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When Christians talk about not drinking alcohol, it’s easy to assume it’s because they think it’s forbidden in the Bible, or because they have a bad history with it. However, nowhere in the Bible is drinking alcohol forbidden. In addition, I have no devastating history with alcohol that makes it a personal decision. Instead, I have 3 very different reasons not to drink and want to point out a big reason why you still can.
#1 Not drinking lets me love others
But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? (1 Corinthians 8:8-10)
In this passage, there were some in the church whose history with worshipping false gods made them struggle with the idea of eating food offered to them. Paul reminds us that idols are just pretty looking pieces of metal and stone, and therefore the food put in front of them is just… food. It was okay to eat it, because there was nothing spiritually-corrupting about it. Yet Paul is equally clear that if someone can’t eat this food without grieving the Holy Spirit, then they shouldn’t eat it.
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)
In any other country, alcohol may not be a big deal. Yet in our culture, alcohol is a major source of addiction. And like all addiction it’s also a major source of pain and suffering. Many who follow Christ have stories about how God had to set them free from alcohol, and they’re so thankful for a life where they are free to serve Christ, not their personal desires.
Many of us may not understand the strangling grip of alcohol, just as we don’t understand what it’s like to be freed from worshipping the Roman gods. Yet the reality is that it is a problem, and even though Christ has set many people free, the temptation to give in to the desires of their sin nature may never go away.
As I’ll discuss later, we are absolutely free to drink alcohol. It’s not forbidden, nor does it violate the character and nature of God and our relationship with Him. (And no, Christ’s first miracle didn’t involve creating grape juice at a wedding.)
Yet in spite of our freedom to drink alcohol and eat food offered to idols, we must ask one very important question: Will doing something I enjoy create a stumbling block for someone else? In other words, will my drinking cause another believer to struggle with the desire to return to alcohol? After all, it’s easy to see someone being in control of something we struggle with and think “This person loves Christ enough to resist drinking too much. I love Christ… I’m sure I love Him enough to resist as well.”
And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. (1 Corinthians 8:12-13)
If Christ calls us to love others more than ourselves, then my desire to enjoy something absolutely cannot come before my desire to love others. Many Christians are honest about their struggles with alcohol, but so many more are so ashamed that they keep it hidden. So it’s not just about being considerate to certain people who are honest about their struggles, but knowing that I could accidentally create temptation for someone who keeps it hidden.
Whether or not I enjoy drinking, even if I can personally control it, I want to take Paul’s approach and say “If alcohol causes my brother to stumble, I will never drink alcohol again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.”
#2 We’re actually told not to get drunk (and alcohol isn’t worth flirting too close to that line)
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:15-18)
There’s a lot going on in just a few words, so let’s break down what Paul is saying:
- We need to be mindful of what we’re doing
- Our time is limited, and we must use it with wisdom
- There’s a difference between being foolish and understanding the will of God
- We must be controlled by the Spirit, and that is the opposite of getting drunk
In other words, to get drunk is to abandon the guidance of the Holy Spirit, give in to foolishness, and waste the time God has given us to serve and glorify Him. Alcohol isn’t outright forbidden, but the results of having “just a bit too much” is absolutely devastating to our spiritual lives. In fact, God comes down hard on those who would give up control of themselves.
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Look at the company kept by drunkenness. No Christian would chuckle and say “Yeah, sometimes I just have a bit too much idolatry” or “I’m usually pretty careful, but sometimes I have some fun and accidentally cheat on my wife.” These are things we set out to do, and they always come after a series of compromises that lead us to the end result. And just as God often warns us against putting ourselves into temptation when it comes to things like lust or anger, staying away from alcohol makes sure I never need to worry about going just a bit too far.
But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
Here, we see the opposite of being a stumbling block to others. We are told to avoid association with those who are unrepentant in their sin. They aren’t just bad influences but pose a genuine risk to the church. Although alcohol is fun (and can make us seem fun), I would never want to let my enjoyment of something put me anywhere close to being a hindrance to Christ and His people.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. (Proverbs 20:1)
Overall, God has a lot to say about drunkenness, and none of it is good. Perhaps I can drink alcohol and never get drunk. But is the risk of crossing a line that God hates worth the journey to get there? Am I wise in putting myself in a dangerous position, or am I foolish to think the pleasure of alcohol is something that can be controlled by someone as sinful as I am? The answer, for me, is to stay far away from finding the line between sin and holiness.
#3 I want people to see Christ through me, not in spite of me
Despite my sin nature, my deepest desire is to love and serve Christ. I want Him to receive as much glory through my life as He can. Sometimes He receives glory through my obedience and faithfulness, yet far often He also must receive glory in spite of my sinfulness. When it comes to alcohol, I don’t want to let my desires rob Him of the throne He deserves.
In the end, I know myself too well to think I can drink alcohol with a 0% chance of it becoming a problem. Odds are very good that my family wouldn’t actually be devastated, this blogging ministry wouldn’t crumble, and God wouldn’t have to painfully discipline me.
