THE QUESTION OF ALCOHOL FOR THE CHRISTIAN:
ANSWERED!
Here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!! One hundred and fifty years ago preachers would be outside of a barroom and preach against the sin of drunkenness and the tragedies caused by alcohol. Now, “believers” throughout the world, and particularly in America, seem to desire to defend it more than take a stand against it. Whereas the drunkard and even the casual drinker in years past, UNDERSTOOD that alcohol was an instrument that caused great damage and destruction, personally and in society, modern-day “Christians,” at least many of them, will argue that drunkenness is wrong but “what’s wrong with a beer once in a while or a glass of wine with dinner.” Many times those that try to justify alcohol for moderate consumption do so simply because they desire to drink it and they have no interest in changing. Others have an honest concern in regards to the alcohol question. The two important issues here (as with really ANY issue in the Christian life) is 1. The heart of the person inquiring about the issue and 2. Recognizing that the Bible is THE Authority, not society, not friends, not religious affiliations, not family and not the preacher (Is 8:20).
DEFINITION OF IMPORTANT WORDS
It is imperative in a study of alcohol that one understands the meanings of certain words. One of those is the word “wine.” Wine does not always refer to an alcohol beverage. The Hebrew word is “yayin” and simply means fruit of the vine and can refer to something fermented or unfermented. I have been told that when I Israel if a person was to ask for “yayin” they are asked if they are desiring an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. Normally the context of the verse in the Bible reveals the type of “wine” being referred to, though there are a few less clear passages. In English, the word “wine” means the juice of certain fruits which with additives, can be fermented.
SCRIPTURES PROHIBITING ALCOHOL AND WARNING OF IT’S DANGERS
Prov 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” This verse clearly indicates that one is a fool (opposite of wise) if they consider wine and strong drink to be acceptable, that is, not understanding that wine “mocks” the individual drinking it and that strong drink, drink stronger than wine, is raging. Raging certainly is a negative word, not a positive one, which again is consistent with the detrimental view of alcohol in this verse.
Prov 23:30, 31- “They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.” This is regarding the fermentation process. Now some like to argue this, but I ask, “Then what is being referenced here?” I have yet after debating this with many individuals over the year, to hear ANY response that makes sense other than the fermentation argument.
Prov 23:29,33-35- These scriptures clearly point out the detrimental results of drunkness and partaking in the “wine” once it is fermented. Included are “woe, “ sorrow,” “contentions” (disagreements and fighting), “babbling” (unintelligible speech), “wounds without cause” (possible from physical confrontations, falling down, etc), “redness of eyes” (bloodshot eyes), beholding strange women (putting oneself in a place where strange women are commonplace, or where women of questionable character reside possibly), doing foolish things and possibly dangerous things as we see with the phrases, “…as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea (where he could drown)” and “…he that lieth upon the top of a mast.” We also see by the words, “They have stricken me…and I was not sick” and “they have beaten me, and I felt it not;..” that alcohol consumption can lead to situations where one can be abused or physically mistreated (beatings, fights, rapes etc.) and also the fact that one can have these things occur and due to the effect of the alcohol, they have no remembrance of these things. The last interesting fact is that alcohol can be addictive, which is evident from the phrase, “…when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.” How powerful this passage is to revealing how dangerous alcohol is and how wicked it can become. To have all of these things (or some of them) happen: beatings, abuse, sorrow, depression, foolish acts etc. and to STILL SEEK AFTER IT! THAT IS AN ADDICTION! Another fact is that all of these attributes of drunkenness are documented millions of times throughout history! We read of shame in the scriptures due to the use of alcohol (Genesis 9:20-24) that reveals Noah not being under control of himself, as he was at some point, uncovered. Notice it states that Noah, “…awoke from his wine,” meaning simply that during this time he was unaware of what was occurring around him and certainly unaware of his being uncovered. It was only AFTER he “awoke” from the wine, (became sober) that he discerned and understood what had happened. The biblical account we see in Genesis 19:31-35 is a tragic one that includes immorality between Lot and his daughters. Notice a few facts. First of all, the daughters knew what would work to make Lot incapable of knowing what was going on. Secondly, IT WORKED! The alcohol, just like was previously mentioned, caused the one drinking it, in this case Lot, to “perceive not” what was going on! It is also important to understand that this wicked sin is just that, wicked, and the Lord certainly does not condone such behavior! In secular history we see and read of MANY news reports of individuals doing wicked acts under the influence of alcohol, including all of what is mentioned above, as well as men beating their wives, murder, suicide etc. One would be a fool not to acknowledge the devastation results of liquor in society! In fact, as of this writing, there are five Prison Inmates that are suing some major alcohol brands, blaming the booze on the behavior that led to various criminal acts. Obviously there is a flip side, the men could have just had enough character to NOT commit the acts and they ARE responsible for these crimes, regardless of the alcohol, BUT that does not negate the FACT that alcohol DOES cause people to do things they normally would not do, from talking to a certain member of the opposite sex to shooting someone, to stealing and everything in between!
1 Cor. 6:9-11 makes reference to “drunkards” as well as others, that are labeled as not inheriting the Kingdom of God, meaning they are lost and unconverted. This would be explained as the fact that if a person has the LIFESTYLE of a drunkard etc. a lifestyle of sin, they are unsaved. (Some mistakenly believe this refers to those that are saved but that will lose rewards, but that erroneous view is proven incorrect by the wording in V. 11 that refers to these as NOT being washed (obviously by the blood of Christ), sanctified or justified.
Now based on these scriptures alone, there should be NO justification for a believer in Christ, one who is truly converted, to touch, drink or have anything to do with alcohol of any sort! Why is it that many today desire to do so, when a century and a half ago in MOST but not all circles, one would have been considered a fool and not a genuine Christian who drank any form of liquor! I understand that in various countries the water is bad and in others yet, wine with dinner in particular is a commonly accepted practice, but OVERALL, the above statement about beer, wine, strong drink etc, being inconsistent with a Christian lifestyle was held. In fact, it is the belief of the author that if not for MONEY made by alcohol and the DESIRE men have for it (therefore willing to but it), the Prohibition would have stayed in effect. Certainly anyone with common sense will affirm that society would be much better without alcohol! Some might argue, “what about those that have a glass of wine with dinner and do not have as many obvious negative results as mentioned above?” While it is true that not all drinkers of alcohol are drunkards, it is also an obvious FACT that there would be NO DRUNKARDS IF ALCOHOL WAS NOT PRESENT! There are an estimated 50,000 deaths a year attributed directly or indirectly to alcohol in the USA and Christians, those that claim to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God, want to consume it, justify it and exhaust all efforts to support it! We are living in wicked days (2 Tim 3:1-5) for sure! In fact, if one reads Habakkuk, they will see in chapter 2, verse 5 that one who gives an alcoholic beverage to another for the purpose of immorality is accountable for their behavior! The author of this study worked in the grocery business many years ago and made it a point to NEVER handle the alcohol, not even simply putting it one’s shopping cart!
