Living in the Spirit

Be Not Drunk with Wine--Part 2

by

John MacArthur
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1ntroduction A. The Topic Ephesians 5:18a describes the topic of drinking and drunkenness. It raises the crucial question of whether a Christian should drink alcoholic be erages. E en though it gi es a direct co!!and against drunkenness" it does not sa# that Christians should totall# abstain fro! drinking alcohol. $ot surprisingl#" A!erican societ# has a se ere drinking proble!. It is proud" self%indulgent" and pleasure% !ad" hence filled with guilt" an&iet#" and depression. 'eople tr# both to li e it up and forget it all b# drinking. (trangel# howe er" !an# Christians" who b# definition are supposed to be !eek" selfless" and filled with the )o# of the *ord" seek their co!fort fro! a liquor bottle. +. The Trouble A sur e# showed that 81, of all -o!an Catholics and ./, of all 'rotestants drink alcoholic be erages. The sub)ect of drinking is an i!portant issue in the church. There is !uch discussion and confusion o er the issue. (o!e people sa# a Christian should not drink at all because it is sin and absolutel# forbidden in (cripture. 0thers sa# a Christian can drink in !oderation" especiall# since the +ible indicates belie ers drank wine. (o!e Christians go to dinner and wouldn1t think of ordering wine while others order wine first and think about dinner later. I1 e !et certain !issionaries who ha e instructed !e to sta# in a particular place because the wine is better there. I1 e also !et others !issionaries who ha e ne er consu!ed an# alcohol. There is !uch concern about whether drinking is an e!ble! of #our spiritualit#" but spiritualit# isn1t a !atter of what #ou drink%% it1s who #ou are2 3hat #ou do in #our life is si!pl# a !anifestation of who #ou reall# are inside. 1. The conde!nation of drunkenness 4runkenness is forbidden in (cripture. It is a sin. a5 4runkenness disallowed 615 -o!ans 17:17%%8*et us walk honestl#" as in the da#9 not in re eling and drunkenness.8 6:5 ;alatians 5:1<%:1%%8The works of the flesh are !anifest" which are these: adulter#" fornication" uncleanness" lasci iousness" idolatr#" sorcer#" hatred" strife" )ealous#" wrath" factions" seditions" heresies"

en #ings" !urders" drunkenness" re elings" and the like9 of which I tell #ou before" as I ha e also told #ou in past ti!e" that the# who do such things shall not inherit the kingdo! of ;od.8 675 1 Corinthians .:<%1=%%8>now #e not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdo! of ;od? +e not decei ed: neither fornicators" nor idolators" nor adulterers" nor effe!inate" nor abusers of the!sel es with !ankind" nor thie es" not co etous" nor drunkards" nor re ilers" nor e&tortioners" shall inherit the kingdo! of ;od.8 6/5 1 'eter /:7%%8The ti!e past of our life !a# suffice us ... when we walked in lasci iousness" lusts" e&cess of wine" re elings" carousings.8 That kind of life%st#le is part of the darkness of the past. 655 1 Thessalonians 5:.%@%%8*et us not sleep" as do others" but let us watch and be sober%!inded. Aor the# that sleep sleep in the night9 and the# that are drunk are drunk in the night.8 4runkenness is a part of the life%st#le fro! which !an# belie ers ha e co!e. +ut the# ha e entered into a relationship with Besus Christ" and drunkenness is not allowed. The +ible sternl# warns against drunkenness. A belie er is forbidden to be habituall# drunk. b5 4runkenness defined 3hat does drunkenness !ean? It is the point at which alcohol takes o er an# part of #our faculties. There are ar#ing degrees of drunkenness and I don1t profess to know where that fine line is for e er#one" but whene er #ou #ield control of #our senses to alcohol" #ou ha e beco!e drunk. c5 4runkenness described 615 'ro erbs :=:1%%83ine is a !ocker" strong drink is raging" and whosoe er is decei ed thereb# is not wise.8 A person who beco!es drunk is a fool. Ce !a# think the wine is doing so!ething good for hi!" but it is !ocking in e er# wa#. 