tells us that alcohol is not for Kings.
Proverbs 31:4

The Bible tells us that we are priests. Does it not?
It tells us that priests are never to ingest alcohol prior to entering the Holy of Holies, inner room of the Temple; and that alcohol is an unclean, unholy, substance.
1 Peter 2:5
Ezekiel 44:21
Leviticus 10:9-10

Well, for those of us with the Holy Spirit, the Temple is within us. How can we ingest alcohol and not desecrate God's Holy Temple?

The word 'wine' is used in the Bible often to refer to grape juice as well as alcohol.

“Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.” (Isaiah 65:8)

There is no alcohol present in grapes that are in the cluster.

I already presented a verse showing young starving children begging for wine; obviously not alcohol, but grape juice.
Lamentations 2:11-12
Lamentations 2:19

Those with discernment, and sincerity in their Christian walk, will see clearly the problem with the modern claims that Jesus drank alcohol and Christians should, too.

Alcohol, being made-up of dead and dying fruit tissues, is a drink of death. It is unclean and unholy.

Would you ever willingly desecrate your God, or His house for that matter?

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

 

[Taken]

Is drinking sin?
OP^

No.

Matt 6:
[25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

 

[GEN2REV]

Is drinking sin?
OP^
No.
Matt 6:
[25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

That verse is telling us not to worry about where our sustenance will come from.

It is NOT telling us to ingest as much of anything as we like.

 

[Desire Of All Nations]

1 Corinthians 11:19 states that there must be divisions among believers to show who is approved of God and who is not. Your verse 1 Corinthians 11:21 shows that one is hungry (approved) and one is drunken (not approved). Simple as that.This is one of the most abominable LIES that is ever told about our Lord and Savior.

For Christ to be a "social drinker" He would need to have gotten drunk. There's absolutely no way around that. No "social drinker" stays 100% sober. Even if some moron was to attempt to make the case that they only take one drink, or two, then what? "That's me, guys! I'm out. See ya for the next social drinking meet-up!"

Yes, ridiculous.

Besides that, all those verses speak of Jesus drinking "the fruit of the vine." Since when is the "fruit of the vine" alcohol?

FAIL

And Matthew 11:18-19 shows Jesus and John the Baptist being accused of things that were clearly NOT TRUE. Jesus of being a winebibber, which is a drunk, and John the Baptist of being demon-possessed. He was not and Jesus was certainly NOT a drunk.

Nowhere in my post did i ever argue or claim that Jesus was a drunk, and i certainly don't know why you read such a dishonest statement into my argument. If you want to have an honest conversation about this, then fine, but don't play with my words. My position that Jesus was a social drinker isn't the same as me saying He was a drunk. A person can drink socially without getting drunk, you know.

And while i'm at it, if the idea that Jesus drunk wine is such an "abominable lie", then show the passage that says Jesus refused to drink wine on any occasion or show Him teaching against drinking wine. Unless you can do either one of those things, i will be inclined to dismiss your "counter-argument" as nothing more than an opinion. I am not inclined to accept your theology just because you say so, and acting like i am supposed to do that won't make you right. Either put up or shut up.

 

[GEN2REV]

A person can drink socially without getting drunk, you know.

Really?

I gave an example of how that would look, if we're being realistic.

Would you like to give one to explain your perspective on that?

If your definition of drunk is wasted, can't walk or talk, you are flat wrong. You are implying that the definition of drunk is relative to each individual's opinion of their own sober status.

Science says that impairment begins when you feel a"buzz." That is usually after one beer, or glass of wine, for somebody that is not an alcoholic. NOTE: I'm talking about the first feeling of being "buzzed."

If you sincerely believe, and are claiming, that "social drinking" entails a number of people getting together and never finishing a single beer, or glass of wine, you are delusional ... or deceived.

So explain what your definition is of "social drinking" because where I come from, it involves a minimum of 3-6 drinks for the most conservative attendee present.

 

[Ancient]

No, it is believed Yeshua drank.


NKJ Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say,`Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

The context is contrasting Himself against John who did not drink (Nazarite) vow. They accused Him of being a glutton and drinking.

Shalom

 

[Taken]

That verse is telling us not to worry about where our sustenance will come from.

It is NOT telling us to ingest as much of anything as we like.