Yet there’s a chance, however small, that drinking alcohol could easily lead to those things (as it has with so many others throughout history). And the thought of my foolishness robbing Christ of His glory is far more horrifying to me than the thought of never drinking alcohol again.
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
One way alcohol can stand in the way of the gospel actually has nothing to do with drunkenness. I live in Iowa, and growing up in more conservative circles has let me be around plenty of people who struggle with legalism – the idea of needing to follow a certain list of rules in order to prove our righteousness to God (and others).
In these circles, alcohol is often seen as something Christians can never touch. Although I disagree, my goal with such individuals isn’t to convert them to relaxing and having a good time. I want them to see Christ more fully – to enjoy freedom from trying to prove our righteousness and resting in a savior who has given them His perfect righteousness. (Although I don’t have any in my life right now, groups like Muslims and Jehovah’s Witnesses would also have a big problem with someone claiming to represent the truth of the Bible while drinking alcohol)
Because of that, the last thing I’d want is for someone to think “Yeah, that all sounds right, but he also drinks, so I doubt he’s saved.” Is it silly? Maybe a bit. But if giving up alcohol lets me reach those who are weak and still relying on a series of rules to save them, then so be it.
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:2-8)
That seems like a lot of verses to read just to understand “a pastor/elder can’t be an alcoholic.” Especially because most of us will never need to worry about these requirements, right?
Although it’s tempting to hold pastors to a higher standard, thinking their lives are only for “super Christians,” the reality is that almost everything in those verses points to one thing: a mature Christian life. The only unique thing that sets a pastor apart from any other mature Christian is that God gifts them with the ability to teach. Other than that, no Christian is exempt from being a faithful spouse, hospitable, not greedy, or someone with a good reputation. All of that is the entire point of the Holy Spirit making us more like Christ.
One reason all of these specific things are requirements is because a pastor who doesn’t have them will stand in the way of the gospel. The focus of everyone, believers and unbelievers, will be on them and not on the Savior. Their desire for money, power, sex outside of marriage, and alcohol are considered disqualifications because Christ wants to protect His church from those who would focus more on their desires than His.
So as I reflect on the things that make a mature Christian, I must also ask if I’m willing to sacrifice certain things so that I can bring more attention to Christ. Although I’m not a pastor, I’m still called to a life of devotion to the One who matters most of all. If I’m standing in the way of that, I’m standing outside the will of God.
Ravi Zaccharias has a famous quote that is very insightful:
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”
If the cost of drinking alcohol is that I steal glory from Christ, then nothing about it is worth that risk. There may be other areas of my life that I will foolishly compromise, but the devastation created by alcohol is just one I can’t allow. I don’t trust my self-control, nor do I want something as unimportant as getting buzzed to hinder my ability to tell others about Christ.
Why you can still drink
When I have this conversation with people, it’s not uncommon to be called a legalist. I won’t dig into that here, but it’s important to remember that legalism is appealing because it lets us hammer good fruit to dead trees. It’s not about loving holiness, but about loving our ability to do good works to prove ourselves.
That’s not the impression I want to give, and I pray it’s not my motivation. I want all of my convictions about alcohol to be firmly rooted in loving and serving Christ, bringing Him glory even if it means denying myself of something enjoyable.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s a standard everyone must follow. All throughout the New Testament, one thing is clear: Christ’s death and resurrection freed us from the Law. We are no longer bound by a series of rules that say “Do this, don’t do this… or else.” That sort of thinking is exactly what the Pharisees lived their lives by, and it’s exactly what we’re called to reject.
Thus, Christians are free to eat meat offered to idols and drink alcohol with their friends without compromising their holiness or the ongoing work of Christ in their life. If a Christian isn’t convicted that it’s a sin for them, they can enjoy drinking as long as it doesn’t lead to whatever limit God has for drunkenness.
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. (Galatians 5:13-15)
Yet just as it’s important to enjoy our freedoms, our personal enjoyment is secondary to what best serves others. Are we being loving by drinking, or are we accidentally inviting a weaker follower of Christ to give in to a sin they struggle with? This is where we must each truly examine ourselves, talk with others, and make sure that our decisions are based on honoring Christ, not our flesh.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. (Galatians 5:16-17)
Ultimately, how we view alcohol must be the result of surrendering to Christ. For some, that means accepting that Christians can drink without sin, even if they’re personally convicted not to. For others, that may mean that we give up something enjoyable in order to pursue something far more valuable.
We are not forbidden from enjoying something good, and thus we can’t condemn others for it. Yet as we continually pursue Christ, we must also remember that just because something can be enjoyed, doesn’t mean it’s wise to do so. This world is filled with broken people, and as children of God we are called to make them more important than ourselves.
Thus, our priorities are clear. Make Christ first in our lives, others second, and let ourselves be as far in the back of our minds as possible. From there, what we choose to do will be much more likely to honor Christ, even at the expense of our desires.