THE QUESTIONABLE SCRIPTURES AND THE CRIES OF THE DRINKERS
“Jesus drank wine” shouts the boozer at the sports event to the open-air preachers, as he is holding his Budweiser. Interesting that for every ONE critic that has been able to relate to me WHERE this in the scriptures, I have had HUNDREDS that are dumbfounded purely because THEY DID NOT CARE ABOUT FINDING OUT TRUTH! One time we had a “drunk” tell us that “Jesus turned the wine into water in the days of beer” he was so intoxicated. The answer to this is not difficult. 1. Again the word “wine” means fruit of the vine and does not necessitate that it was fermented at all. 2. It does not seem consistent at all with God’s character that the Lord Jesus Christ assist in producing alcoholic beverages. To the hippie flower child type, as they have no perception of the Biblical Christ, his Deity and His Holiness, it really does not matter if the drink was fermented or not. But to the True Christian who has been scripturally converted, the concept that He would be involved in such an activity is not in line with His character. 3. Regarding the use of the word “drunk” in John 2, where this first miracle is recorded, some ignorantly think this word means they were drunk from the wine, when the word is simply a derivative of the word “drank.” And the statement made by the feast says, “…Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when the men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the wine being fermented or unfermented as some would wrongly conclude, but it has to do with the quality of the wine! He was simply stating that the wine was “good” not a “lesser” quality that did not have as good flavor.
1 Tim 5:23, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s infirmities.” Again, a scripture used by those that are attempting to justify their tailgate party or their cocktails after dinner. First, it is a fact that grape juice is very good for the stomach. Secondly, if the reference here is to an alcoholic beverage it does not regulate that liquor is acceptable for the believer in the above illustrations, it says, “for thy stomach’s infirmities!” More than once I have told one who threw out this scripture, “Are you drinking to drink or do you you have a stomach problem?” I have NEVER been honestly told that the critic had a stomach problem.
Deut 14:24-26 “And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry It; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for what soever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,” This is one of the most difficult passages but two principles here are very important to remember. 1. This an EXCEPTION to the rule that overall alcohol has a very negative connotation in the scriptures as we have already seen. 2. This was written to the OT Jews specifically regarding their inability to get to the place that the Lord had chosen them to go to. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A SCRIPTURE TO USE FOR THE NT BELIEVER TO VALIDATE HIS OR HER USE OF ALCOHOL! Yes, it is a hard passage, and frankly, I do not have an answer that satisfies me, but I am not afraid of this passage and it would be completely wrong for a NT saint to in any way use this text as proof or support for purchasing or consuming liquor.
Mark 2:22, “And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.” What is the “new wine?” Comparing scripture with scripture, we see in Isaiah 65:8 that the “…new wine is found in the cluster…” So the NEW wine is that which is UNFERMENTED! Now going back to Mark 2:22, we see that this makes perfect sense. If new wine is put into an old or used bottle (understanding that bottle would refer to a container, at time a wineskin would be the parallel term), the “bottle” or wineskin would wear out and burst easier. Why? If “old” wine, that which has been fermented, is placed into the bottle it becomes more worn and there will be a process of deterioration that after time will result in it being more likely to leak or burst, whereas “new” wine should be placed into “new” bottles as there will not be any deterioration from fermented “old” wine. Simple.
Prov 31:6,7 “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.” This passage too can be at first seen as a scripture that would support the casual drinker, the wine with dinner etc. But only by those that do not read it. Yes, the scripture does read, “strong drink” and one could safely conclude that, based upon the context, the reference to wine here would be fermented. But is this a proof-text for casual consumption of alcoholic beverages, of course not. Is that “brother” that buys a six-pack to have while watching the game, what this passage is talking about? Or the deacon who desires wine with his meal or the party-goer who is stopping by Bud’s Saloon to “have a few?” NO! Now I understand that with this scripture, is as difficult as the Deut. passage but again, this does not negate the CLEAR scriptures that speak of the detrimental results of fermented drink. And the question is, should we take a couple of unclear passages that seem to give some liberty and run with that liberty while totally ignoring the clear passages that would be against any liquor at all. The answer of course, is no. We will cover more of this in the final section of this study.
“But the Bible is only against drunkenness, NOT partaking of ANY alcohol.” From an old preacher years ago, shortly after the author was first converted to Christ, I learned the following: If it takes 10 beers to get drunk and you have 2 beers, you are a fifth drunk! That is a very logical way of looking at the drunkenness only view.
So, what is the solution to the alcohol dilemma? There are scriptures that definitely teach that one should not look at the “wine” (grape juice) when it is fermented and that one is a fool (not wise) if they drink it. We see documented accounts in the Word of God where the consumption of alcohol caused sin. There are literally MILLIONS of cases throughout history where alcohol has destroyed lives, homes and souls. Yet there are passages in the Word of God that are exceptions and a few that are not as clear. The solution, the final answer regarding the issue of whether a Christian, a born again Bible-believing NT saint has the liberty to partake of alcohol is in……..
ROMANS 14
Romans 14 is a great passage and an extremely important one. And it SHOULD sum up the alcohol question (along with many others) IF the heart of the believer is right. “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubeth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” There is much covered here, so let us begin. First, we DO have a responsibility to the saved (and certainly to the lost as well) regarding our walk before them. This is the entire gist of this passage and we see in 1 Tim. 3, where the requirements for Elders is listed, that “he must have a good report of them that are without;…” referring to those not in the assembly and would almost definitely be concerning the lost in his neighborhood, community, business dealings etc. What we do and how we represent Christ DOES matter and anyone who states otherwise is ignoring this passage of the Bible. Secondly, There are specific things mentioned here such as the “eating of meat” (which refers to the change dispensationally as the Jews were not allowed to eat certain meats in accordance with the Law) and the drinking of “wine.” Why would wine be such an issue? I truly believe that even then it may have been an area of confusion regarding the juice and the alcohol as well as the consideration of the believers liberty back during the time of the writing of the book of Romans. And as the Lord is, of course, omniscient, the Lord may have forseen the debate with this issue in particular in our present day. As well, the phrase, “nor anything “ is used for any unnamed controversial areas and actions that may pertain to liberty. So we are to keep in mind how our actions effect the brethren in their personal walk as well as the unsaved and how they perceive our actions. So IF the lost, generally speaking, expect a believer (to them one who follows Christ and is desiring to be holy) to NOT touch alcohol, then that alone should settle the issue. And brethren, the lost DO hold the Christian to a standard, and this includes that a True Christian does not touch alcohol! The author personally experimented with this thought many years ago while working in the grocery business by going to a number of individuals and asking them if they would respect me or listen to me concerning the gospel and spiritual things, If I was to purchase a bottle of wine or one can of beer. The answer from all but one person was that they would pay me no heed! They would consider me a hypocrite and not serious and genuine if I partook of alcohol AT ALL! And keep in mind, I was not giving them an illustration of being drunk or attending some booze party in the neighborhood, but of ONE can of beer or ONE bottle of wine! THE WORLD HAS A STANDARD FOR BELIEVERS AND WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THEY HOLD AS A STANDARD OUT OF CONCERN FOR THEIR SOULS! There should be no argument from one who claims to be saved and walking with the Lord on this issue of alcohol! Secondly, the passage states that one taking liberty at the expense of the testimony before others is destroying the work of God! How important is this to you. I had a personal friend many years ago that after being saved a few years was witnessing to a young man on a regular basis. He invited the young man to his home for a lunch break (the young man was employed by the saved man) and the potential convert opened the brother’s refrigerator only to find alcohol on the shelf. I do not recall if it was beer or wine and I believe there was only one bottle, perhaps two. The young man was completely offended and he called the believer a hypocrite and ran out the door. His expectation was that a True Christian was against liquor, NOT drinking it! Thanks be to the Lord, the boy was converted a short time later, perhaps a few months, but this partaking of alcohol only on occasion (as the brother explained that his drinking was not a common thing at all) certainly hindered him for a while from being saved! Is that not important! Now I realize that many will throw out statements such as, “What if the lost do not expect you to drive a car, or drink tea because there is caffeine in it” etc. but we are speaking of reasonable issues and fermented wine is certainly a reasonable issue to be concerned with. The scriptures also state here that one who does such a thing “with offense” is being “evil” and that is a strong word. In other words, if a believer is committing an act such as drinking alcohol, when the lost world around him and lost individuals in particular, have the reasonable view that Christians do not partake of it, the believer is at that point, causing offense and being “evil” in his actions. Thirdly, the