Moderate Drinking: Sinful or Unwise? (Part 1)

Introduction

I'm not aware of many issues that are more controversial among brethren than that of drinking. And by drinking, I'm not referring to the act of guzzling lemonade on a hot summer's day, but to the social and recreational consumption of alcohol.

There are Christians who view all drinking as sinful. Then there are those who view it as unwise. These folks would never drink or justify drinking, but they stop short of condemning those who drink in moderation, or in the privacy of their own home. Then, sadly, there are brethren who actually justify drinking. They see at as neither sinful nor unwise. While this is certainly the exception, not the rule, I have heard of situations where young Christians not only justify drinking, but actually drink on a regular basis with each other…to the point that they have designated drivers for their nights out.

While there are certainly exceptions, the vast majority of Christians are in agreement that drunkenness is sinful (Galatians 5:21, et al). The question is whether or not moderate drinking is sinful. In other words, is it sinful to have an occasional beer or glass of wine? Is it okay to drink so long as you don’t get drunk? 

My initial reaction to such questions always is, “Why would you want to?” The fact that this is so controversial and that there are so many other drink options that aren’t controversial should steer all Christians away from alcohol. This is the approach of wisdom. And that’s where I’d like to begin.

The Approach of Wisdom from the Old Testament

Let’s begin with the assumption that it’s not inherently sinful to drink alcohol for social and recreational purposes. The question is: is it wise? I truly believe that any honest Christian – and I know that’s a bold statement – will have to admit, based on a careful study of the Bible, that it is extremely unwise to drink.

While the Old Testament is not our law today (Colossians 2:14-16, et al), it is there for our learning (Romans 15:4). The book of Proverbs is where God imparts His advise and wisdom to us, and Christians everywhere turn to this book to access that wisdom on a variety of topics: child-rearing, marriage, money management, gossip, etc. One of the issues that God advises us on is that of drinking. 

In Proverbs 20:1, Solomon writes, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” Many will argue here that God is only encouraging us not to be "led astray" by alcohol. In other words, it's okay to drink, so long as you "drink responsibly." However, what I want you to notice here is that alcohol is deceitful and problematic by nature. Those who think otherwise are foolish. Would you date or marry someone that you knew was a "mocker" or "brawler?" Would you even call someone with these characteristics a close friend? Would you call them up to go out on a Friday night, knowing that they had a violent, deceitful personality? Of course you wouldn't! This is how we ought to view alcohol. It's not that it can become a mocker and brawler when we've had too much of it to drink. It is this way by nature.

In similar fashion, Solomon describes the ill effects of drinking in Proverbs 23:29-35. His advice in verse 31 is, “Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper.” Notice that Solomon doesn’t encourage moderate drinking. He doesn’t say, “Drink responsibly.” He tells us not to even look at the stuff. And if we’re not to look at it, we’re not to drink it. Now, a person might argue that this is only true for the person who is tempted to drink too much, but that’s not Solomon’s point. He’s telling us that because drinking can end so badly, don’t drink at all.

Think about how the words of Proverbs 23:29-35 ring true even today. Think of the drunk driving accidents that have taken place, the domestic violence, the extra-marital affairs and acts of adultery, the shattered friendships, and the health risks, just to name a few. Solomon is urging us to wisely consider all of the consequences of drinking and its ill-effect on society and to not even look at it. If we heed this advise, we will not drink.

The book of Proverbs advises against drinking in Proverbs 31:4-5 as well. “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted.” This applies to Christians because, while we are not governing based on civil law, we are always to be mindful and submissive to God’s law (Colossians 3:17, et al). We shouldn’t allow anything in our lives that might cause us to neglect or lose sight of our Christian duties.

The Approach of Wisdom from the New Testament

In the New Testament, we find three additional principles that ought to keep us from drinking. While we cannot unilaterally condemn something on the basis of principles alone (for while the principle is stated, the application is not), I am fully persuaded that drinking will cause us to violate these principles in practically every situation. And please note: if a principle is violated, sin is committed.

Consider first of all the obligation we have to our brethren. In Romans 14:13, Paul writes, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way,” and again in verse 15, “Yet if your brother is grieved by your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.” In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul again touches on the issue of liberty. He writes in verse 9, “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak,” and in verses 12-13, “But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

Many wrongly interpret these passages to mean that we shouldn’t do things that might offend or bother other Christians. If this interpretation is true, any domineering Christian in the church may force his views and opinions on everyone else. In reality, Paul is not encouraging us to bend our wills to such domineering Christians, but to avoid activities that might cause weaker brethren to stumble in their walk with Christ. 

