“They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end” (Psalm 107:27).
Most people around the world tend to only know of one definition of ‘wine’. Since there are two actual definitions of ‘wine’, the Bible uses both, depending on the context.
Wine is a fermented juice of grapes. Many people are unaware that fermentation causes the liquid to move. Without getting into too many technical scientific details, the fermentation process breaks down sugar and in this process, it causes an energy burst of released heat that causes the liquid to “give his color” and “move itself aright.”
Unfortunately, many Christians believe and frequently purchase and drink alcohol, considering the numerous passages of the Bible from the
Old Testament to the New Testament that discuss fermentation, both literally in drink and allegorically, in the church.
Actually, there is only wickedness and shame that comes out of drinking alcohol, and God has even used this as curse and punishment to the Jewish people for their spiritual fornication.
“Therefore you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink you, and be drunken, and spew, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you” (Jeremiah 25:27).
The Bible is trying to explain to us that drinking alcohol makes you an addict. Despite all the damage it will do to your body – inside and out – you will eventually lose control and keep seeking that which is causing you to lose your senses.
No alcoholic ever had a passionate dream to be an alcoholic when they were younger. No one ever stood up and said, “I’m going to grow up to be a drunk!”
Instead, almost every alcoholic on this planet started out saying, “It’s just one shot. I know I can handle this drink well.”
But the Bible is very clear when it stated in Galatians 5:21, “Envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
They said that you can own a gun, fire a gun, even shoot a man to defend your house, and not sin; however, if you use a gun to threaten and/or premeditate murder, then you have sinned.
Similarly, you can also buy and own alcohol, even use it to clean out a wound, and not sin; however, if you drink alcohol to plan drunkenness, then you have sinned.
Bluntly speaking, drinking alcoholic beverages is considered sin in the Bible, whether you like it or not. The Bible said in Habakkuk 2:15, “Woe to him that gives his neighbor drink, that puts your bottle to him, and makes him drunk also, that you may look on their nakedness!”
Now, whatever excuse a Christian wants to make to justify their consumption of alcohol, the Bible is very loud and clear about drinking alcoholic beverages.
It says not even to look at it, let alone drink it.
Ana Williams is a faith columnist for The Graham Star.