6:5 'ro erbs :7::=%:1" :<%75%%8+e not a!ong winebibbers" a!ong gluttonous eaters of flesh9 for the drunkard and the glutton shall co!e to po ert#" and drowsiness shall clothe a !an with rags.... 3ho hath woe? 3ho hath sorrow? 3ho hath contentions? 3ho hath babbling? 3ho hath wounds without cause? 3ho hath redness of e#es? The# that tarr# long at the wine9 the# that go to seek !i&ed wine. *ook not thou upon the wine when it is red" when it gi eth its color in the cup" when it !o eth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent" and stingeth like an adder. Thine e#es shall behold strange things" and thine heart shall utter per erse things. Dea" thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the !idst of the sea" or as he that lieth upon the top of a !ast. The# ha e stricken !e" shalt thou sa#" and I was not sick9 the# ha e beaten !e" and I felt it not. 3hen shall I awake? I will seek it #et again.8 A person who beco!es an alcoholic winds up in utter ruin. I1 e preached !an# ti!es in skid%row !issions and ha e seen !an# !en clothed in rags because of their drunkenness. 4rinking is such a decei er. It does not produce a !an of distinction" as societ# portra#s" but onl# rags and e!ptiness. The !ost a!aEing thing about this description of drunkenness is in erse 75: 8I will seek it #et again.8 After all the trouble of drunkenness" people will turn right around and get drunk again. 0ld Testa!ent co!!entator AranE 4elitEsch said" 8The author passes fro! the sin of uncleanness F . :.%:8 warn about the harlot and the adulteressG to that of drunkenness9 the# are nearl# related" for drunkenness e&cites fleshl# lust9 and to wallow with delight in the !ire of sensualit#" a !an" created in the i!age of ;od" !ust first brutaliEe hi!self b# into&ication8 6+iblical Co!!entar# on the 'ro erbs of (olo!on" ol. : F;rand -apids: Eerd!ans" 1<@= reprintG" p. 1:=5. 675 Isaiah 5:11%%83oe unto the! who rise up earl# in the !orning" that the# !a# follow strong drink9 who continue until night" till wine infla!es the!28 0ne of the characteristics of an alcoholic is that he starts drinking in the !orning and continues to drink all night. d5 4runkenness denounced

615 Isaiah :8:@%8%%In a strong indict!ent of Ephrai!" Isaiah said" 8The# also ha e erred through wine" and through strong drink are out of the wa#. The priest and the prophet ha e erred through strong drink9 the# are swallowed up of wine" the# are out of the wa# through strong drink" the# err in ision" the# stu!ble in )udge!ent. Aor all tables are full of o!it and filthiness" so that there is no place clean.8 'riests were forbidden to drink while the# !inistered 6*e . 1=:<5 because the# represented ;od on earth and if the# beca!e drunk" the# could easil# !is)udge or !isrepresent ;od. These priests had !ade state!ents that were not true and had gi en the people wrong )udg!ents" leading the! astra#. Herse 8 sa#s the# were e en o!iting right in the place where the# drank. It is no wonder that ;od se erel# )udged the!. 6:5 Isaiah 5.:11%1:%%In indicting the watch!en of Israel" Isaiah said" 8The# are greed# dogs that can ne er ha e enough" and the# are shepherds that cannot understand9 the# all look to their own wa#" e er# one for his gain" fro! his quarter. Co!e" sa# the#" I will fetch wine" and we will fill oursel es with strong drink" and to!orrow shall be as this da#" and !uch !ore abundant.8 These watch!en were supposed to be caring for the people of Israel" #et the# re!ained drunk. ;od in turn se erel# indicted the!" as he does an#one in a position of spiritual responsibilit# who negates it b# beco!ing drunk. 