Are Christians able to drink? Is it a sin?

Is it a sin to have a beer?

  • Yes, it is a sin

    Votes: 4 7.7%
  • No, it is not a sin

    Votes: 48 92.3%

  • Total voters
    52

Journey.In.Grace

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No, it is not a sin to drink. Getting drunk is a different story but if you're just drinking, and it's in moderation, there is no problem with it. I know plenty of Christian's who drink or have in the past.
 
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SnowyMacie

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It is not a sin to drink it "in moderation" and "for good reasons" (e.g. to warm your own body in winter).

I second this answer.

It is not a sin to drink alcohol, it is a sin to abuse it.
 
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cre8id

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I am technically a Baptist, which, as a denomination, has been opposed to any drinking... which I think is unfortunate... because it is not what the Bible teaches.

One response from a pastor who is Reformed (Presbyterian, I believe) is in this article:
Faith Defenders - Alcoholic Beverages In The Bible

I did my own research years ago and was especially concerned about how the words for 'drink', 'strong drink', and 'wine' was used... especially in relation to offerings to the Lord under the Law. I realized that even 'strong drink' (which can be highly fermented and intoxicating) was offered unto the Lord for an offering.

Now, a pig could never be offered as a temple sacrifice unto the Lord. But wine and strong drink were. That should tell you something.

So, occasional moderate drinking is fine, but do not get drunk. But, if it bothers your conscience or the conscience of a 'weaker' brother, as Paul said, you might abstain.
 
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Stabat Mater dolorosa

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If one think so then one accuse our Lord of committing sin which makes absolutely no sense at all.

Second question.

Also the reason not to be drunk is due to the increased chance of committing mortal sin while under influence.

It's like skydiving, if done enough times it will lead to an early death.

Placing oneself in grave danger of sin.
 
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~Anastasia~

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I agree with others here, and pleased to see that as of right now, votes are 100% that it is not a sin.

And certainly it cannot be a sin, because we know Christ would drink wine.

Yet, we do also know that like anything else, it can be abused and become sin.

And of course if one's conscience is weak toward this, or they lack control, or it damages someone else's conscience, etc. - these can all be separate things that might need to be considered, and could introduce other sin ... but the very drinking of alcohol in a controlled manner is not in itself a sin.
 
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SnowyMacie

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One of things that I have noticed when it comes to the subject of alcohol is that your own culture or subculture greatly influences how you view alcohol, which is something that is even brought up in this thread. This question is not of concern to most Christians in the world, in fact, for most of the history of the United States, total abstinence from alcohol was very rarely advocated for or practiced until the 1830s when the Temperance movement began to grow. In other words, for the first 1800 years of Christianity, consumed alcohol as apart of everyday life and nobody except for a few rare people expressed views otherwise. John Wesley was the first predominant Christian to oppose alcoholic consumption, and even then it was only distilled beverage such as whiskey and rum. The widespread movement of complete abstinence in Christiandom from all alcohol started in England in the 1830s.

It was during this time that these movement grew on a more notable scale United States, England, Australia, and New Zealand. These movements gained widespread traction by supporting things like coffee houses (called coffee palaces at the time) and other such places that would replace the functions of bars and hubs, focus on the negative aspects of alcohol, and very much dispense propaganda against alcohol. This is one of the reasons behind public water fountains in the United States being so widespread. These groups, mostly led by the Woman's Christian Temperance Movement the 1879, the head of the Salvation Army noted that "almost every [Protestant] Christian minister has become an abstainer". The United States is where this movement was more popular and most successful. A prohibition law was voted upon, but overwhelmingly shot down in the British parliament in the 1850s, never quite gained full traction, and ultimately by seeing what Prohibition did in the US, the movement died. New Zealand and Australia, which also did not have as much traction in the United States, tried to ease into prohibition through controlling bar hours, but ultimately the movement started to decline when how prohibition failed in the United States.

Prohibition in the United States was a failed experiment from the start, though it did lower alcohol consumption rates. However, the effects of prohibition on culture are still felt to this day, but are slowly dying out. The Temperance Movements and Prohibition changed the way that many Americans viewed drinking as something bad, something more of a vice than just another beverage like coffee or tea. Even after the passing of the 21st amendment, as many as 1/3 of all Americans still favored prohibition, and was still present at the state level until 1966 when Mississippi dropped their laws.

