…[T]he Bible position is clear: not one drop of alcohol is condoned or recommended. Proverbs 20:1 tells us "wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Another text is even more explicit. Proverbs 23:31, "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder."
Now listen, if the New Testament approves the use of alcohol, we have a mammoth contradiction between the Old and New Testaments. But the New doesn't teach contrary to what we just read, friends. The problem comes over the use of the word "wine." It is translated from the Greek word "oihos" and it can mean either fermented or unfermented, according to the context. But since the Old Testament clearly condemns the use of fermented wine, the verses approving of wine in the New Testament are surely referring to unfermented juice of the grape.
The Bible says, “Whether therefore ye
eat, or drink, . . . do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Among
all the popular poisons which are imbibed by modern man, one that is
particularly pernicious and destructive is alcohol. Glorified as a symbol of
gracious living, it has, in fact, been the most malignant social disease known
to civilization. No wonder the Bible declares that no drunkard will be in
heaven.
In these days of compromise, most of the great religious
bodies have changed their attitude toward social drinking. From total
abstinence they now take a stance of moderation. In essence this is exactly the
same position the brewers take—no drunkenness. But is that a safe posture to
take toward alcoholic beverages? Statistics reveal that one out of every ten
that start drinking become either alcoholics or problem drinkers.
The claim is made by many Christians that the Bible
endorses moderate drinking of alcohol. This is based largely on the use of the
term “wine” in the Scriptures. But the recommended wine of the Bible is not
alcoholic. The word wine is used for either fermented or unfermented drink. God
declared, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it
not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not
destroy them” (Isaiah 65:8).
This wine in the cluster has to be the fresh juice of the
vine. This is the only kind God ever declared to have a blessing in it. There
is no blessing in the intoxicating, befuddling bottle of fermented poison.
Inspiration declares, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever
is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). “Look not thou upon the wine
when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself
aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder”
(Proverbs 23:31, 32).
Did Jesus go contrary to the Old Testament and turn the
water into alcoholic wine? It is unthinkable that He should do so. He obeyed
the Word of God. The wine He created was the unfermented kind. We now know the
actual physiological effect of alcohol on the body. Research has proven that
intoxication is caused by a process that deprives the brain of oxygen. This
deprivation destroys brain cells, affecting, ultimately, the reasoning powers
of conscious thought. Would Jesus, the Creator of the body, condone something
that would weaken moral inhibitions, reduce the power of effective decision,
and finally destroy the sacred body temple of the Holy Spirit? Never.
By Joe Crews