675 Cosea /:11%%8Carlotr# and wine and new wine take awa# the heart.8 Ian# ti!es in (cripture" drinking is linked with prostitution. ;od forbids drunkenness. Jnder no circu!stances is a belie er to #ield control of his faculties to the e ils of alcohol. All belie ers ha e a spiritual responsibilit# to represent ;od in the best wa# possible. An# act of drunkenness" no !atter how !ini!al" iolates ;od1s standard of being controlled b# the (pirit of ;od. :. The co!!endation of drinking 4runkenness is directl# forbidden b# ;od" #et wine itself is co!!ended in (cripture. a5 E&odus :<:7<%/=%%Ioses co!!anded the children of Israel to offer one la!b in the !orning 8and the other la!b thou shalt offer at e ening: and with the one la!b a tenth part of flour !i&ed with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil9 and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering8 6cf. *e . :7:175. Although this wine offering was not for drinking" it was poured out to ;od as a libation. b5 1 Chronicles <::<%%(o!e 8were appointed to o ersee the essels" and all the essels of the sanctuar#" and the fine flour" and the wine" and the oil" and the frankincense" and the spices.8 It is likel# the# kept a suppl# of wine in the Te!ple for drink offerings. c5 'sal! 1=/:15%%The psal!ist said that wine 8!aketh glad the heart of !an8 6cf. Budges <:175. d5 Isaiah 55:1%%Isaiah said" 8E er# one that thirsteth" co!e to the waters" and he that hath no !one#9 co!e" bu# and eat9 #ea" co!e" bu# wine and !ilk without !one# and without price.8 3ine here is equated with sal ation. e5 Bohn 17::.%%Besus dipped a piece of bread in wine" the two ele!ents of the *ord1s (upper 6cf. 1 Cor. 11::7% :.5. f5 1 Ti!oth# 5::7%%'aul told Ti!oth#" 84rink no longer water" but use a little wine for th# sto!ach1s sake and th# frequent infir!ities.8 g5 *uke 1=:7/%%3hen the ;ood (a!aritan found a beaten !an on the side of the road" he 8went to hi!" and bound up his wounds" pouring in oil and wine" and set hi! on his own beast" and brought hi! to an inn" and took care of hi!.8 h5 'ro erbs 71:.%@%%>ing *e!uel said" 8;i e strong drink unto hi! that is read# to perish" and wine unto those that are of hea # hearts. *et hi! drink" and forget his po ert#" and re!e!ber his !iser# no !ore.8 3hen so!eone is sick and about to die" (cripture sa#s gi e hi! wine as a sedati e to ease his pain.

4rinking is seen in (cripture as a possible destro#er of hu!an life but is also seen as an acceptable and so!eti!es e en co!!endable act. *ike !an# other things" wine has a potential for good and e il. (hould a Christian drink alcoholic be erages? 4oes the +ible sa# an#thing to help answer this crucial question? The +ible does not forbid drinking wine" but it does gi e certain principles to deter!ine how to deal with this issue. The following are eight checkpoints to ask #ourself if #ou" as a Christian" should drink alcoholic be erages. -2* )2R13-1AN43 W1N* 5136uestion 7$: Is drinking wine toda# the sa!e as in +ible ti!es? Christians who drink point out that wine was co!!ended in the +ible and assu!e it is therefore acceptable toda#. If drinking in biblical ti!es is to be used as the basis for drinking toda#" the wine toda# should be the sa!e as the wine used then. This deser es careful anal#sis. A. The +iblical 3ords for 3ine 1. 