ULTIMATE and PRIMARY concern a believer is to have is if his actions and using his liberty cause one to STUMBLE, BE OFFENDED or is MADE WEAK! So let us look at these starting with the one who could be “made weak.” This is relative to the believer that possibly came out of a life of drunkenness or partying or even casual drinking but now has convictions about total abstinence. The teaching is that if you, utilizing your “liberty” cause one to fall into sin or put temptation in front of them, then you have violated your liberty! Remember the “weaker” brother may also not understand the liberty you or another brother may have, and flaunting your liberty in front of them, may in certain cases, make them weak. “Offending” a brother is defined by “displeasing” them, “wounding” them, to “cause to fall or stumble,” “to pain or injure” and to “draw to evil.” Your actions may not cause them to be fall into sin, but they may cause some to have an errant view of Christianity or holiness for the believer. As the lost has perceptions of the saved, so does the new believer. The author at one time, again, many years ago had a “date” with a teacher at the Christian School that our church had at the time. (Keep in mind I was newly saved and since that time I have realized the errors of dating). I played rock music as we went to and from our destinations and at the end of the night, when dropping her off at her home, she loudly rebuked me, stating that I did not put Christ first place in my life listening to such music. Of course she was right, rock music has no place in the life of a Christian, but her accusation concerning my lack of consecration was right and exactly what I needed at the time! The point is that I offended her, I “wounded” and “displeased” her by my worldliness! The word “stumble” is important as well and means “to obstruct in progress” and “to cause to trip or stop.” Regarding literal walking it means “a trip in walking or running” and “to strike the foot so as to fall, or to endanger a fall.” All of these play well into the Christian life. And regarding the lost as well. Could your actions cause a saved person to “obstruct the progress” of another brother or “cause a believer to fall?” Applied to the lost, could your “liberty” STOP the conversion or conviction of an individual? There is no debate my friend. Here is the summary. Even if alcohol was acceptable (and there are many scriptures disproving this) or believed to be acceptable due to some “less clear” verses, then alcohol should still not be consumed due to the expectation of the lost and the new convert and the weaker brother! THAT IS THE ANSWER Now lastly, some have inquired about medicine that contains alcohol. That would have to be answered by prayer and careful consideration. Some would state that since alcohol is in the medicine, the believer should not touch it, others would argue that since it is not being partaken of out of a desire for alcohol (in most cases), there is no error in taking it. I would hesitate to make any dogmatic statement on the issue, but believe that even this should be considered. I will say that If I had a relative staying in our home that was converted and I knew that they came out of a background that included drunkenness and the Lord delivered them out of, I would in no way give them any medicine with alcoholic content. So, I hope that this concludes the issue of alcohol for you, as a believer and please keep in mind some of the words of Romans 14. We are to “follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” and we are to not partake of any liberty that is doubtful, that is with offence (can cause offense), that can cause another o stumble, be offended or made weak. May the Lord show us, as His children, the responsibility we have before the saved and the lost.
I will add three more scriptures to this study: Proverbs 31:4-"It is not for kings. O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink."
Revelation 1:6, "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father..." See also Rev. 5:10
Point being that we are kings and priests before God as NT saints.
Genesis 40:10,11- "And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharoah's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharoah's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharoah's hand.
JESUS, FRIEND OF SINNERS?
People seem to have this view that the Lord Jesus Christ was such a friend to sinners that He would go to booze parties and go through a Gay Parade hugging all the sodomites and throwing beads, while healing everyone of AIDS. WRONG! This is NOT the Jesus of the Bible, but the false Jesus of the liberal, unholy society in which we live. Jesus DID minister to and deal with sinners, in that there is no doubt, but this view as stated above is completely unscriptural and in contrast to His Holy Character! Critics like to cry out that Jesus was a winebibber yet the scriptures never state that. What is recorded is that he was “called” a winebibber, accused of being one. Yes, Jesus Christ certainly desired the lost believe on Him, but this philosophy that He condoned sin and never judged the sinner is grave error. We must remember that the Lord Jesus Christ was GOD in the flesh and therefore perfectly HOLY! His very character is in complete opposition to sin and unrighteousness! Much of this liberal thinking stems from the hippie-styled “Jesus” movement of the 1960’s that presented a “free-thinking,” “no-judging” Jesus that got high and believed in free love etc. This is pure nonsense and blasphemy! If we allowed these heretics to have their way, they would have us believe that Jesus never confronted the woman at the well with her adultery (John 4). These people always like to focus on the adulterous woman of John 8, but fail to recognize that her sin was already exposed, therefore Jesus did not have to deal with her about her sin. Then they want to cry out about Jesus forgiving her, but consistently leave out His admonition, to “go, and sin no more.” It is a fact that Jesus Christ was very harsh with many, but not all, that were religious (John 8:44). The misconception that He was hard with ALL religious is proven otherwise by how the Lord Jesus dealt with Nicodemas. And the view that he was always pleasant and sweet to the sinner is wrong as well. Jesus being present with sinners in various circumstances is in no way a statement that he condoned sin or never reproved them for their iniquity! We already brought out the woman at the well and in Matthew 5 as Jesus is preaching to those other than the Pharisees (see v. 46,47) and he preaches against murder, adultery and divorce and uses the words, “hell” and “judgment.” In Matt. 7, He deals with hypocrisy and warns his hearers (many lost, many religious lost) that many that profess Him will be told by Him to depart and will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In chapter 8, Jesus states that many will be cast into outer darkness (v. 12). The question about why Jesus sat with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:11,12) was from the Pharisees and no doubt Jesus was eating a meal with others at the time (v.10). But a few FACTS need to be mentioned here. The first is that he was having a meal and though we are not sure exactly who was present, the text seems to indicate that He was at Matthew’s house and Matthew had just forsaken his life to follow Christ! The problem is that the Pharisees apparently recognized Matthew as a tax-collector and they had the common reputation for being dishonest! In the account given in Mark 2:14-17, we learn that there were many sinners and publicans eating with Him and His disciples (the 12), but it states that these (the publicans and sinners) followed Him! Simply put, these were those that recently had decided to FOLLOW Christ, and because they had sinful lifestyles previous to their accepting the call of Christ, the Pharisees either A. Were unaware that these had become followers of Christ or B. They knew and just desired to accuse Him, trying to find fault with Him. 2. There is NO indication that this was a booze party or worldly festival with carnal music and loose, immodestly-dressed women all around! NONE! 3. The INTENT of Christ was to minister to those that were in need of spiritual help (Mark 2:17), not to enjoy worldliness and “fit in with the crowd” etc. Regarding the marriage at Cana, many try to make a case again, for Jesus being a friend to sinners in an unscriptural way. This is quickly cleared up when the reader reads the passage, free from predetermined viewpoints and not being concerned with what the majority think. Remember, most who make up the majority do NOT know their Bible’s, do NOT study and many of those do NOT have a heart after truth, but are simply attempting to justify their worldliness. 1. The wedding was a wedding! Again, NOT a booze fest. Some might cry out, “But I have been to weddings and people were getting drunk!” That matters not, my friend. Are ALL weddings worldly get-gethers and do ALL weddings have alcohol-no, mine surely did not! The FACT is that NOTHING is mentioned in the passage that would indicate that this wedding celebration (John 2) had ANY drunkenness and there is no evidence any alcoholic beverages were present! 2. Some that are ignorant of the scriptures assume that the “wine” mentioned in the passage was alcoholic, but there is absolutely NO evidence to conclude as such. The word “wine” as covered in other studies, simply means “fruit of the vine” and can refer to fermented or unfermented. There is no evidence that would point to anything here but grape juice, the fruit of the vine, that comes from the cluster. (See Is. 65:8 and Genesis 40:10,11 ). Even yet, some will bring out that the word “drunk” is used and ignorantly believe that every time that word is used, it is referring to alcohol, when that is clearly not the case. The word “drunk” is a derivative of the word “drink” just as the word “drank” is, meaning imbibing a liquid, with absolutely no implication of the drink being alcoholic! Yes, “drunk” can refer to one who is under the influence of alcohol or intoxicated but can also mean one who has taken a drink…of ANYTHING! Such is the obvious case with the wedding at Cana and for one to state that this meant there was alcohol present and some were drunk is not only foolish, but reveals a very bad understanding of words and how to relate them to the sentences they are in. Yet still, others will speak of the “good wine” and think this refers to wine that is more fermented that the first. Again, this thought is ludicrous and is more based on one’s perception that wine always refers to an alcoholic drink. The “good” had to do with the quality, NOT it’s level of fermentation! One might say, “That was a good meal” or a “good” book etc. merely implying that these were of good quality in contrast to a meal or a book that was NOT as good in the quality department!