These movements were much more successful and longer lasting in the United States, there was a different drinking culture that developed here and different views on alcohol. It was really only a major phenomenon in America, and most specifically American Protestantism. However, I think the view and culture surrounding alcohol in the United States is slowly changing. People roughly my age are two generations separated from prohibition (our grandparents were likely born after the repeal of it) and much more likely to have gone to see other cultures where alcohol is viewed differently. In many ways, most of us don't really see it as different than coffee or tea, and like most things in life, moderation is everything.
 
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WannaWitness

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I see nothing wrong with it as long as it's responsibly. I myself have a very occasional social drink, and when I do, I don't pick strong ones. I didn't use to, but I am seeing it from a different perspective. The Bible speaks against drunkenness, and one who gets drunk is not a responsible drinker.

Some people have convictions against it completely and totally, and I respect that. Some find it to be a stumbling block, so some are better off abstaining altogether. But others see no problem, and we should all respect one another no matter what our convictions might be, not only on this, but other issues as well. (See Romans 14).
 
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Presbyterian Continuist

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Paul tells Titus to teach the older women not to become addicted to too much wine. He says in Ephesians not to be drunk with win in excess but be drunk with the Spirit. So I agree with those who encourage moderation and not excess. Yet, even though I could have a beer or a wine when I am socialising, I would never do so in front of a believer who believes that drinking is a sin. Paul talks about "weaker believers" who might be encouraged to do something they would consider as sin and their hearts would condemn them. So, although drinking in moderation would not be a sin for me, it might be to another believer who is there with me, so I stick to Coke Zero in those circumstances.
 
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Dave-W

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I cannot vote. Because it is not an either-or situation.

I mean for some people it may be a sin in some situations and not others.
For some people (especially those with a drinking problem) it might be a sin ALL THE TIME.
And it is definitely a sin for anyone if they are already getting drunk.

But if you are not any where near drunk, not going to drive any time soon, and have enough self control with alcohol that you will not start binging, AND God has not specifically told you "NO;" then it is not a sin.

OTOH, if God specifically told you to drink a beer and you DON'T, that would be a sin.
 
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TheSeabass

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1 Peter 4:3 Peter speaks of drinking in three varying degrees from excessive to moderate to small amount and condemns all three within the context. Christians are told to be sober (nepho) 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; etc where nepho means physical abstinence with "ne" a negative meaning no or not and "pho" meaning drink. So nepho literally means "not drink" and is used literally in the verses cited.
 
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Soyeong

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Considering the fact that Jesus drank alcohol, it would be hard to argue that it is a sin. So while the Bible does not prohibit alcohol in general, it does prohibit getting drunk. However, just because something is permissible does not necessarily mean that it is a good idea. I can't tell you how many lives and families have been ruined due to the influence of alcohol without even counting the impact of drunk driving. Pretty much everyone who starts drinking alcohol believes that they can handle it responsibly, but those who actually can are far fewer. And even if you can drink responsibly, if you are drinking with others, then you can influence those who can't drink responsibly to relapse. We should prefer to refrain from using our freedoms if it would cause our brother to stumble.
 
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Big Drew

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I think it's a matter of personal conviction. For me, it's ok...I enjoy a beer or glass of whiskey on occasion...I can have one, and not have another for months. I have 4 beers sitting in my fridge, out of a six pack I bought a month ago...and one of the missing bottles was used in a pot of chili, lol.

Other people may choose to abstain, due to being recovering alcoholics, or for medical reasons or whatever the reason, and that's fine too.

If we are entertaining guests or having dinner out with friends that I know do not partake...out of respect for them, I won't either.

It's not what goes in the mouth that defiles the man, but what comes out...that's my take anyway.
 
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mindlight

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I answered No it is not a sin but need to clarify. It is a sin for me to have a drink ( outside of a communion context) cause I promised God that I would not drink. Also habitually drinking to excess etc is sinful.
 
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prodromos

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1 Peter 4:3 Peter speaks of drinking in three varying degrees from excessive to moderate to small amount and condemns all three within the context. Christians are told to be sober (nepho) 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; etc where nepho means physical abstinence with "ne" a negative meaning no or not and "pho" meaning drink. So nepho literally means "not drink" and is used literally in the verses cited.
Can you please give a link to your source for the etymology of "νήφω", because it sounds like absolute rubbish.
 