Mosaic Laws had in-depth rules concerning what one ate, drank, wore.
That verse is about not being concerned what one eats, drinks, wears.
That verse said nothing about amount, of eating, drinking or wearing of clothing, neither did I.

(BTW, Clothing is not sustenance.)

 

[GEN2REV]

Mosaic Laws had in-depth rules concerning what one ate, drank, wore.
That verse is about not being concerned what one eats, drinks, wears.
That verse said nothing about amount, of eating, drinking or wearing of clothing, neither did I.

(BTW, Clothing is not sustenance.)

So you're claiming that the verse is telling Christians to ingest anything they like.

By this logic, it is ok then for Christians to take drugs as long as they don't take "too much."

"Alcohol is a drug. It is classified as a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant, which means that drinking alcohol slows down brain functioning, neural activity, and further reduces the functioning of various vital functions in the body. This is due to the increased production of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA."
Is Alcohol A Drug?

 

[Michiah-Imla]

"Alcohol is a drug. It is classified as a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant,

Well it is classified by God this way:

“Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7)

“(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)” (1 Timothy 5:23)

Drunkenness and gluttony is what the Bible condemns!

“…do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery” (Ephesians 5:18)

“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” (Proverbs 23:21)

 

[GEN2REV]

Well it is classified by God this way:

“Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7)

“(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)” (1 Timothy 5:23)

Drunkenness and gluttony is what the Bible condemns!

“…do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery” (Ephesians 5:18)

“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” (Proverbs 23:21)

Can't know how much of the thread you've read, but I've well established that the word 'wine' in Scripture refers to alcohol AND grape juice interchangeably.

With God as my Witness, I can guarantee you that Paul did not tell a young pastor to drink alcohol for an upset stomach.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

'wine' in Scripture refers to alcohol AND grape juice interchangeably.

The vast majority of times wine in scripture refers absolutely to alcoholic drink. And in the scriptures I quoted it absolutely refers to alcoholic wine. Grape juice doesn’t make your heart merry nor does it relieve ailments. And furthermore the admonition by Paul to use “a little” wine is to prevent drunkenness. A lot of grape juice will not get you drunk.

With God as my Witness, I can guarantee you that Paul did not tell a young pastor to drink alcohol for an upset stomach.

No you cannot.

It’s just a personal thing for you. Which is okay. But don’t pervert the scriptures in your blind and zealous dislike of alcoholic beverages.

 

[GEN2REV]

Grape juice doesn’t make your heart merry nor does it relieve ailments.

No offense, but you don't know much about this subject if you make this claim.

Grape juice provides:

• Vitamin C
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Potassium

Reduced Risk of Disease:

Grape juice contains high levels of antioxidants, which can help protect the body from free radicals. Free radicals are harmful substances, such as pollution or the chemicals in processed food. The damage they cause to cells can contribute to the development of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Antioxidants may help prevent or even reverse this damage.

**Improved Heart Health:**

Early research shows that red and purple grape juices may promote cardiovascular health in some of the same ways as red wine. Similar benefits of red wine and grape juice include protecting blood vessels, decreasing the risk of blood clots, and maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

**Lower Blood Pressure**

The potassium found in grape juice can benefit people with high blood pressure by helping the body get rid of excess sodium. Potassium can also lower blood pressure by relaxing the walls of your blood vessels.

Grape Juice: Are There Health Benefits?

 

[GEN2REV]

The vast majority of times wine in scripture refers absolutely to alcoholic drink.

This admission proves that you are incorrect in your position that 'wine' refers to alcohol in all the verses that you claim that it does.

If it can refer to either, then all the verses that you claim refer to alcohol can just as easily be grape juice.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

No offense, but you don't know much about this subject if you make this claim.

You don’t know much about wine as the Bible teaches about it. Your bias won’t let you see this biblical matter clearly.

Spare me the wisdom of this world regarding wine and grape juice. Been there, done that.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

If it can refer to either, then all the verses that you claim refer to alcohol can just as easily be grape juice

Do an experiment.

Drink a glass of grape juice. Then after a few minutes drink a glass of alcoholic wine and tell me which one makes you feel merry afterwards…


“A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.” (Ecclesiastes 10:19)

“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7)