When They Wanted Wine
At a Bible study, a Christian described himself outnumbered by ten people who defended social drinking, saying that it’s only “drunkenness” that the Bible is against. Their argument endorsingdrinking included the usual “for instances,” with Jesus making wine at the wedding in Cana at the top of the list. The Bible says, “And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.”
There are Christians today who want their wine, but I’m not talking about the kind that Jesus made here in Cana. No, the wine that Christ made at this wedding was not alcoholic; according to the governor of the feast, the water turned wine that the Lord made was “good.”
The Christians I’m talking about want their wine, their beer, and their whiskey. With faith in anything but Christ and the cross, they believe it’s fine to drink socially to feel good aroundfriends as well as drink alone to numb what hurts in their lives. But if you tell them that drinkingin any amount is wrong, they don’t want to hear it. They are converts of another gospel that tells them it’s okay to drink a little—however much that is—just don’t become a drunk. One man, trying to correct me on this subject, wrote, “Having a drink is not a sin—never has been and never will be. Besides, most people who enjoy a drink do so responsibly.” Really? Any kid who grew up in the home of an alcoholic would take umbrage at such a statement. I know I do.
If drinking isn’t a sin, then why is the Bible so strong against it? Proverbs warns against even looking at wine, “when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.” Those who market the stuff take it a step further, coupling alcohol with a fake lifestyle of vacations in the sun, success, and wealth. Actors in these commercials are always young, always fit, and always popular as they cruise on yachts surrounded by friends. They never show the ugly side of alcohol—the bondage of addiction, the loneliness that comes from losing family and friends, the povertythat follows a lost job.
Yet we have pastors out there making the case for social drinking, saying, “Look, I know what the Bible says about drunkenness, but I’m not a drunk. I have control. It’s one glass of wine, so what’s the big deal?” The big deal is this: That pastor goes to his favorite restaurant and orders his single glass of wine. At the same restaurant, a young believer from his church sees his pastor drinking and two distinct messages hit home: First, that social drinking is an acceptable part of Christian life; and second, if drinking in moderation is okay, then other sins in moderation mustalso be okay. A little flirting, that must be okay too, even though it leads to fornication and adultery. And surely there’s nothing wrong with a little wrath, as long as no one gets beat up too bad. And a little gambling can’t hurt, as long as there’s enough money left to pay the house note. Come on, people, that’s not how sin works! The Bible says, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” and alcohol happens to be a type of leaven.
Look, if you’re a Christian who has to have a drink to relax your mind and calm your spirit, then you’ve got a problem. And this “one drink” business is nonsense. The so-called moderate, responsible Christian who only drinks one glass of wine is just as much ignoring God and His Word as the alcoholic who drinks a whole bottle of hard liquor.
Addiction to alcohol always starts with one drink—every time, always. That’s how alcohol starts,but that’s not how it finishes. The Bible says at the last, “it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.” Some scholars say this references the desert horned viper—a venomous snake that buries itself under desert sands before ambushing its prey. The attack is quick and the bite painful, sometimes fatal.
So while reactions to alcohol may be different, as in, “She’s a happy drunk,” or “He’s a nice guy until he gets to drinking,” alcohol itself is consistent and will always do what the Bible says—bite and sting. Yet, despite the pain, those in bondage to it come back again and again.
Bible commentator Matthew Henry said that drunkards, “Fear no peril when the terrors of the Lord are before them; they feel no pain when the judgments of God are actually upon them. So lost is a drunkard to virtue and honour, so wretchedly is his conscience seared, that he is not ashamed to say, ‘I will seek it again.’”
Here’s what the lie of drinking looks like in real life, told by a lady whose husband was raised by an alcoholic. She wrote: “My husband’s father was a Korean War veteran and a deacon at church. A few years after he returned home, a tragedy happened in the family. His wife was riding in the car with three other women; they were leaving work one night, and it was snowing. The car windows frosted over, and they were hit by an oncoming train. All of them were killed. At the time, my husband was eleven years old and his sister fourteen. Afterward, his father started drinking to cope with what he was facing. He became an alcoholic to the point that my husband and his sister had to take care of themselves as their father would disappear for a week at a time. My husband would have to get on his bicycle and peddle down to the beer joint and go in there and get money from his dad to buy some bread and bologna so that he and his sister could eat. At fourteen, my husband was working three jobs trying to earn enough money to buy food and clothes. All of this because his father believed the lie that alcohol could help him cope with his pain.”
This is the kind of story that we receive again and again; stories that start with a first drink and end in bondage and heartache. Still, so many Christians have faith in social drinking, arguing,“That will never happen to me. I have control and know when to stop.” But the truth is, if you drink any amount of alcohol, it could happen to you. It’s happening to Christians every day.
SOURCES (not for layout):
• Based on JS comments from March 27, 2024, The Message of the Cross.
• Based on comments from March 25-28, 2024, Frances & Friends. [March 27, testimony of woman’s husband’s alcoholic father]
• Matthew Henry reference: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/23-32.htm
