Alcohol like anything can serve different purposes. Wine can be used to intoxicate or to indoctrinate. The Fruit of the Vine can lead to Salvation or Damnation. For many Wine is constantly on their minds. It is a vintage that gives them comfort. Others detest the fermented grape juice and call it wicked. It is easy as Christians to categorize and condemn those who do not fit our convictions. The Church is split on the issue of alcohol. On one hand wine is part of the Communion, contained in the Cup where Jesus said, "This is my Blood, poured out for you and the remission of sins, here, take, drink this as often as you remember my death." (Matthew 26:27-28). Then there is the Bible verse that commands all believers to not, "drink of the fruit of the vine and but don't get drunk." (Ephesians 5:18). Here the balance is obvious, drunkenness is the sin, but drinking is not.
Jesus Christ himself said, "John the Baptist came neither eating or drinking and you said he had a demon. Here I come eating and drinking and you call me a glutton and a drunkard (wine bibber)." (Luke 7:33). Our Savior did drink wine. One must understand the times. Prior to the 20th Century, water was often contaminated and not healthy. Most people from 60 A.D. to 1900's mixed water with wine, because the alcohol purifies the water. It says during the First Miracle in Cana, that Jesus turned the "Water into wine," and that the wine "was the best." (John 2:1-11). In the Greek the word Yayin, for best is a intoxicating wine, one that makes you merry and tipsy quickly. So how do we reconcile this? The Word says do not get drunk, but the Word Made Flesh who is Jesus Christ drank and even did a miracle that made a strong wine. Then to add to the confusion, we have Jesus saying, "I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom/For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes/Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (Matthew 26:29, Luke 22:18, Mark 14;25).So Christ is not going to drink wine tell after the New Heaven and Earth are established? (Revelation 22:1-28). Or is this about Wedding Supper of Lamb? (Revelation 19:6-9). The point is Jesus isn't drinking wine until then.
As Christians what are we suppose to do? Jesus drank, but will not again until his Second Coming Feast. The Bible says, "drink, but do not get drunk." But then there is the verse that says, "If I find you drinking with the drunkards and abusing with the abusers, I will cast you into the outer darkness." (Matthew 24:49), "nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God," (1 Corinthians 6:10), "Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God," (Galatians 5:19-21), and, "But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people." (1 Corinthians 5:11). So wait.. does that mean if I drink, even a modest half glass of wine with drunks that I will be sent to hell?! Thus between all these Scriptures, the Saints pitch their tents of doctrine. Those who advocating abstaining from alcohol cite the "drinking with drunkards," and "I shall not drink until the Wedding Supper of the Lamb," verses. However, many Christians in this sect of anti-Alcohol re-interpret those verses and believe that the wine at the Wedding Supper will just be unfermented Grape Juice and that it really means, "the winepress of his wrath," (Revelation 14:19), an analogy for God slaying the wicked on Judgment Day. Then there is the group of Christians who see no harm with drinking a glass of wine or beer. They cite St. Paul who says, "Timothy, take some wine with your meal to heal your stomach and aid your digestion." (1 Timothy 5:23). The view that a believer can drink as long as they do not get drunk is healed by many who even cite, "God made the fruit of the vine to make the hearts of men glad." (Psalm 104:15, Ecclesiastes 10:19).
So who is right? Should be abstain from alcohol altogether until Christ's Second Coming? Or can we drink a glass or two in these days? The answer falls within context, personal conviction, and the times we live in. Wine can be a great aid in digesting meals, especially red wine with meat. Wine is also great for celebrations like a Wedding. However, in these times most people drink to get drunk. A bishop friend of mine from Zambia once told me, "I do not drink any alcohol because in Zambia if you drink wine or beer, it is to get drunk. Therefore even if you have a little bit, a small glass, you are considered a drunk by the community." Unfortunately, our society in America and abroad is getting this way. I have already blogged on the subject of drunkenness, but this post is about can we drink at all. Then there are some sober scriptures from the Apostle Peter, "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ," (1 Peter 1:13), "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray," (1 Peter 4:7), and, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8-9). The Apostle Peter repeats this notion we should be sober minded so as to pray in last days, and focus on spiritual things, rather than becoming intoxicated.
What of Communion or Eucharist? Can actual wine be used? On this subject I think it depends on the congregation and the person receiving the Elements. If the Cup for Communion is only a drop or lest than one tenth of a glass, then the alcohol will be too small to have an effect and thus can be consumed. In the realm of the Eucharist or Communion, the Wine is not for drunkenness or to dull the faculties, it is meant to commemorate a command of Christ and to remember His Death & Sacrifice (Luke 22:19). I personally do not have an issue with actual wine being used in Communion, but we must be sensitive to alcoholics and provide an alternative of plain grape juice or only use the grape juice that is not fermented when they attend. For in the Scriptures it says, "let the weaker among you have the greatest honor." We as the Body of Christ must be sensitive to those who struggle with addictions to alcohol.
There is a demonic element to alcohol that most modernists ignore. Aside from physical and psychological effects of alcohol, there are supernatural effects. Bacchius is famous god of beer, who learned from Dionysus, a god of wine and whom centaurs serve to make people lustful and drunk. You can feel in an atmosphere of drunks that people change, as if possessed by a demon. Demons are real, Jesus delivered people from them often (Mark 5:1-20, Luke 9:42, Matthew 10:1-9, Luke 10;19, James 2:19). I believe we should be sober of mind and not under Silenus' sorcery, than so be it. But if you find Bacchus' brew bewitches you or Dionysus's draught dulls your wits, then bereft yourself of alcohol! In all things submit to God with supplication and prayer. In these days seek to be sober of mind and "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18).
I personally believe we Christians should abstain from all alcohol (beer, wine, liquor, rum, vodka, everything fermented), except in case of Communion which we commanded to keep doing (1 Corinthians 11:26). I think we need to be sober minded, so as Peter said, to pray (1 Peter 4:7). I think no one can afford to risk getting intoxicated and drunk in these times, or else they may find the prowling lion, the devil able to devour them! (1 Peter 5:8-9). I think it is better to error on sobriety, being too zealous against alcohol, than to be reckless and become a drunkard, which is promised damnation (Matthew 24:49, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 6:10, ).
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