God says a lot about alcohol in Scripture; the words wine or fermented drink appear roughly 242 times. Concerning "drink," we’ll share brief takeaways on how the Bible informs us about being right with God and others.
A Blessing...Until It's Not
Scripture says that alcohol can be a blessing from God himself. Jesus made wine for the wedding feast in Cana (John 2:1–10). Psalm 104:14-15 tells us that God gives wine that makes glad the heart of men. Ecclesiastes 9:7 says to drink your wine with a merry heart. Amos 9:14 refers to drinking wine from your own vineyard as a sign of God’s blessing.
Scripture also says that “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise”. Proverbs 23:29-32 gives a very strong warning for those who linger over wine; "it brings woe, sorrow, bruises, and bloodshot eyes, and that wine bites like a snake and poisons like a viper." In Ephesians 5:18, we are reminded that drunkenness takes us away from what is right and what is good. We're given the examples of Noah and Lot to show how drunkenness can lead to extreme pain. (Genesis 9:20–27 and 19:30–38). Many of us have experienced awful, negative consequences firsthand!
Since alcohol was meant as a blessing, it is, of course, not prohibited generally speaking, but sin is! If it becomes more important than God (an idol) then we sin. When drink becomes anything more than what God intended, we sin. If we become drunk, we sin. If we damage our bodies, we sin. If we say something or do something wrong because of drink, we sin. If we don’t do something we should be doing because of drink, we sin. If we distance others from God, we sin. Since we are not required to drink alcohol in order to follow God, but we are required to distance ourselves from sin in order to follow him, then some of us must avoid the temptation altogether in order to obey him. Not obeying God carries serious consequences, both in this life and for eternity.
Find a New Playground and New Playmates
As we think about our own sins, let’s admit that we can be Gold-Medalist at self-deception. Consider these verses: “ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1 8-10. How might we apply this passage to our relationship with alcohol? Listen and watch how Amanda dealt with that here.
Jesus’ disciples must have been absolutely stunned when Jesus told them to pluck out their eyes and cut off their hands if they caused sin. Of course, he was using hyperbole to make a very strong point. But Jesus’ suffering and death tell us exactly how seriously God thinks of sin.
Some of us should not touch alcohol at all because one sip leads to sin. We like Pastor Skip Heitzeg's advice about avoiding temptation by finding a new playground and playmates - watch it here. (Note: it is a 2-part video; you can watch part 2 by going to our home page, www.recoverysong.org; it is the second video presented.
Did you know that God sympathizes with our temptations and gives us help with them? We wrote a bit about that and Tina Turner here.
We have a few tips on finding support programs that can help here.
Put On Your Armour
If we think of fighting sin as an all-out war, it helps to have tools. Reading the Bible regularly can make all the difference. In it, God reveals himself, he talks to us. For a fascinating 5-minute video on how the Bible can change your life entirely, check this out.
Check out this short talk from Pastor Mike Winger about how to use the "armor of God."
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your grace and your love. Cause my heart to know that your commands are there to strengthen me and bring me greater joy. As I draw closer to you, you draw closer to me. You have invited me with your words “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." I am weary and carry heavy burdens, so I come to you now, Lord, for this rest that you promise. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
For 50 free videos, go to our home page at www.recoverysong.org
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