0inosKDa#in The !ost co!!on word in the $ew Testa!ent for wine is the ;reek word oinos. It is a general word that si!pl# refers to the fer!ented )uice of the grape. The 0ld Testa!ent equi alent to the ;reek word oinos is #a#in" the root of which !eans to 8bubble up8 or 8boil up.8 The 1<=1 Bewish Enc#clopedia 6 ol. 1:" p. 5775 states that #a#in" at least in the rabbinic period" was diluted with water. :. ;leukosKTirosh The ;reek word gleukos%%fro! which we get the English word glucose" !eans 8new wine.8 It is used in Acts ::17 to refer to the apostles on the da# of 'entecost. It sa#s the# were 8full of new wine.8 Although it was co!parati el# fresh and not #et full# aged" it was potentiall# into&icating. The !ockers in in Acts ::17 were accusing the apostles of being drunk. The 0ld Testa!ent word for new wine is tirosh. Cosea /:11 sa#s 8wine F#a#inG and new wine FtiroshG take awa# the heart.8 4runkenness is the result of drinking this new wine. 7. (ikeraK(hakar The 0ld Testa!ent word for strong drink is shakar" a ter! that e entuall# beca!e restricted to into&icants other than wine. According to the 1<=1 Bewish Enc#clopedia" it refers to un!i&ed wine. The $ew Testa!ent equi alent is the ;reek word sikera. +. The Cistorical 4ata -egarding 3ine 1. Jnfer!ented wine +ecause of refrigeration proble!s in ancient ti!es" wine was often boiled until the liquid e aporated" lea ing behind a thick" uninto&icating paste that stored well. It was so!ewhat si!ilar to !odern grape )ell#. The people would spread it on bread like a )a!" and so!e still do toda# in the Iiddle East. a5 'lin# the Elder%%This -o!an historian in his $atural Cistories said such wine could last as long as ten #ears. Ce wrote of wine that had the consistenc# of hone#. b5 Corace%%This *atin poet wrote in his 0des of uninto&icating wine" that he reco!!ended quaffing under the shade 6I:185. c5 'lutarch%%This ;reek essa#ist wrote in his Ioralia that filtered wine neither infla!es the brain nor infects the !ind and the passions" and is !uch !ore pleasant to drink. Ce liked the kind of wine with no alcoholic content.

d5 Aristotle%%This ;reek philosopher spoke of wine that was so thick" it was necessar# to scrape it fro! the skins it was stored in and to dissol e the scrapings in water.8 e5 Hirgil%%This *atin writer spoke of the necessit# of boiling down wine. f5 Co!er%%The celebrated bard" in the ninth book of The 0d#sse# tells of Jl#sses" who took with hi! in his isit to the C#clops a goatskin of sweet" black wine that needed to be diluted with twent# parts of water before being consu!ed as a be erage. g5 Colu!ella%%This *atin agrono!ist" a conte!porar# of the apostles" wrote that it was co!!on in Ital# and ;reece to boil wine. That would not ha e been done if the# had wanted to preser e the alcoholic content. h5 Archbishop 'otter%%Archbishop 'otter" born in 1.@/" wrote in his ;recian Antiquities wrote to boil down their wines and then drink the! four #ears later 6Edinburg" 1817" ol. :" p. 7.=5. Ce also refers to 4e!ocritus" a celebrated philosopher" and 'alladius" a ;reek ph#sician" as !aking si!ilar state!ents concerning wine at that ti!e. These ancient authorities referred to the boiled )uice of the grape as wine. i5 'rofessor 4ono an%%4ono an in his +ible Co!!entar# said" 8In order to preser e their wines ... the -o!ans concentrated the !ust or grape )uice" of which the# were !ade" b# e aporation" either spontaneous in the air or o er a fire" so as to render the! thick and s#rup#8 6p. :<55. )5 The Tal!ud%%The Tal!ud" the codification of Bewish law" !entions repeatedl# that the Bews were in the habit of using boiled wine 6e.g." 1Erabin :<a5. k5 3. ;. +rown%%+rown" who tra eled e&tensi el# in Africa" Eg#pt" and Asia fro! 1@<: to 1@<8 said that the wines of (#ria are !ostl# prepared b# boiling i!!ediatel# after the# are pressed fro! the grape until the# are considerabl# reduced in quantit#" when the# are then put into bottles and preser ed for use. l5 Caspar $eu!ann%%4r. $eu!ann" 'rofessor of Che!istr# in +erlin" 1@<5" said" 8It is obser able that when sweet )uices are boiled down to a thick consistenc#" the# not onl# do