In Luke 7:34 and Matt. 11:19, Jesus refers to the accusations of His critics, who called Him a winebibber, and once again, many understand not the scriptures and know not how to study as believers are commanded to do (2 Tim 2:15). Facts again. 1. Jesus in referencing their accusations, contrasting John the Baptist with Himself in regards to their actions. 2. The contrast mentioned here is in regards to their “eating and drinking,” but never is alcohol seen or clearly referred to in either of these passages. 3. The other point Christ brings out is that He SAT (not condoned of their sin) with publicans and sinners, implying John did not. 4. The very words used in the passage reveal that what is being mentioned is “how much” food and drink were being partaken of, NOT an alcoholic beverage, and we see this with the word “glutton” being used. The idea of the statement is about a festive environment, accusing Jesus of not only fellowshipping with sinners, but being one who was more concerned with get-togethers, parties and such. This meaning of “eating and drinking” is what is also meant in Matt 24:38, where the account is mentioned of those that were given to that manner of living, in the time of Noah. So the apparent accusation against Christ was basically that He was a gluttonous, winebibber who enjoyed festive meals and was therefore, not spiritual! Yes, Jesus DID have meals with the sinners that repented and followed Him and he DID do the same with at least one publican (Matt 7:36) and possibly other sinners. But to translate this into a “Jesus” that would go into a barroom and have a few drinks with the drunkards, telling jokes and slapping each other on the back, is wicked! We are speaking of the Holy Son of God, God in the flesh! Many have stated to the author that Jesus never would have judged the lost that He was around and that He “fellowshipped” with them oblivious of their sin and need of forgiveness. Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ at times showed GREAT compassion to the sinner and those he be-friended! But let us NEVER be guilty of perverting the scriptures to get a “Jesus” that fits the profile we want or that society will accept! This modern cry that Jesus “hung around” with prostitutes, harlots, drunkards and thieves,” just having a good time with his friends is wrong, has absolutely no biblical support and as seen earlier, reveals the sheer ignorance of the person holding that belief. (Not to be repetitive, but a vast majority of these have never seriously studied the issue while others are trying to find justification for their lack of separation from the lost sinners they know). That is a false Christ, not the True Christ of the Word of God! The consistent pattern we see in the Bible of the Lord Jesus Christ is His concern for the souls of men, (again, Mark 2:17). I do hope that this study has been a help to God’s people as they desire to grow (Eph 4:12-15). In some cases, this may be a rebuke to others that have held to the unscriptural position that has been negated here, that Jesus was such a friend to sinners that He condoned their sin, never rebuked their sin and was a festive drinker of alcohol that was everyone’s friend regardless of their sin. If some repent of this error, then may the Lord receive the glory due His Holy Name as the Word of God has been taught and expounded in these pages (2 Tim. 3:16).
ANSWERED!
Here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!! One hundred and fifty years ago preachers would be outside of a barroom and preach against the sin of drunkenness and the tragedies caused by alcohol. Now, “believers” throughout the world, and particularly in America, seem to desire to defend it more than take a stand against it. Whereas the drunkard and even the casual drinker in years past, UNDERSTOOD that alcohol was an instrument that caused great damage and destruction, personally and in society, modern-day “Christians,” at least many of them, will argue that drunkenness is wrong but “what’s wrong with a beer once in a while or a glass of wine with dinner.” Many times those that try to justify alcohol for moderate consumption do so simply because they desire to drink it and they have no interest in changing. Others have an honest concern in regards to the alcohol question. The two important issues here (as with really ANY issue in the Christian life) is 1. The heart of the person inquiring about the issue and 2. Recognizing that the Bible is THE Authority, not society, not friends, not religious affiliations, not family and not the preacher (Is 8:20).
DEFINITION OF IMPORTANT WORDS
It is imperative in a study of alcohol that one understands the meanings of certain words. One of those is the word “wine.” Wine does not always refer to an alcohol beverage. The Hebrew word is “yayin” and simply means fruit of the vine and can refer to something fermented or unfermented. I have been told that when I Israel if a person was to ask for “yayin” they are asked if they are desiring an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. Normally the context of the verse in the Bible reveals the type of “wine” being referred to, though there are a few less clear passages. In English, the word “wine” means the juice of certain fruits which with additives, can be fermented.
SCRIPTURES PROHIBITING ALCOHOL AND WARNING OF IT’S DANGERS
Prov 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” This verse clearly indicates that one is a fool (opposite of wise) if they consider wine and strong drink to be acceptable, that is, not understanding that wine “mocks” the individual drinking it and that strong drink, drink stronger than wine, is raging. Raging certainly is a negative word, not a positive one, which again is consistent with the detrimental view of alcohol in this verse.
Prov 23:30, 31- “They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.” This is regarding the fermentation process. Now some like to argue this, but I ask, “Then what is being referenced here?” I have yet after debating this with many individuals over the year, to hear ANY response that makes sense other than the fermentation argument.
