“Minus any argumentation to the contrary or any quibbling by way of countering plain truth, the consuming of alcoholic beverages is one of the greatest, gravest evils of our era. It is a rampaging evil of iniquitous proportions. Its victims are now numbered among multiplied millions. More and more it is extended socializing grace and entertaining approval. To offer a person an alcoholic beverage upon entering one’s house or at a planned party is now considered by the masses to be ‘thoughtful hospitality’, More and more alcoholic consumption is being accepted as a way of life.” From: Social Drinking: Unjustified, Unsocial, Unwise, Unscriptural by Garland Elkins and Robert R. Taylor Jr. (Tract)

The words quoted above from these Gospel preachers are as true today as when they were penned in 1986. Many today accept social drinking of alcoholic beverages as a normal part of everyday life. Religious people, and even some in the Lord’s church, have accepted this idea and even joined in the practice. In this article, let us examine a few passages from the Bible regarding social drinking.

Many people see the word “wine” in the Bible and automatically associate the word with its modern usage denoting an alcoholic beverage. While wine is used specifically today, originally it was a generic term used to refer to either fermented or unfermented juice of the grape. The word “wine” is used in the Bible generically as well and the context must determine whether fermented or unfermented is being referred to. For example, Jeremiah 48:33, “And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.” Wine does not come from winepresses, so the “wine” referred to here is clearly unfermented (nonalcoholic).

Some would say “Drunkenness is what is condemned, not the moderate use of alcoholic beverages.” Notice a couple passages of Scripture:

1. Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Most would agree this passage speaks of intoxicating beverages. Note: mocker…raging (a brawler – ASV) …unwise. Question: Where is reference made in this passage to excessive drinking? God’s indictment here is not on excessive drinking, but on the beverages itself. Regardless of the quantity used alcoholic wine is a “mocker”.
2. 1 Peter 4:3-4, “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.” This “excess of riot” (flood of reprehensible behavior) of their past life included 1) “excess of wine” – drunkenness, 2) “revellings” – a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honour of Bacchus (Roman god of wine) or some other deity, and 3) “banquetings” – this is defined as “a drinking bout” or a drinking party, the same as what today is called “happy hour”. So, this verse refers to the sinful practices of drunkenness, being half drunk, as well as social drinking.

Clearly, social drinking is unjustified, unsocial, unwise, and unscriptural. Alcohol destroys internally, externally and eternally.

-Jerry D. Sturgill

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). We would do well to learn a lesson from the deception of Eve. While Satan is not appearing to us in the form of a serpent, he is still seeking to delude the minds of men from following the simple truth of God’s word (2 Cor. 4:4).

Eve was created from Adam’s rib as a companion for him (Gen. 2:20-24). She was in a beautiful paradise and with her husband who was given the work of tending to the garden (Gen. 2:15).  How perfect their situation must have been.  She and Adam were only given one simple restriction: do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17).

Satan came in the form of a serpent and said to Eve, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1).  The word “yea” in this question means truly or really.  Satan tempts people to ask whether clear spiritual truths are really so.  Is there really a God?  Will there really be a judgment?  Do heaven and hell really exist?  Many people skeptically ask these questions today.  Their denial of these facts displays their willingness to follow the father of lies (John 8:44).  Eve answered the serpent with the simple, plain rule God had mandated and then added, “neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Gen. 3:3).  Perhaps she was highlighting how restrictive God was being in this whole ordeal; if so, Satan’s question was already working by impugning God’s goodness and motives.  The serpent immediately told Eve a lie, saying, “Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:4-5).  Eve would die the day she ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree.  She and Adam were separated from God that day they ate, sinning and dying spiritually (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 5:12).  As a consequence they would no longer be among the tree of life, which would lead to their eventual physical death (Gen. 3:22).

Eve knew the clear rule of God.  The devil told her a lie.  So why did she eat?  She was not listening to reason when she ate.  She “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise” (Gen. 3:6).  Since God made such a perfect paradise for her, it would stand to reason that He loved her and wanted what was best for her; He did not want her to die.  But she abandoned reason and let her feelings take over.  Many today claim that Bible believers do not listen to the voice of reason, insinuating that they, instead, do listen to the voice of reason.  However, just as it was in the beginning of the world, so it is today – those who deny God and his plain laws are giving into their feelings and selfish desires rather than listening to reason (Rom. 1:22-28).  The fool has said in his heart there is no God (Psa. 14:1; 53:1).  Nature all around us testifies to God’s existence, power and goodness (Psa. 19:1-4; Mt. 5:45; Acts 14:17; Rom. 1:20).  It is Christians who listen to the voice of reason and embrace true and sober thinking when they follow God (Acts 26:25).

So the next time you are tempted to question plain truths clearly set forth in God’s word and creation all around, remember Eve.  Be honest and consider whether there is a selfish, sinful desire that is driving you to abandon clear thinking.

-Mark Day