What is the Biblical view of the consumption of adult beverages?
Columbia Baptist Examiner Jennifer Weber, in a recent column, writes critically of Kathy Price of Beloit, Wisconsin, who according to a news report holds church services at the Willowdale Saloon in Janesville "in an effort to minister to those turned off by traditional religion." Ms. Weber apparently is highly offended by the fact that Price serves adult beverages at these worship services. She entitles her article "Beer and baloney." However, from a Biblical standpoint, it appears that the only "baloney" is in some of Ms. Weber's contentions.
Ms. Weber apparently believes that there is no middle ground between abstinence and drunkenness. She writes, "There's also coffee and doughnuts if an attendee prefers to eschew inebriation...." There is no reference in the article to any of the worshipers becoming inebriated, so this false dichotomy puts Ms. Weber in the precarious position of having violated the Ninth Commandment (the one that says we are not to bear false witness) by implying that all who do not abstain from drinking become drunk. This is the same kind of logic one would employ in contending that anyone who eats is committing gluttony.
And where does that leave us in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ? No serious student of Scripture can deny that Jesus was not only a drinker of wine, but on at least one occasion a "producer" of it (cf. John 2:1-11). Notice the words of Jesus in Luke 7:34:
"The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'"*
Note especially the last part of that statement. Jesus associates His eating and drinking with His being a friend to tax collectors and sinners. To contend that drinking is akin to inebriation is to accuse Jesus not only of being the drunkard the Pharisees accused Him of being, but of encouraging others to do so as well by turning the water into wine at the wedding in Cana.
To support her position, Ms. Weber quotes 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Wherefore, come out from among them and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing,and I will receive you." (KJV) The problem with quoting this passage is, it is taken out of its proper context. The Apostle Paul is quoting loosely from several Old Testament texts, and uses the Greek word akathartos, translated "unclean thing," which was the Greek translation of the Hebrew word used to signify that which is ceremonially unacceptable under Levitical law. No Levitical law forbids the consumption of alcoholic drinks. It would be well to remember a basic axiom of Biblical interpretation: A TEXT WITHOUT A CONTEXT IS A PRETEXT.
Ms. Weber refers to Provervbs 20:1, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise" (KJV) as a "pesky passage." Perhaps it is "pesky," since it does not say "whosoever consumes it" but "whosoever is deceived" by it. The reference is obviously to excessive consumption.
To be clear, the Biblical position on the consumption of alcoholic beverages is one of moderation. It is impossible to make a case for abstinence without going beyond the bounds of Scripture. Let us examine some Biblical texts.
In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesian church, "Do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit." Paul is writing to believers in Ephesus, which was known for its production and consumption of wine. Yet, he does not exhort the Ephesians to abstain from wine, only to not be drunk from it. Instead, he says, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
In 1 Timothy 3:3, Paul tells Timothy that an overseer should not be "addicted to wine." Again, he doesn't espouse teetotalling, he forbids addiction. A few verses later, he says that deacons should also not be "addicted to much wine" (v. 8). Again, note the "much" (Greek polus), not any. A couple of chapters later, he encourages Timothy to actually use "a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments." He speaks in a similar vein to Titus in Titus 1:7 and 2:3. Again, the prohibition is against addiction and "much" wine, not any at all.
In the Scripture, wine is a type of the Holy Spirit and of the New Covenant (cf. Matthew 9:17). It is doubtful that something that it is sinful to consume would be used as a type.**
The absolutely judgmental and condemning attitude that Ms. Weber shows for that which is not only not condemned in Scripture, but expressly permitted, is, ironically, a reflection of the attitude that led Kathy Price to begin holding worship services in a bar. Ms. Weber writes, "...when [holiness] is truly accomplished in the heart of a man or a woman, he or she will no longer be comfortable in a bar...." Despite this pharisaical pronouncement, there are many true Christians who not only are comfortable in a bar, but have had a successful ministry in winning bar patrons to the Lord. This writer is one of those who has done so.
Ms. Weber concludes with an even more audacious statement: "A 'relationship with God' [her quotes] that does not lead a person as far from the consumption of alcohol--and from hanging out in places where drinking is only the beginning of the myriad of sinful follies men pursue--is spurious at best. It is no relationship with the God of the Bible." According to what Scripture? More to the point, isn't this exactly where we find Jesus "hanging out" in the Gospel accounts? Not with the religious types, but with the drinkers, the partyers, the outcasts, the dregs, the sinners.
Finally, Ms. Weber raises the issue of hypocrisy. Interestingly, the news report cites the fact that the worshipers at the bar are smoking cigarettes as well as drinking. Yet, Ms. Weber has nary a word of condemnation for those who smoke. It would seem that, if she wants to put on her Pharisee hat and attack a questionable practice, she would do better to attack those who smoke. Perhaps it is hitting too close to home to suggest such an idea, however. Is it likely that the same persons who condemn drinking adult beverages turn a blind eye when they see their friends, family, and church leaders exit the worship service and light up a "burnt offering" on the church grounds or in the parking lot? From a practical standpoint, drinking in moderation has been found to have some healthful advantages. Smoking has not been proved to be beneficial in any way. From a Biblical standpoint, neither practice is condemned.