Prov 23:29,33-35- These scriptures clearly point out the detrimental results of drunkness and partaking in the “wine” once it is fermented. Included are “woe, “ sorrow,” “contentions” (disagreements and fighting), “babbling” (unintelligible speech), “wounds without cause” (possible from physical confrontations, falling down, etc), “redness of eyes” (bloodshot eyes), beholding strange women (putting oneself in a place where strange women are commonplace, or where women of questionable character reside possibly), doing foolish things and possibly dangerous things as we see with the phrases, “…as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea (where he could drown)” and “…he that lieth upon the top of a mast.” We also see by the words, “They have stricken me…and I was not sick” and “they have beaten me, and I felt it not;..” that alcohol consumption can lead to situations where one can be abused or physically mistreated (beatings, fights, rapes etc.) and also the fact that one can have these things occur and due to the effect of the alcohol, they have no remembrance of these things. The last interesting fact is that alcohol can be addictive, which is evident from the phrase, “…when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.” How powerful this passage is to revealing how dangerous alcohol is and how wicked it can become. To have all of these things (or some of them) happen: beatings, abuse, sorrow, depression, foolish acts etc. and to STILL SEEK AFTER IT! THAT IS AN ADDICTION! Another fact is that all of these attributes of drunkenness are documented millions of times throughout history! We read of shame in the scriptures due to the use of alcohol (Genesis 9:20-24) that reveals Noah not being under control of himself, as he was at some point, uncovered. Notice it states that Noah, “…awoke from his wine,” meaning simply that during this time he was unaware of what was occurring around him and certainly unaware of his being uncovered. It was only AFTER he “awoke” from the wine, (became sober) that he discerned and understood what had happened. The biblical account we see in Genesis 19:31-35 is a tragic one that includes immorality between Lot and his daughters. Notice a few facts. First of all, the daughters knew what would work to make Lot incapable of knowing what was going on. Secondly, IT WORKED! The alcohol, just like was previously mentioned, caused the one drinking it, in this case Lot, to “perceive not” what was going on! It is also important to understand that this wicked sin is just that, wicked, and the Lord certainly does not condone such behavior! In secular history we see and read of MANY news reports of individuals doing wicked acts under the influence of alcohol, including all of what is mentioned above, as well as men beating their wives, murder, suicide etc. One would be a fool not to acknowledge the devastation results of liquor in society! In fact, as of this writing, there are five Prison Inmates that are suing some major alcohol brands, blaming the booze on the behavior that led to various criminal acts. Obviously there is a flip side, the men could have just had enough character to NOT commit the acts and they ARE responsible for these crimes, regardless of the alcohol, BUT that does not negate the FACT that alcohol DOES cause people to do things they normally would not do, from talking to a certain member of the opposite sex to shooting someone, to stealing and everything in between!
1 Cor. 6:9-11 makes reference to “drunkards” as well as others, that are labeled as not inheriting the Kingdom of God, meaning they are lost and unconverted. This would be explained as the fact that if a person has the LIFESTYLE of a drunkard etc. a lifestyle of sin, they are unsaved. (Some mistakenly believe this refers to those that are saved but that will lose rewards, but that erroneous view is proven incorrect by the wording in V. 11 that refers to these as NOT being washed (obviously by the blood of Christ), sanctified or justified.
Now based on these scriptures alone, there should be NO justification for a believer in Christ, one who is truly converted, to touch, drink or have anything to do with alcohol of any sort! Why is it that many today desire to do so, when a century and a half ago in MOST but not all circles, one would have been considered a fool and not a genuine Christian who drank any form of liquor! I understand that in various countries the water is bad and in others yet, wine with dinner in particular is a commonly accepted practice, but OVERALL, the above statement about beer, wine, strong drink etc, being inconsistent with a Christian lifestyle was held. In fact, it is the belief of the author that if not for MONEY made by alcohol and the DESIRE men have for it (therefore willing to but it), the Prohibition would have stayed in effect. Certainly anyone with common sense will affirm that society would be much better without alcohol! Some might argue, “what about those that have a glass of wine with dinner and do not have as many obvious negative results as mentioned above?” While it is true that not all drinkers of alcohol are drunkards, it is also an obvious FACT that there would be NO DRUNKARDS IF ALCOHOL WAS NOT PRESENT! There are an estimated 50,000 deaths a year attributed directly or indirectly to alcohol in the USA and Christians, those that claim to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God, want to consume it, justify it and exhaust all efforts to support it! We are living in wicked days (2 Tim 3:1-5) for sure! In fact, if one reads Habakkuk, they will see in chapter 2, verse 5 that one who gives an alcoholic beverage to another for the purpose of immorality is accountable for their behavior! The author of this study worked in the grocery business many years ago and made it a point to NEVER handle the alcohol, not even simply putting it one’s shopping cart!
THE QUESTIONABLE SCRIPTURES AND THE CRIES OF THE DRINKERS
“Jesus drank wine” shouts the boozer at the sports event to the open-air preachers, as he is holding his Budweiser. Interesting that for every ONE critic that has been able to relate to me WHERE this in the scriptures, I have had HUNDREDS that are dumbfounded purely because THEY DID NOT CARE ABOUT FINDING OUT TRUTH! One time we had a “drunk” tell us that “Jesus turned the wine into water in the days of beer” he was so intoxicated. The answer to this is not difficult. 1. Again the word “wine” means fruit of the vine and does not necessitate that it was fermented at all. 2. It does not seem consistent at all with God’s character that the Lord Jesus Christ assist in producing alcoholic beverages. To the hippie flower child type, as they have no perception of the Biblical Christ, his Deity and His Holiness, it really does not matter if the drink was fermented or not. But to the True Christian who has been scripturally converted, the concept that He would be involved in such an activity is not in line with His character. 3. Regarding the use of the word “drunk” in John 2, where this first miracle is recorded, some ignorantly think this word means they were drunk from the wine, when the word is simply a derivative of the word “drank.” And the statement made by the feast says, “…Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when the men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the wine being fermented or unfermented as some would wrongly conclude, but it has to do with the quality of the wine! He was simply stating that the wine was “good” not a “lesser” quality that did not have as good flavor.
1 Tim 5:23, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s infirmities.” Again, a scripture used by those that are attempting to justify their tailgate party or their cocktails after dinner. First, it is a fact that grape juice is very good for the stomach. Secondly, if the reference here is to an alcoholic beverage it does not regulate that liquor is acceptable for the believer in the above illustrations, it says, “for thy stomach’s infirmities!” More than once I have told one who threw out this scripture, “Are you drinking to drink or do you you have a stomach problem?” I have NEVER been honestly told that the critic had a stomach problem.
Deut 14:24-26 “And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry It; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for what soever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,” This is one of the most difficult passages but two principles here are very important to remember. 1. This an EXCEPTION to the rule that overall alcohol has a very negative connotation in the scriptures as we have already seen. 2. This was written to the OT Jews specifically regarding their inability to get to the place that the Lord had chosen them to go to. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A SCRIPTURE TO USE FOR THE NT BELIEVER TO VALIDATE HIS OR HER USE OF ALCOHOL! Yes, it is a hard passage, and frankly, I do not have an answer that satisfies me, but I am not afraid of this passage and it would be completely wrong for a NT saint to in any way use this text as proof or support for purchasing or consuming liquor.
Mark 2:22, “And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.” What is the “new wine?” Comparing scripture with scripture, we see in Isaiah 65:8 that the “…new wine is found in the cluster…” So the NEW wine is that which is UNFERMENTED! Now going back to Mark 2:22, we see that this makes perfect sense. If new wine is put into an old or used bottle (understanding that bottle would refer to a container, at time a wineskin would be the parallel term), the “bottle” or wineskin would wear out and burst easier. Why? If “old” wine, that which has been fermented, is placed into the bottle it becomes more worn and there will be a process of deterioration that after time will result in it being more likely to leak or burst, whereas “new” wine should be placed into “new” bottles as there will not be any deterioration from fermented “old” wine. Simple.
