Alcohol – Can Christians drink Alcohol?

Here are Scriptural reasons with “verses” when alcohol drinking is allowed

(i) For treating sicknesses

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

(ii) Under Personal Vows (a choice)

Example: A “Nazirite” vow:

“The Lord said to Moses,

“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazirite,

they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins.

As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.” (Numbers 6:1 – 4, NIV)

(iii) Deacons (lower than Bishops) – may drink a little

“not” too “much”:

“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;” (1 Timothy 3:8, KJV)

(iv) Bishops (higher than deacons) – No Wine-drinking at all

“Not” given to Wine (a different phrase slightly from 1 Timothy 3:8 above proving these are distinct meanings, only seen in “more literal/accurate” translations):

“Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;” (1 Timothy 3:3, KJV)

(v) Kings & Princes – “no” Alcohol Drinking

Yes, though rarely known: the actual Biblical Principle for “Biblical Kings” is to “not” drink any “strong” (or alcoholic) drink as written in verse below too (though it may not be followed strictly by Biblical kings in the Bible itself, or perhaps some did keep to it!):

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” (Proverbs 31:4, KJV)

(vi) Alcohol abstinence – for spiritual purposes

Example ‘John the Baptist’

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!'” (Matthew 11:18, NASB)

(vii) Alcohol Consumption – only a little during functions or special occasions

““The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:19, NASB)

Another example: Christ turned water into wine at a “wedding function at Cana” (John 2:1 – 11) but “no” verse says that He drank that wine though it is probable that He did.

(viii) Only Drinking Wine – during the Holy Communion Time

“And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;

for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:27 – 29, NASB)

(ix) Drinking alcohol till drunkenness is disallowed

“nor” drunkards:

“nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:10, NASB)

(x) Continuous drinking of alcohol is for those spiritually, physically and mentally “unhealthy”:

“Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.” (Proverbs 31:6, KJV)

It causes an “attitude” of “mocking & fighting” too and held by those who are “not” wise:

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1, KJV)

Conclusion

There is no one line answer and drinking or not drinking of alcohol depends on the situation in concern as the cases are separately considered in verses above.

Indeed, the ‘kingdom of God’ is “not” drinking (“Alcohol”) either as “it is written”:

“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17, NASB)

P/S:

Example of Slight Difference in rule regarding wine drinking or not for Deacons (1 Timothy 3:8, lower) vs Bishops (1 Timothy 3:3, higher)

The phrase “given to Wine” speaks of being ‘under the control of wine’ in the sense of ‘drinking it’ and not in the sense of ‘drunkeness’ as some translations err.

Here’s a simple explanation:

Yep, given over means that exactly.

It’s not drunkenness. Here’s a simple refutation of that common Fallacy:

If

Given to wine = drunkenness with wine

Given to much wine = “much” drunkenness with wine

So,

Not Given to wine = No drunkenness (or control of) with wine (for Bishops)

Not Given to much wine = Not too “much” drunkenness (or control of) with wine (for Deacons)

So, a ‘little’ drunkenness (or control of wine) is okay for deacons? Absurd. That translation error doesn’t hold. What I wrote is the “literal” meaning (e.g. KJV & YLT) translate it well.

Cheers

*the word “much” exists in the verse for deacons but not in the verse for Bishops.

In fact, for Bishops:

Not Given to wine = No control of wine = No drinking of wine

For deacons:

Not Given to “much” wine = Not “too much” control of wine = a little drinking of wine is allowed