not fer!ent in that state" but are not easil# brought into fer!entation when diluted with as !uch water as the# had lost in the e aporation" or e en with the er# indi idual water that e&haled fro! the!8 6$ott" *ondon edition" p. 815. The wine e identl# lost !uch of its into&icating properties after being reconstituted. !5 4r. A. -ussell%%-ussell" in his $atural Cistor# of Aleppo 6*ondon: ;.;. and B. -obinson" 1@</5" said that the concentrated wine )uice" called 8dibbs"8 was brought to the cit# in skins and sold in the public !arkets. Ce said it had the appearance of a coarse hone#. The wine that was consu!ed in biblical ti!es was not what we know as wine toda#. It was !ore of a concentrated grape )uice with its into&icating properties basicall# re!o ed. Dou cannot defend wine%drinking toda# on the basis of wine%drinking in +ible ti!es because the two are totall# different. :. Aer!ented wine a5 The procedure 3ine stored as a liquid" howe er" would fer!ent. 'rofessor -obert (tein" in his 83ine%drinking in $ew Testa!ent Ti!es8 6Christianit# Toda#" := Bune 1<@5: <%115" tells us liquid wine was stored in large )ugs called a!phorae. The pure" un!i&ed wine would be drawn out of these )ugs and poured into large bowls called kraters" where it was !i&ed with water. Aro! these kraters" it would then be poured into k#li&" or cups. 3ine would ne er be ser ed directl# fro! the a!phora without first being !i&ed. And according to other historical data on this period" the !i&ture could be as high as a :=:1 ratio or lower than 1:1. b5 The perception 4rinking un!i&ed wine was looked upon b# ;reek culture as barbaric. (tein quotes Inesitheus of Athens as sa#ing" 8The gods ha e re ealed wine to !ortals" to be the greatest blessing for those who use it aright" but for those who use it without !easure" the re erse. Aor it gi es food to the! that take it and strength in !ind

and bod#. In !edicine it is !ost beneficial9 it can be !i&ed with liquid and drugs and it brings aid to the wounded. In dail# intercourse" to those who !i& and drink it !oderatel#" it gi es good cheer9 but if #ou o erstep the bounds" it brings iolence. Ii& it half and half" and #ou get !adness9 un!i&ed" bodil# collapse.8 As a be erage" wine was alwa#s thought of as a !i&ed drink in ;reek culture. The ratio of water !ight ha e aried but onl# barbarians drank it un!i&ed. (tein cites patristic writings that show the earl# church ser ed !i&ed wine. c5 The present +eer has appro&i!atel# /, alcohol" wine <%11," brand# 15% :=," and hard liquor /=%5=, 68=%1== proof5. (o" un!i&ed wine in biblical ti!es !easured at appro&i!atel# <%11,. Ii&ed wine" at a 7:1 ratio" would therefore be between :.:5% to%:.@5,. +# toda#1s standards" a drink has to e&ceed 7.:, to be considered an alcoholic be erage. The wine the# consu!ed was either co!pletel# non%alcoholic or sub% alcoholic b# toda#1s standards. To beco!e drunk with wine in those da#s #ou would ha e to drink all da#. That is wh# the +ible co!!ands elders in the church not to be addicted to !uch wine 61 Ti!. 7:75. 3ith such a low alcoholic content" #ou would ha e to purpose to beco!e drunk. (o" is drinking wine toda# the sa!e as in +ible ti!es? $o. 6uestion 72: Is drinking wine necessar#? +ecause of the lack of fresh water" it was often necessar# to drink wine in biblical ti!es. That is so!eti!es the case toda#. If #ou were in a countr# and wine was all there was and #ou were d#ing of thirst" #ou would take whate er was a ailable. A. The 'ast $ecessit# In the $ew Testa!ent" the *ord produced wine and spoke about drinking wine 6Bohn ::1%119 Iatt. :.::.%:<5. In the 0ld Testa!ent as in the $ew" wine was used out of necessit#. This was in a da# and age when all the# had to drink apart fro! wine was fruit )uice" !ilk" and water. 