Prov 31:6,7 “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.” This passage too can be at first seen as a scripture that would support the casual drinker, the wine with dinner etc. But only by those that do not read it. Yes, the scripture does read, “strong drink” and one could safely conclude that, based upon the context, the reference to wine here would be fermented. But is this a proof-text for casual consumption of alcoholic beverages, of course not. Is that “brother” that buys a six-pack to have while watching the game, what this passage is talking about? Or the deacon who desires wine with his meal or the party-goer who is stopping by Bud’s Saloon to “have a few?” NO! Now I understand that with this scripture, is as difficult as the Deut. passage but again, this does not negate the CLEAR scriptures that speak of the detrimental results of fermented drink. And the question is, should we take a couple of unclear passages that seem to give some liberty and run with that liberty while totally ignoring the clear passages that would be against any liquor at all. The answer of course, is no. We will cover more of this in the final section of this study.
“But the Bible is only against drunkenness, NOT partaking of ANY alcohol.” From an old preacher years ago, shortly after the author was first converted to Christ, I learned the following: If it takes 10 beers to get drunk and you have 2 beers, you are a fifth drunk! That is a very logical way of looking at the drunkenness only view.
So, what is the solution to the alcohol dilemma? There are scriptures that definitely teach that one should not look at the “wine” (grape juice) when it is fermented and that one is a fool (not wise) if they drink it. We see documented accounts in the Word of God where the consumption of alcohol caused sin. There are literally MILLIONS of cases throughout history where alcohol has destroyed lives, homes and souls. Yet there are passages in the Word of God that are exceptions and a few that are not as clear. The solution, the final answer regarding the issue of whether a Christian, a born again Bible-believing NT saint has the liberty to partake of alcohol is in……..
ROMANS 14
Romans 14 is a great passage and an extremely important one. And it SHOULD sum up the alcohol question (along with many others) IF the heart of the believer is right. “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubeth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” There is much covered here, so let us begin. First, we DO have a responsibility to the saved (and certainly to the lost as well) regarding our walk before them. This is the entire gist of this passage and we see in 1 Tim. 3, where the requirements for Elders is listed, that “he must have a good report of them that are without;…” referring to those not in the assembly and would almost definitely be concerning the lost in his neighborhood, community, business dealings etc. What we do and how we represent Christ DOES matter and anyone who states otherwise is ignoring this passage of the Bible. Secondly, There are specific things mentioned here such as the “eating of meat” (which refers to the change dispensationally as the Jews were not allowed to eat certain meats in accordance with the Law) and the drinking of “wine.” Why would wine be such an issue? I truly believe that even then it may have been an area of confusion regarding the juice and the alcohol as well as the consideration of the believers liberty back during the time of the writing of the book of Romans. And as the Lord is, of course, omniscient, the Lord may have forseen the debate with this issue in particular in our present day. As well, the phrase, “nor anything “ is used for any unnamed controversial areas and actions that may pertain to liberty. So we are to keep in mind how our actions effect the brethren in their personal walk as well as the unsaved and how they perceive our actions. So IF the lost, generally speaking, expect a believer (to them one who follows Christ and is desiring to be holy) to NOT touch alcohol, then that alone should settle the issue. And brethren, the lost DO hold the Christian to a standard, and this includes that a True Christian does not touch alcohol! The author personally experimented with this thought many years ago while working in the grocery business by going to a number of individuals and asking them if they would respect me or listen to me concerning the gospel and spiritual things, If I was to purchase a bottle of wine or one can of beer. The answer from all but one person was that they would pay me no heed! They would consider me a hypocrite and not serious and genuine if I partook of alcohol AT ALL! And keep in mind, I was not giving them an illustration of being drunk or attending some booze party in the neighborhood, but of ONE can of beer or ONE bottle of wine! THE WORLD HAS A STANDARD FOR BELIEVERS AND WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THEY HOLD AS A STANDARD OUT OF CONCERN FOR THEIR SOULS! There should be no argument from one who claims to be saved and walking with the Lord on this issue of alcohol! Secondly, the passage states that one taking liberty at the expense of the testimony before others is destroying the work of God! How important is this to you. I had a personal friend many years ago that after being saved a few years was witnessing to a young man on a regular basis. He invited the young man to his home for a lunch break (the young man was employed by the saved man) and the potential convert opened the brother’s refrigerator only to find alcohol on the shelf. I do not recall if it was beer or wine and I believe there was only one bottle, perhaps two. The young man was completely offended and he called the believer a hypocrite and ran out the door. His expectation was that a True Christian was against liquor, NOT drinking it! Thanks be to the Lord, the boy was converted a short time later, perhaps a few months, but this partaking of alcohol only on occasion (as the brother explained that his drinking was not a common thing at all) certainly hindered him for a while from being saved! Is that not important! Now I realize that many will throw out statements such as, “What if the lost do not expect you to drive a car, or drink tea because there is caffeine in it” etc. but we are speaking of reasonable issues and fermented wine is certainly a reasonable issue to be concerned with. The scriptures also state here that one who does such a thing “with offense” is being “evil” and that is a strong word. In other words, if a believer is committing an act such as drinking alcohol, when the lost world around him and lost individuals in particular, have the reasonable view that Christians do not partake of it, the believer is at that point, causing offense and being “evil” in his actions. Thirdly, the ULTIMATE and PRIMARY concern a believer is to have is if his actions and using his liberty cause one to STUMBLE, BE OFFENDED or is MADE WEAK! So let us look at these starting with the one who could be “made weak.” This is relative to the believer that possibly came out of a life of drunkenness or partying or even casual drinking but now has convictions about total abstinence. The teaching is that if you, utilizing your “liberty” cause one to fall into sin or put temptation in front of them, then you have violated your liberty! Remember the “weaker” brother may also not understand the liberty you or another brother may have, and flaunting your liberty in front of them, may in certain cases, make them weak. “Offending” a brother is defined by “displeasing” them, “wounding” them, to “cause to fall or stumble,” “to pain or injure” and to “draw to evil.” Your actions may not cause them to be fall into sin, but they may cause some to have an errant view of Christianity or holiness for the believer. As the lost has perceptions of the saved, so does the new believer. The author at one time, again, many years ago had a “date” with a teacher at the Christian School that our church had at the time. (Keep in mind I was newly saved and since that time I have realized the errors of dating). I played rock music as we went to and from our destinations and at the end of the night, when dropping her off at her home, she loudly rebuked me, stating that I did not put Christ first place in my life listening to such music. Of course she was right, rock music has no place in the life of a Christian, but her accusation concerning my lack of consecration was right and exactly what I needed at the time! The point is that I offended her, I “wounded” and “displeased” her by my worldliness! The word “stumble” is important as well and means “to obstruct in progress” and “to cause to trip or stop.” Regarding literal walking it means “a trip in walking or running” and “to strike the foot so as to fall, or to endanger a fall.” All of these play well into the Christian life. And regarding the lost as well. Could your actions cause a saved person to “obstruct the progress” of another brother or “cause a believer to fall?” Applied to the lost, could your “liberty” STOP the conversion or conviction of an individual? There is no debate my friend. Here is the summary. Even if alcohol was acceptable (and there are many scriptures disproving this) or believed to be acceptable due to some “less clear” verses, then alcohol should still not be consumed due to the expectation of the lost and the new convert and the weaker brother! THAT IS THE ANSWER Now lastly, some have inquired about medicine that contains alcohol. That would have to be answered by prayer and careful consideration. Some would state that since alcohol is in the medicine, the believer should not touch it, others would argue that since it is not being partaken of out of a desire for alcohol (in most cases), there is no error in taking it. I would hesitate to make any dogmatic statement on the issue, but believe that even this should be considered. I will say that If I had a relative staying in our home that was converted and I knew that they came out of a background that included drunkenness and the Lord delivered them out of, I would in no way give them any medicine with alcoholic content. So, I hope that this concludes the issue of alcohol for you, as a believer and please keep in mind some of the words of Romans 14. We are to “follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” and we are to not partake of any liberty that is doubtful, that is with offence (can cause offense), that can cause another o stumble, be offended or made weak. May the Lord show us, as His children, the responsibility we have before the saved and the lost.
