In this second step to determining alcohol as adiaphora, we will look at what the Bible says against the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

 

Genesis 9:20-23   ²⁰ Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.      ²¹ When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.  ²² Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside.  ²³ But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.

 

In this passage we see that the wine which Noah drank, was not simply grape juice, but alcoholic.  The alcoholic content is not known, but we do know from this that Noah drank enough of the wine to pass out.  This drunkenness was shameful to Noah, hence the mention of his nakedness (cf. Genesis 2-3).  Though Noah did all which God commanded him to do regarding the building of the ark, etc. (contrary to Adam), we see that Noah is not the promised redeemer of Genesis 3:15, for Noah sins against God by drunkenness.

 

Genesis 19:32-38   ³² Let's get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father."  ³³ That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.  ³⁴ The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I lay with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father."  ³⁵ So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.  ³⁶ So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father.  ³⁷ The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today.  ³⁸ The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.

 

In this passage we see how wine drunk to excess is used as a means of incest.  This is disgusting on many levels.

 

Leviticus 10:8-11   ⁸ Then the LORD said to Aaron,  ⁹ "You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.  ¹⁰ You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,  ¹¹ and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the LORD has given them through Moses."

 

Here Aaron and his sons are prohibited from drinking wine or other fermented drink when they go to the Tent of Meeting.  It is assumed from this, though, that other times it was expected that they would drink wine or fermented drink, especially in light of Numbers 18:12.

 

Numbers 6:2-4   ² "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite,  ³ he must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or from other fermented drink. He must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins.  ⁴ As long as he is a Nazirite, he must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

 

Specifically referring to a Nazirite vow (this is also what Samson was to do) during the time of the vow nothing from a grape vine is to be consumed.

 

Proverbs 20:1  Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

 

Here we see specifically that wine and beer lead to strife, and one that is led away by wine or beer or is consumed by them is a fool.

 

Proverbs 21:17   ¹⁷ He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.

 

If wine becomes the object of one’s affections, he will never become rich.

 

Proverbs 23:20-21   ²⁰ Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,  ²¹ for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

 

Slavery to wine or food will result in poverty and destitution.

 

Proverbs 23:29-35   ²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?  ³⁰ Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.  ³¹ Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!  ³² In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.  ³³ Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.  ³⁴ You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.  ³⁵ "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"

 

Again, slavery to wine is seen as absolutely foolish.  It brings about woe, sorrow, strife, bruises, and bloodshot eyes.

 

Proverbs 31:4-7   ⁴ "It is not for kings, O Lemuel-- not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,  ⁵ lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.  ⁶ Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish;  ⁷ let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

 

When a king craves beer or wine, he will do injustice, but for those in pain alcohol can aid them in their misery.

 

Isaiah 5:22   ²² Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks…

 

Every university student should hear this.  Cursed is anyone who is a hero at drinking.

 

Romans 14:21   ²¹ It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

 

Here it is better not to exercise one’s right to food and wine than to cause a brother to fall.

 

Ephesians 5:18   ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Or my translation:  Do not get drunk by wine, which is debauchery.  But be brought to completion in the realm of the Spirit.  See http://alreadynotyet.blogware.com/_attachments/458858/Thoughts%20on%20Ephesians%205.pdf for a defense of this translation.

 

Here drunkenness is forbidden, and is antithetical to being brought to completion in the Spirit.

 

1 Timothy 3:2-3   ² Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,  ³ not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

 

The overseer must not be given to drunkenness.

 

1 Timothy 3:8   ⁸ Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine and not pursuing dishonest gain.

 

Deacon are not to be given to much wine, which means that they are not to be drunkards.

 

Titus 2:3   ³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.

 

Just like deacons, the older women in the church should not be drunkards.

A post by Steve Weaver with resources for raising godly children.