Is drinking a sin?

 

ALCOHOL AND THE CHRISTIAN'S INFLUENCE

(Part 2)

(Note: This is Part 2 of an article I wrote for the July 2026 issue of The Spiritual Sword at the request of the editor).

Alcohol and Worldliness

Worldliness is a serious threat to the Christian and his influence. Paul wrote: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (textual note: rational) service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). I hardly see how a person under the influence of alcohol even to the slightest degree could render reasonable, rational service to God and demonstrate by his life “that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

James warned, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). John wrote: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16). Pure religion requires a Christian to “keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). The consumption of alcoholic beverages clearly aligns itself on the side of the world and its lusts rather than on the side of the Father and doing His will.

In his parable of the sower, Jesus spoke of the one who “received seed among thorns,” and explained that such was the person “who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). How often is “social drinking” associated with “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches”? The child of God who persists in such conduct will eventually find himself so encrusted in worldly matters that he will have less and less interest in spiritual matters—the things of the Lord, His word, and the church.

Peter wrote to Christians: “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and

abominable idolatries” (1 Peter 4:3). Note that drunkenness and drinking parties are two different things and that both are disapproved. The Christian who participates in drinking parties (social drinking) puts himself in bad company and compromises his otherwise godly influence to such an extent that it will be virtually impossible to lead others to Christ or to strengthen weak Christians in the faith and holy living.

Did Not Jesus Drink Wine?

In defense of Christians consuming alcoholic beverages it is sometimes argued that Jesus drank alcoholic wine. Where is the verse that so states? But did not Jesus turn water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee? (John 2:1-11). (See Allen Webster's article, “Did Jesus Turn Water into Alcoholic Wine?” in the July issue of The Spiritual Sword). Did not Paul advise Timothy to “drink a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities”? (1 Timothy 5:23). (See Phil Sanders' article, “Paul Told Timothy to 'Use a Little Wine'; Is This Permission to Social Drink or Self-medicate?” in the July issue of The Spiritual Sword). Careful attention needs to be given to what the Bible actually says about these matters, not to what what some have assumed.

The enemies of Jesus accused Him of being “a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 11:19). It is true that Jesus was “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” because He knew that “those that are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick,” and He “did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:11-12). But Jesus was no more a winebibber than he was a glutton! This was a false charge of those seeking to undermine his deity and destroy his influence.

Old Testament Warnings

The Old Testament wisely warns: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). It exhorts, “Do not mix with winebibbers” (23:20). It further warns, “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” (vv. 31-32). Christ lived and died under the Old Testament law of Moses. It is hard to imagine that He did not know about those warnings or that He ignored and violated those Old Testament admonitions concerning the dangers of alcoholic beverages.

Jesus “committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). We are to “follow His steps” (v. 21). Jesus did not lead sinners to repentance by engaging with them in their sins! We, too, are to learn from the Old Testament (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). The danger of drinking intoxicating beverages is just as real today as it has always been. Christians are exhorted to “not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). As the late Gus Nichols noted, “We are to be filled with the Spirit, not with spirits” (intoxicating beverages).

Concluding Observations

A gospel preacher (at least in name) frequented bars and drank intoxicating drinks. He had been divorced twice and lived alone with his cat. He frequently posted pictures on Facebook of his evening meal at home, including pictures of what he referred to as “a tasty beverage” accompanying his meal. I wonder how many sinners, including social drinkers and drunkards, he converted by his actions! The last I knew, he was no longer in the employ of a congregation of the saints as a preacher.

The imbibing of alcohol has a sad history. The highway carnage, wrecked homes, shattered lives, traumatized children, ruined health (both mental and physical), murders, and the eternally lost souls who will be weeping and gnashing their teeth in an everlasting hell should be more than enough to keep the thinking person from ever taking that first drink leading down this well-proven path of destruction. And for those who have started down such a path it should be more than enough to cause them to stop before it is eternally too late because, indeed, “at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Proverbs 23:31).

Someone has said that we learn in two ways: by counsel and by consequences. How will we choose to learn when it comes to the imbibing of alcohol? By the wise counsel of God's word and mature Christians, or by the disastrous consequences that so often accompany the consumption of alcoholic beverages? (Note: This paragraph added to the original article as it appeared in The Spiritual Sword).

I earnestly appeal to all preachers, elders, deacons, Bible school teachers, and all members of the precious body of Christ, please do not compromise and diminish your influence by the drinking of alcoholic beverages to any extent. Doing so is a great hindrance to converting people to Christ and to keeping oneself unspotted from the world, to say nothing of the eternal peril it brings to one's own soul.

Hugh Fulford