How should Christians deal with alcohol? Is getting drunk ok? Just communion wine? What does the Bible say? What is your own position?
First, don't worry about people's positions. Find Gods. In the old testament giving alcohol to those who were hurting and strong drink to those who were in a lot of pain was taught. Yes, Jesus made some of the best wine ever, at the wedding feast in Cana. But there is more. The communion wine was real wine ...
1Co 11:20 Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, 21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
Sometimes it amazes me that people will accept that the people who showed up early ate all the bread for the Lord's supper, but that they showed up drunk and were not drunk because the communion wine would never have any alcohol. It's the Lord's Supper, people showed up early and ate the food and drink for the Lord's supper and the result was some went hungry and others were drunk "AS A RESULT". No, this behavior was not condoned, but you cannot get drunk on grape juice. Of course this should be the end of the discussion ... but Jesus also got into this issue.
Did people in the bible judge each other based on food and drink? Yes. Was there drunkenness in Jesus day? Yes. Did Jesus teach not to be drunk on wine, or anything else, for that matter? Yes. Was Jesus worried about His "witness"? Did He worry about causing those who are weak, in the area of alcohol to stumble and thus forsook wine and drinks with alcohol? No. Would Jesus be qualified to be a preacher or teacher in most of our modern churches who require those in leadership to forsake alcohol? Nope.
Mat 11:18 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' 19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."
Break that passage down a bit. Was John the Baptist drinking ANY alcohol or wine? No. He took a vow and the fruit of the grape, or anything related to it was sworn off. He had a simple diet of locusts and honey ... not a lot of food, and no drink at all from a wine standpoint. Were people watching? Yes. Did they find reason to discredit John the Baptists words based on what he ate and drank? Yes. Why? When you are looking for reasons not to listen, you will find them. They did. Obviously, based on John's dietary habits, he has a demon.
Understand these are Jesus words. Next, Jesus speaks about Himself. "The Son of Man came eating and drinking ..." Context determines meaning ... the wording implies, without any restrictions at all, OTHER THAN, Jesus did not get drunk and was not a glutton ... but it was very excessive in the eyes of the church leadership at the time ... to the point where they would honestly state, Jesus is a glutton and a drunkard, and get away with it, just like they did with John the Baptist.
What about Jesus witness? What about his testimony? How can you have your head pastor imbibe and eat like that? How ungodly. Don't you want a godly leader setting godly standards for Himself and leadership? People may follow Jesus example and drink! Some might even get drunk because they started drinking following His example! Jesus did not worry about these things. Yes, He was aware that those thinking themselves more godly would preclude Him and His words simply because of His dietary and drinking behaviors ... but then those people really weren't listening to Him or John the Baptist anyway. If you are looking for a reason to dismiss what is said, people will find one.
Whatever is not from faith is sin. Examine the scriptures diligently daily to see if what is said is so ... and be careful as to how you set your standards for religious leadership. If Jesus Himself is disqualified from being a leader in your church, just like He was for the religious leaders and experts of His day, what does that say about your church?