I will add three more scriptures to this study: Proverbs 31:4-"It is not for kings. O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink."
Revelation 1:6, "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father..." See also Rev. 5:10
Point being that we are kings and priests before God as NT saints.
Genesis 40:10,11- "And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharoah's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharoah's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharoah's hand.
SHOULD CHRISTIAN'S CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS?
IS CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS WRONG FOR
THE CHRISTIAN?
For the serious Christian, all things
should be brought under the microscope of the scriptures. Over the years, the author has been asked
about this subject, desiring to know if it was correct or not, as a genuine
believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, to celebrate the birth of an
individual. Let us look at what the
scriptures state about birthdays and see if there is any indication regulating
if we should be involved in such activities.
1. There is no command to NOT remember one’s
birth. Of this there is no debate.
2. Birthdays and gift-giving ARE
mentioned in the Word of God, though not all incidents of giving gifts are in
the environment of the celebration of one’s birth. In Matthew 14:6, at Herod’s birthday
celebration (this is what is meant by the phrase “was kept”), Herodias danced. The dance may have been considered a gift and
though there is no indication for sure that gifts were given, it could be
safely assumed that they were. Certainly
no dogmatic statement should be made either way. We do know that there was a “supper” during
this time of celebration (Mark 6:21), but it is Herod who ordained this
supper. In Genesis 40:20, we read of
Pharoah’s birthday, which also included a feast that he made for his
servants. These three times are the only
times the actual word ”birthday” is used in the Bible. Of course we do have the birth of Christ
which obviously included the giving of gifts in Matthew 2:11. In Genesis 14:20 we see that Abram gave
Melchizedek a gift of “tithes” of his possessions. This should be considered a gift, as the law
of tithing as given to the OT Jews was not commanded yet. In Revelation 11:10 when the two witnesses
are killed (of course they are soon brought back to life), the response from
the sinful, Bible-rejecting world is to celebrate by giving gifts as well as
they rejoice and “make merry.” In
Jeremiah 20:14,15 the indication is that the time of birth itself was
considered a time of joyful remembrance.
Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, reject any celebration of birthdays
because of the scriptures regarding the gift-giving of the two witnesses and
the fact that Herod, who was not a Christian, celebrated his birthday. But do these incidents make it wrong or
unscriptural for a believer to remember the birth of a spouse, child, relative
or friend. We must remember that Christ
was given gifts and yes, He certainly was not of age to choose not to accept
these gifts, but Joseph and his mother were.
Remembering one’s birth is simply a celebration to honor and show
appreciation for another. Ecclesiastes
7:1 does state, “ A good name is better
than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s
birth “ but that scripture is simply
stating an important fact, but does not prohibit celebrating a birthday. Before
we conclude this, let us look at the history of birthdays.
3. The custom of observing birthdays was
very ancient and widely extended, in Persia, they were celebrated by banquets
and for the purpose of honoring the individual and in Egypt, the birthday of
the king was observed with great pomp (as we see with the account already
mentioned with Pharoah in Genesis 40:20).
The Jews later regarded the celebration of birthdays as a part of
idolatrous worship (see People’s Bible Encyclopedia, 1924), but the early
church used the term in accordance with the festival of martyrs , which were
days on which the martyrs suffered and died (in this world) and entered into
heaven.
So to conclude, we see many
different aspects to birthdays and gift-giving. The pagan Persians and Egyptians did celebrate
one’s birth and so did many other cultures throughout history that were NOT
followers of the God of the Bible or Christians. On the other hand, wording in Jeremiah and
the event of the birth of Christ, indicate that the Jews considered a child’s
birth a wonderful thing and the gifts given to Christ were on his birth day, the day of His birth. Yes, gifts are given in the time of rejoicing
of the death of the Two Witnesses, but again, that does not make a remembrance
of one’s birth in and of itself, wrong.
It is the view of the Author that celebrating a “birthday” of another
individual is of personal conscience.
There are many practices etc. that the heathen do that are of definite
doubt, some are clearly wrong and others are just part of everyday life. After being a Christian for many years and
studying the scriptures intently for much of my life, I believe that we need to
be sure to not add to the scriptures and just as importantly, we need to be
sure to allow that which is not wrong, especially in regards to the raising of
our children. There are so many things
that believers are not to take part in, so many sinful and worldly activities
that would clearly be considered wrong for the believer, let us enjoy what is
allowed. If we are not careful, we will
be giving the impression to others, including our family members, that the
Christian life is a dull life full of prohibitions! Certainly there are prohibitions and
rightfully so, but in the issues that are NOT clearly wrong or that do not
hinder the testimony of Christianity and that do not generally cause one to
stumble, be offended or made weak (Romans 14), it is my belief, to ENJOY! Again, this is the position that I hold and
that our family holds. Again, apply the
scriptures. Generally speaking, I do not
believe, nor have I ever seen, where celebrating a birthday, causes one to
stumble, be offended or made weak. If I
know of a brother or a family have a
conviction or preference about the matter, I would not chastise, ridicule or
belittle them. And scripturally, the
opposite should be true. Maturity in this
matter and allowing liberty should be the rule.
Certainly one should be careful to not be too elaborate concerning
expensive gifts etc. but that is course left up to the parents if we are
dealing with children.
CANDLES?
As a family we choose not to
utilize candles in regard to celebrating birthdays. Again this is individual choice that we would
consider more of a preference. Here is
some info regarding candles:
The tradition of placing candles on
birthday cake is attributed to early Greeks, who used to place lit candles on
cakes to make them glow like the moon. Greeks used to take the cake to the
temple of Artemis. Some[citation needed]
say that candles were placed on the cake because people believed that the smoke
of the candle carried their prayers to gods. Others believe that the custom
originated in Germany where people used to place a large candle in the centre
of the cake to symbolize ‘the light of life’.
In present times too, people place
candles on birthday cakes and a silent wish is made before blowing out the
candle. It is believed that blowing out all candles in one breath means the
wish will come true and the person will enjoy good luck in the coming year.
Some also smear out the name of the person before slicing of the cake to bring
good luck.
The earliest reference to the
tradition of blowing out the candles was documented Switzerland in 1881.
