This is a site dedicated to Christians, yet after searching various profiles I see that a LOT of people on this site socially drink, if not more. Even forty years ago Christians of all faiths were against drinking -at all-. What has changed? Has drinking become less sinful? I'm inclined to say no, because God's Word hasn't changed. Many of you will probably respond with a few very typical responses. Allow me sometime to discuss these.
1. Jesus drank. (They are talking about the marriage at Cana of Galilee.) For starters no where in that passage did Jesus actually drink anything. Secondly, He made something called New Wine, which is grape juice, un-fermented , and not alcoholic. Argue if you will, but the point of the matter was that Jesus didn't drink it there. Secondly, the last supper, Jesus supped from the cup. This was again, grape juice, non-fermented wine. How do I know this? Well Jesus is and was God's Word incarnate, and he couldn't do anything sinful. In proverbs it speaks about wine as a mocker and strong drink as raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Did Jesus, err in this point? That would make him a sinner.
2. Bible says not to get drunk, not that you can't drink socially. While the Bible does say not to get drunk, it also says you shouldn't even look on it when it's fermented. Do you socially drink with a blindfold on? The Bible is not saying you can drink as long as you don't look at it, it is however giving a warning against even being in the same place where they have it. Some of you may visit bars with friends, and while they drink, you don't because you're the driver. God knows that temptation is right around the corner, He's trying to protect you.
3. Lastly, some will bring up the point where Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for they stomach's sake. Now, while I am not perfectly clear on this issue, using this as means to justify drinking socially is moot. Your stomach is probably not upset, and we have better medicine these days then back then.
In conclusion, why drink at all? It's not necessary, it's probably a lot cheaper, it impairs your judgment, and of course above all else God is not pleased with drinking. So Christians who believe the Bible, it's time to get back to what the Bible says, and not how socially acceptable it may be to drink.
One of the issues with the Social Drinking selection on this site is the selections choices. Social drinking is carousing, that's what it is. It is a sin (carousing). 1 Peter 4:3. Now I believe that having a drink is not sin. I occasionally have a glass of wine. But there is no option for rarely or occasionally on this site. The template here was for a worldly dating site I guess. They should expand the options there, because I don't want to say no and lie, but also, I don't drink socially.
on drinking itself:
Drunkenness is also a sin for sure. And being a drunkard will exclude a Christian from heaven. see 1 Cor 5:9 to 1 Cor 6:11. There are examples in the NT though where drinking was I guess "allowed" for lack of a better word. You guys already covered those. In historical context everyone drank wine, even the kids. Drinking water in antiquity simply wasn't safe. Almost all daily use wine though had a lower alcohol content that what we have today, plus in "moral" homes (moral by worldly Greek standards, not Christian) that wine was mixed with water. Drunkenness was defined as staggering, or sick from alcohol by the standards of that day. Now the question is, do we need it today (they kind of did in antiquity, even in this country 200 years ago, everyone drank because it was safe liquid), and does it help us grow the Kingdom of Heaven.
Well, I do know of people who do not want to go to Church because they like to drink sometimes, and people have told them, drinking is a sin and you need to give it up. I would have preferred to just tell them the Good News myself, and let God deal with their conscious on that, provided they are not obvious drunks (a sin unacceptable to God as would need to be immediately dealt with). Elders cannot be addicted to much wine. I know they were not talking grape juice, I mean it's good, but I hardly think it's so good you get addicted to it :)
Also you have the case of food sacrificed to idols. If your brother thinks drinking any wine at all is a sin, and he sees you do it. Well, it doesn't help him, you, the Kingdom or Christ. So go without for his sake. If a brother or sister was a drunk. Don't have it around them. Don't be a stumbling block to the faithful, only to the worldly :)
In conclusion, there is a benefit to the Kingdom for abstaining most, or all of the time. but there is also a benefit to not being legalistic (that is making up rules not in the NT instead of focusing on the ones that are) or dogmatic about it. Lets not be divided over matters of opinion (didn't someone smart say that?).
Just a quick word. Remember that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the Bible calls us to honor God with our body. Also, we should be good witnesses to others by abstaining from sin and temptation to sin. So, in essence, Id say having a few with your family or in your own house is acceptable; but honestly, I have no desire to drink anymore, not even a beer or two.