The Christian who consumes adult beverages is no less spiritual than one who does not; the one who abstains is no less godly than the one who drinks. To contend otherwise is, in the words of our esteemed Columbia Baptist Examiner, "baloney!"
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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* Some have contended that the charges levied against Jesus in Luke 7 are spurious, and that no case can be made for Jesus actually consuming alcohol. But the context of Luke 7 does not support such a claim. Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees because they rejected John the Baptist, accusing him of neither "eating" nor "drinking," while at the same time rejecting Him because He did both. Jesus's rebuke only carries weight if the charges are at least true in substance.
** A "type" is a historical fact, person, or event that prefigures and illustrates a Biblical truth or principle. For example, in the Old Testament, Melchizedek is a type of Christ.
Comments
Shame on you for singling out a fellow Examiner & dedicating an entire article to critiquing something she wrote.
Amongst other things, you refer to her ideas as "baloney" & her attitude as "judgmental and condemning."
Hello, Pot? This is Kettle. You're black.
You could have summarized your entire argument in 13 words: "I believe the Bible permits drinking in moderation, and Ms. Weber does not."
Instead, you used 1,154 words to attack her. You go so far as to suggest her friends, family & church leaders SMOKE and that she is being a hypocrite for not denouncing smoking the same way she denounced drinking in her article.
This statement could not have been more ridiculous even if you wore a woman's dress and yodeled while writing it.
People go to bars to drink, first & foremost. That's why Ms. Weber focused on drinking, not smoking, in her article.
But you already knew that.
Since you're all for moderation, I suggest you try sticking your foot in your mouth in mo
I didn't realize fellow Examiners were off limits. I have perused the Examiner guidelines, and fail to find that particular rule. I am not "critiquing something she wrote," I am offering a Biblical response in rebuttal to the view she expressed. Perhaps you should go and learn the meaning of the word "critique." As for my attitude being "judgmental and condemning," it is not. I do not,for example, accuse her of not being a genuine Christian, as she does those who choose to drink in her article. I indeed could have summarized my point in 13 words, as surely as Ms. Weber could have summarized hers in as few, and you your response in even fewer. (I must have really got you riled up if you bothered to count how many words I used. Interesting mental picture, there.) You missed my point in the article. But then, having read some of your writing, I am not surprised. It doesn't matter WHY Ms. Weber focused on drinking, the entire point is her position is at odds with Scripture.
Actually the Scripture says that Christ turned the water into GOOD wine. Once Jesus made the GOOD wine (which couldn't have been fermented because it didn't have time to ferment...it went straight from the waterpots to the cups) they tasted it and said "...but thou hast kept the good wine until now." Mrs. Weber was making the incontrovertible true point that Christ would never contradict himself by denouncing strong drink and wine in one passage and then provide it for people in another. Once you take the first drink you are being deceived by it. You are listenting to what the world, the flesh and the Devil tell you and believing it instead of just obeying what God says. Abstain from all appearance of evil - I Thessalonians 5:22
Thanks, Audrey, for your comments. Your point about the "good wine" is interesting. However, I must respectfully disagree. The same word for wine in the Greek ("oinos") is used in the passage in John 2 that is used in Ephesians 5. I don't think a very strong case can be made for non-alcoholic wine. As for the time involved in the wine fermenting, I would have to say that if God can create a man and a woman who were adults (as He did Adam and Eve), then the Son of God can certainly turn water into wine that is already fermented. Also, the John 2 passage in context, especially Verse 10, would indicate wine, not Welch's. I don't read anywhere in Scripture that denounces strong drink or wine, only the excessive consumption of it. But my point in the article is simply that we should not accuse others of not being genuine Christians on the evidence of whether or not they choose in good conscience to drink an adult beverage. Thanks for taking the time to respond, Audrey.
Nope Jesse! I'm not buying it. First you say that the "wine is a mocker" passage just says "not to be deceived"...which to you means..go ahead and drink, just don't get "drunk." Now you are saying that any verse in the Old Testament has no bearing on the way Christians ought to live their lives now. I beg to differ. The book of Proverbs is chock full of guidelines for Christians. The choices we make as Christians are not in order to earn some sort of merit but because of what Christ has done for us. We can't be ashamed to take a stand as Christians and even stand out as a peculiar people. For the love of Christ constrains us. The more obedient we are as Christians, the more genuine of a Christian we are.
Audrey, I can appreciate your passion as well as your position, but we're going to have to agree to disagree in Christian love here. I continue to maintain that there is NOTHING in the Old or New Testament that condemns drinking per se. If you wish to disagree, that is your prerogative. But I suggest you be very careful before you go accusing someone of not being a genuine Christian because he chooses to drink an occasional adult beverage. It can't be proved from Scripture, and I am here to defend the Word of God, not people's prejudices, legalistic attitudes, and preferences.
And, by the way, I did not say, nor do I believe that "any verse in the Old Testament has no bearing on how Christians ought to live our lives now." I believe that all of Scripture has a bearing on how Christians ought to live their lives, and to accuse me of anything else is to bear false witness. I regret that you misunderstood me, but in reviewing my article, I fail to see how that could be concluded.
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