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Greyy

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One of things that I have noticed when it comes to the subject of alcohol is that your own culture or subculture greatly influences how you view alcohol, which is something that is even brought up in this thread. This question is not of concern to most Christians in the world, in fact, for most of the history of the United States, total abstinence from alcohol was very rarely advocated for or practiced until the 1830s when the Temperance movement began to grow. In other words, for the first 1800 years of Christianity, consumed alcohol as apart of everyday life and nobody except for a few rare people expressed views otherwise. John Wesley was the first predominant Christian to oppose alcoholic consumption, and even then it was only distilled beverage such as whiskey and rum. The widespread movement of complete abstinence in Christiandom from all alcohol started in England in the 1830s.

It was during this time that these movement grew on a more notable scale United States, England, Australia, and New Zealand. These movements gained widespread traction by supporting things like coffee houses (called coffee palaces at the time) and other such places that would replace the functions of bars and hubs, focus on the negative aspects of alcohol, and very much dispense propaganda against alcohol. This is one of the reasons behind public water fountains in the United States being so widespread. These groups, mostly led by the Woman's Christian Temperance Movement the 1879, the head of the Salvation Army noted that "almost every [Protestant] Christian minister has become an abstainer". The United States is where this movement was more popular and most successful. A prohibition law was voted upon, but overwhelmingly shot down in the British parliament in the 1850s, never quite gained full traction, and ultimately by seeing what Prohibition did in the US, the movement died. New Zealand and Australia, which also did not have as much traction in the United States, tried to ease into prohibition through controlling bar hours, but ultimately the movement started to decline when how prohibition failed in the United States.

Prohibition in the United States was a failed experiment from the start, though it did lower alcohol consumption rates. However, the effects of prohibition on culture are still felt to this day, but are slowly dying out. The Temperance Movements and Prohibition changed the way that many Americans viewed drinking as something bad, something more of a vice than just another beverage like coffee or tea. Even after the passing of the 21st amendment, as many as 1/3 of all Americans still favored prohibition, and was still present at the state level until 1966 when Mississippi dropped their laws.

These movements were much more successful and longer lasting in the United States, there was a different drinking culture that developed here and different views on alcohol. It was really only a major phenomenon in America, and most specifically American Protestantism. However, I think the view and culture surrounding alcohol in the United States is slowly changing. People roughly my age are two generations separated from prohibition (our grandparents were likely born after the repeal of it) and much more likely to have gone to see other cultures where alcohol is viewed differently. In many ways, most of us don't really see it as different than coffee or tea, and like most things in life, moderation is everything.

Prohibition started because throughout history Christians drank alcohol on a regular basis. People are told when visiting Mexico not to drink the water. This is because tap water in Mexico is not sanitized like it is in the United States, meaning it can be a harmful source of bacteria. When farms and cities offered water historically, it was untreated and quite dangerous. Thus, alcoholic beverages were an important source of water, calories, and vitamins.

The problem was that people went from drinking low alcoholic drinks to harder ones. People in the 1800s drank a LOT of booze throughout the day compared to us today. People in Italy may have had a glass of wine or two with meals, but Americans were starting the day with rum and whisky.

I enjoy my booze, but it is important to remember that American had a problem with alcohol that led to prohibition.
 
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TheSeabass

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Can you please give a link to your source for the etymology of "νήφω", because it sounds like absolute rubbish.

Our English words nephalism and nephalist are derived from this Greek word.
Nephalism: teetotalism; abstinence from alcohol

nephalist - Wiktionary
nephalism

Various Greek authorities on the word nepho:
The Complete Biblical Library - nepho literally means “drink no wine”
Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words - “to be free from the influence of intoxicants.”
The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament - opposite of intoxication
Liddell and Scott’s Lexicon - “to be sober, to live soberly, especially to drink no wine.”
Stephanus’s Thesaurus - “he who abstains from wine.”
Bretschneider - “I am sober, I abstain from wine.”
The Greek Dictionary of Byzantius - “one who does not drink wine.”
The Greek-French Lexicon - “abstinence from wine, sobriety.”
Robinson’s New Testament Lexicon - “to be sober, temperate, abstinent, especially in respect to wine.”
Younge’s English and Greek Lexicon - “without wine.”
Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries - “to abstain from wine, keep sober.”
Drink No Wine | Battle Creek Church of Christ

Patristic Greek Lexicon - “be temperate, drink no wine.”
Donnegan - “to live abstemiously, to abstain from wine;”
Wine in the Bible (unabridged) by Samuele Bacchiocchi | Bible | Wine
 
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