Researchers for the Folk-Lore Journal recorded various
"superstitions" amongst the Swiss middle class. The following
statement was recorded, "“A birthday-cake must have lighted candles
arranged around it, one candle for each year of life. Before the cake is eaten
the person whose birthday it is should blow out the candles one after another.”[2]
Again, this is a matter of conscience and all should be consideredWAS JESUS A FRIEND OF SINNERS? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
People seem to have this view that the Lord Jesus Christ was such a friend to sinners that He would go to booze parties and go through a Gay Parade hugging all the sodomites and throwing beads, while healing everyone of AIDS. WRONG! This is NOT the Jesus of the Bible, but the false Jesus of the liberal, unholy society in which we live. Jesus DID minister to and deal with sinners, in that there is no doubt, but this view as stated above is completely unscriptural and in contrast to His Holy Character! Critics like to cry out that Jesus was a winebibber yet the scriptures never state that. What is recorded is that he was “called” a winebibber, accused of being one. Yes, Jesus Christ certainly desired the lost believe on Him, but this philosophy that He condoned sin and never judged the sinner is grave error. We must remember that the Lord Jesus Christ was GOD in the flesh and therefore perfectly HOLY! His very character is in complete opposition to sin and unrighteousness! Much of this liberal thinking stems from the hippie-styled “Jesus” movement of the 1960’s that presented a “free-thinking,” “no-judging” Jesus that got high and believed in free love etc. This is pure nonsense and blasphemy! If we allowed these heretics to have their way, they would have us believe that Jesus never confronted the woman at the well with her adultery (John 4). These people always like to focus on the adulterous woman of John 8, but fail to recognize that her sin was already exposed, therefore Jesus did not have to deal with her about her sin. Then they want to cry out about Jesus forgiving her, but consistently leave out His admonition, to “go, and sin no more.” It is a fact that Jesus Christ was very harsh with many, but not all, that were religious (John 8:44). The misconception that He was hard with ALL religious is proven otherwise by how the Lord Jesus dealt with Nicodemas. And the view that he was always pleasant and sweet to the sinner is wrong as well. Jesus being present with sinners in various circumstances is in no way a statement that he condoned sin or never reproved them for their iniquity! We already brought out the woman at the well and in Matthew 5 as Jesus is preaching to those other than the Pharisees (see v. 46,47) and he preaches against murder, adultery and divorce and uses the words, “hell” and “judgment.” In Matt. 7, He deals with hypocrisy and warns his hearers (many lost, many religious lost) that many that profess Him will be told by Him to depart and will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In chapter 8, Jesus states that many will be cast into outer darkness (v. 12). The question about why Jesus sat with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:11,12) was from the Pharisees and no doubt Jesus was eating a meal with others at the time (v.10). But a few FACTS need to be mentioned here. The first is that he was having a meal and though we are not sure exactly who was present, the text seems to indicate that He was at Matthew’s house and Matthew had just forsaken his life to follow Christ! The problem is that the Pharisees apparently recognized Matthew as a tax-collector and they had the common reputation for being dishonest! In the account given in Mark 2:14-17, we learn that there were many sinners and publicans eating with Him and His disciples (the 12), but it states that these (the publicans and sinners) followed Him! Simply put, these were those that recently had decided to FOLLOW Christ, and because they had sinful lifestyles previous to their accepting the call of Christ, the Pharisees either A. Were unaware that these had become followers of Christ or B. They knew and just desired to accuse Him, trying to find fault with Him. 2. There is NO indication that this was a booze party or worldly festival with carnal music and loose, immodestly-dressed women all around! NONE! 3. The INTENT of Christ was to minister to those that were in need of spiritual help (Mark 2:17), not to enjoy worldliness and “fit in with the crowd” etc. Regarding the marriage at Cana, many try to make a case again, for Jesus being a friend to sinners in an unscriptural way. This is quickly cleared up when the reader reads the passage, free from predetermined viewpoints and not being concerned with what the majority think. Remember, most who make up the majority do NOT know their Bible’s, do NOT study and many of those do NOT have a heart after truth, but are simply attempting to justify their worldliness. 1. The wedding was a wedding! Again, NOT a booze fest. Some might cry out, “But I have been to weddings and people were getting drunk!” That matters not, my friend. Are ALL weddings worldly get-gethers and do ALL weddings have alcohol-no, mine surely did not! The FACT is that NOTHING is mentioned in the passage that would indicate that this wedding celebration (John 2) had ANY drunkenness and there is no evidence any alcoholic beverages were present! 2. Some that are ignorant of the scriptures assume that the “wine” mentioned in the passage was alcoholic, but there is absolutely NO evidence to conclude as such. The word “wine” as covered in other studies, simply means “fruit of the vine” and can refer to fermented or unfermented. There is no evidence that would point to anything here but grape juice, the fruit of the vine, that comes from the cluster. (See Is. 65:8 and Genesis 40:10,11 ). Even yet, some will bring out that the word “drunk” is used and ignorantly believe that every time that word is used, it is referring to alcohol, when that is clearly not the case. The word “drunk” is a derivative of the word “drink” just as the word “drank” is, meaning imbibing a liquid, with absolutely no implication of the drink being alcoholic! Yes, “drunk” can refer to one who is under the influence of alcohol or intoxicated but can also mean one who has taken a drink…of ANYTHING! Such is the obvious case with the wedding at Cana and for one to state that this meant there was alcohol present and some were drunk is not only foolish, but reveals a very bad understanding of words and how to relate them to the sentences they are in. Yet still, others will speak of the “good wine” and think this refers to wine that is more fermented that the first. Again, this thought is ludicrous and is more based on one’s perception that wine always refers to an alcoholic drink. The “good” had to do with the quality, NOT it’s level of fermentation! One might say, “That was a good meal” or a “good” book etc. merely implying that these were of good quality in contrast to a meal or a book that was NOT as good in the quality department!
In Luke 7:34 and Matt. 11:19, Jesus refers to the accusations of His critics, who called Him a winebibber, and once again, many understand not the scriptures and know not how to study as believers are commanded to do (2 Tim 2:15). Facts again. 1. Jesus in referencing their accusations, contrasting John the Baptist with Himself in regards to their actions. 2. The contrast mentioned here is in regards to their “eating and drinking,” but never is alcohol seen or clearly referred to in either of these passages. 3. The other point Christ brings out is that He SAT (not condoned of their sin) with publicans and sinners, implying John did not. 4. The very words used in the passage reveal that what is being mentioned is “how much” food and drink were being partaken of, NOT an alcoholic beverage, and we see this with the word “glutton” being used. The idea of the statement is about a festive environment, accusing Jesus of not only fellowshipping with sinners, but being one who was more concerned with get-togethers, parties and such. This meaning of “eating and drinking” is what is also meant in Matt 24:38, where the account is mentioned of those that were given to that manner of living, in the time of Noah. So the apparent accusation against Christ was basically that He was a gluttonous, winebibber who enjoyed festive meals and was therefore, not spiritual! Yes, Jesus DID have meals with the sinners that repented and followed Him and he DID do the same with at least one publican (Matt 7:36) and possibly other sinners. But to translate this into a “Jesus” that would go into a barroom and have a few drinks with the drunkards, telling jokes and slapping each other on the back, is wicked! We are speaking of the Holy Son of God, God in the flesh! Many have stated to the author that Jesus never would have judged the lost that He was around and that He “fellowshipped” with them oblivious of their sin and need of forgiveness. Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ at times showed GREAT compassion to the sinner and those he be-friended! But let us NEVER be guilty of perverting the scriptures to get a “Jesus” that fits the profile we want or that society will accept! This modern cry that Jesus “hung around” with prostitutes, harlots, drunkards and thieves,” just having a good time with his friends is wrong, has absolutely no biblical support and as seen earlier, reveals the sheer ignorance of the person holding that belief. (Not to be repetitive, but a vast majority of these have never seriously studied the issue while others are trying to find justification for their lack of separation from the lost sinners they know). That is a false Christ, not the True Christ of the Word of God! The consistent pattern we see in the Bible of the Lord Jesus Christ is His concern for the souls of men, (again, Mark 2:17). I do hope that this study has been a help to God’s people as they desire to grow (Eph 4:12-15). In some cases, this may be a rebuke to others that have held to the unscriptural position that has been negated here, that Jesus was such a friend to sinners that He condoned their sin, never rebuked their sin and was a festive drinker of alcohol that was everyone’s friend regardless of their sin. If some repent of this error, then may the Lord receive the glory due His Holy Name as the Word of God has been taught and expounded in these pages (2 Tim. 3:16).
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