In regard to drinking, there are individuals in most churches who are recovering alcoholics and who struggle with this temptation every day. Even if you feel justified in drinking that one beer, your example might lead a former alcoholic or even a weaker Christian to do the same to the injury of his/her own conscience. In the case of the former alcoholic, your example may even cause them to regress into alcoholism. So even if it isn’t inherently sinful to drink, this principle alone will make it sinful in most cases. If you think that this is a dramatic conclusion, can you tell me with confidence that you have no recovering alcoholics in your congregation or circle of influence? And can you honestly tell me that there are no Christians in your church that just might be negatively impacted by your example?

And please note that Paul doesn’t say that we should just hide what we’re doing from these weaker brethren. He says we shouldn’t do it anymore – ever! “I will never again eat meat.” After all, there’s always that chance that you may be seen, or that word may get around, especially in this social media driven society.

Not only must we consider our influence in the church, we must consider our influence in the world. Paul instructs us in Philippians 2:15 to “become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” My favorite passage on this point is 1 Corinthians 10:31-33. Here, Paul writes, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” The point here is that we must be very careful to maintain a strong and positive influence in the world. Does drinking hinder and hurt our influence? I believe so.

While most people in the world drink, it’s generally believed that deeply committed Christians do not drink. I used to be a committed Baptist and was very involved in both the Baptist and Methodist church. Even then, social drinking was something that weaker Christians did. Strong Christians didn’t drink beers with their buddies on a Friday night or have wine coolers in their fridge. That was my outlook even then. 

Now, someone might argue that they will only drink in the privacy of their home, but even still, that alcohol is purchased in public. What if you had an opportunity to share your faith with the cashier or someone in the store? Aren’t we told to always be ready to defend our faith (1 Peter 3:15)? If such an opportunity arose – and we should always be on the lookout for such opportunities – wouldn’t that alcohol in your shopping cart potentially hurt your influence? The fact of the matter is, if I want to be “blameless” in the world – if I want my example to be as strong as it can be – I won’t drink. I can’t drink.

The final principle from the New Testament that I’d like to share with you in this article is that of finding justification, not condemnation for drinking. Christians often have the attitude that if something isn’t inherently sinful, it must be okay. “Prove to me that it’s a sin,” they’ll say. But this is a bad attitude. Instead, we’re told in Scripture to seek justification, not condemnation. We’re told in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” Even if moderate drinking isn’t sinful, can anyone really say that it’s a good thing to do? Can anyone honestly contend that drinking has no negative impact whatsoever on our influence with brethren or our example in the world? Let’s say that a fellow Christian ran across you at the grocery store and you happened to have a case of beer or bottle of wine in your shopping cart; would you really feel no shame or guilt? Would you drink with Jesus in the room? Again, is drinking really a “good thing?” I don’t see how any honest Christian can “test” the drinking issue and conclude that it’s “good.” Even if it’s not inherently condemned, I don’t think we can say that it’s justified.

Based on these three principles alone, Christians ought to abstain from alcohol. 

But I will admit – and this is very important to understand – that we cannot unilaterally condemn drinking on the basis of these principles alone. We can teach the principles, can encourage wisdom, and can even make the application to activities such as drinking, but because the Scriptures do not make the application, we cannot condemn the application. If we do this, we are no different than the Pharisees of old who felt the need to create their own laws and boundaries for the purpose of ensuring and enforcing their standard of holiness (e.g. Matthew 15:1-2). To put it another way, we cannot draw lines and create barriers for the purpose of uniformity. On drinking, if it’s merely unwise, we cannot necessarily condemn or judge those who drink.

Having said that, I wholeheartedly believe that I could end my article here and that the honest Christian will agree that it’s wrong to drink based on these principles alone. After all, we live in a society where the reputation and view of drinking is such that it’s near impossible to drink without violating at least one of these three principles.

But what about those Christians who do not agree? What do we do with those brethren who do feel justified in drinking that one beer (or two) or that one glass of wine? What about those who feel that these principles don’t rule out drinking in their lives? Again, if it’s merely unwise, we cannot condemn or judge those brethren who do, and if this is the case, we’re leaving it open for brethren to drink if they feel that they can do so without violating these principles. 

However, if it’s sinful to drink, we need to be made aware of the facts so that we can take the proper, firm stand against drinking in the church. In 'Part 2' of this series of articles on moderate drinking, I will consider the question of whether moderate drinking is indeed sinful for Christians today.

Click here to access the second article in this series.