4ue to a lack of refrigeration" e en wine !i&ed fro! the s#rup base" if left standing long enough" could fer!ent. These people had little choice in deciding what to drink. +. The 'resent 'reference Toda# #ou can go to a super!arket and the ariet# of non% alcoholic be erages is see!ingl# endless. Ian# parts of the world ha e an al!ost unli!ited access to running water. 4rinking wine is rarel# a necessit# toda#. It is a preference" not a necessit#. 'erhaps #ou1re afraid #our host would be offended if #ou refused their wine. +ut if a group of #our friends got together at a part# and all decided to scratch behind the left ear" would #ou scratch behind #our left ear because #ou wanted to feel a part of the group? If e er#one on #our block decided not to use deodorant" would #ou )oin in? That is essentiall# the sa!e kind of reasoning. If for so!e reason #ou were in a situation and where wine was all #ou had a ailable" #ou would ha e little choice but to drink it. Dou would deal with it as a necessit#. +ut in our societ#" drinking alcohol is si!pl# and onl# a preference. 8ocusing on the 8acts 1. Ephesians 5:18 describes the topic of LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL and LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL 6see p. 15. :.True or Aalse: Ian# Christians" who b# definition are supposed to be !eek" selfless" and filled with the )o# of the *ord" seek their co!fort fro! a liquor bottle 6see p. 15. 7.3hat should #our spiritualit# be based on 6see p. 15? /.Is drunkenness forbidden in (cripture? (upport #our answer 6see pp. 1%:5.

5.3hat is the definition of drunkenness 6see p. :5? ..An# act of LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" no !atter how !ini!al" iolates ;od1s standard of being controlled b# the (pirit of ;od 6see p. /5. @.True or Aalse: 4runkenness is directl# forbidden b# ;od" but drinking wine is co!!ended in (cripture 6see p. /5. 8.Cow is the sub)ect of drinking seen in (cripture 6see p. 55? <.3hat criterion !ust be !et if drinking in biblical ti!es is to be sufficient reason for drinking toda# 6see pp. 5%.5? 1=.*ist the different words used for wine in the +ible and e&plain each 6see p. .5. 11.3hat is the difference between !i&ed and un!i&ed wine 6see p. @5? 1:.3hat was the difference between wine stored as a solid and wine stored as a liquid 6see p. 85? 17.Cow was drinking un!i&ed wine looked upon in ;reek culture? In the earl# church 6see p. <5? 1/.3hat was the appro&i!ate alcoholic content of wine during biblical ti!es 6see p. <5? 15.Is drinking wine necessar# toda# 6see p. 1=5? 1..In our societ#" drinking alcohol is LLLLLLLLLLLLL and LLLLLLL a preference 6see p. 1=5. Pondering the Princi!les 1.The wine spoken of in +ible ti!es is the not the sa!e as the wine of toda#. 3ine toda# is not !i&ed with water and can be er# into&icating. The wine people !ostl# drank during +ible ti!es was !i&ed with generous a!ounts of water and was largel# uninto&icating. Ca e #ou considered those principles in deciding whether to drink alcoholic be erages? The +ible gi es e&a!ples of people in positions of spiritual responsibilit# who abstained fro! alcohol. (tud# the following passages and ask ;od to !ake it clear to #ou whether #ou should abstain fro! alcoholic be erages: *e iticus 1=:8%11" Budges 17:7%/" and *uke 1:1/%15. :.The +ible conde!ns drunkenness but also co!!ends the occasional use of wine. Cowe er" there is one instance apart fro! drunkenness when drinking is forbidden when it causes a fellow belie er to stu!ble 6-o!. 1/::1%:79 1 Cor. 8:<%175. Are #ou using #our Christian libert# to drink wine but at the sa!e ti!e causing a brother to stu!ble? E aluate #our actions with the preceding passages and deter!ine if #ou are causing an#one to stu!ble.