Alcoholism I. Introduction A. Let us spend some time examining a great social evil that has caused the ruin of many a family B. The consumption of alcohol C. Alcohol, and particularly its high use and abuse, has led to destroyed lives and lead to all sorts of problems 1. In the short term, there is drunk driving; 30% of weekday and 51% of weekend fatal crashes are alcohol-related (source: MADD) 2. 40% of all crimes are committed while under the influence of alcohol 3. In the long term, addiction to alcohol leads to financial ruin, divorce or a very unhappy home life, and can lead to the cirrhosis of the liver and death D. Alcohol is a poison, both literally and to our society E. What about the Christian and alcohol? 1. What kinds of alcohol are there? 2. What does the Bible say about alcohol? 3. What should we as twenty-first century Christians do about alcohol? F. Let us consider these matters now II. Types of Alcohol/Why People Drink A. To begin, let us consider the various types of alcoholic beverage out there and why people consume them B. Wine 1. One of the most ancient and popular alcoholic beverages, wine represents fermented grape juice 2. We will have much to say about wine since the Bible speaks often regarding it C. Beer 1. Another ancient and very popular beverage is beer 2. Popular in ancient Egypt but not mentioned by itself in the Bible D. Other spirits 1. Wine and beer, at least, have moderate alcoholic content 2. There are plenty of other liquors, however, that have a far higher alcoholic content and by in large, they are designed to drink to give a buzz or to get someone drunk 3. Vodka, gin, whisky, scotch, brandy, and many other alcoholic drinks fit into this category E. Why drink? 1. It is good to consider the motivations that people have in consuming alcohol 2. Why do people drink? F. Social event 1. Many people drink at social events or consider it a social event to go out and drink 2. People will frequent dinner parties or bars and consume alcohol 3. Many times they will intend to get drunk and "feel good" G. Escapism 1. Many people drink in order to escape from negative realities in life 2. Alcohol has a numbing effect, and many people crave that when things are bad H. Habit/Addiction 1. A great number drink out of habit and many others because they have become addicted to the consumption of alcohol 2. It may not matter how much money is lost, how no family is left, how life will end...they just continue to drink I. Many other reasons may exist, but these represent the majority view III. The Bible on Drinking A. Let there be no question about it: the Bible condemns drunkenness and addiction to alcohol 1. Galatians 5:19-21, Luke 21:34, Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 6:10, Ephesians 5:18, and 1 Peter 4:3 all attest to the condemnation of drunkenness 2. Many a person has made the bottle their idol, and worship it constantly 3. College students often spend four years of their lives in drunken hazes 4. How many are there who have blood on their hands because they drove drunk? B. The Bible is wise in this legislation 1. Drunkenness comes with terrible consequences 2. Lives are ruined when people worship the bottle 3. Women in particular often will get drunk and make unwise sexual choices they would not make sober 4. None of this even addresses the hangover that is often felt the next morning! 5. The best way to avoid these evils is to avoid alcohol! C. What about drinking without getting drunk? Let us consider the matter D. The Bible does indicate that wine in particular was consumed throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and the consumption of that wine was not inherently condemned 1. As to non-wine alcoholic beverages: the Old Testament speaks of "strong drink," which itself is not like our spirits but more like wines made from palm, date, honey, or pomegranate, fermented cider, and beer; such was not to be consumed by Nazirites nor by priests going into the presence of God, but otherwise does not seem to be legislated (Leviticus 10:9, Judges 13:4), and the New Testament shows no indication of it even being consumed 2. As to wine, let us speak of it in particular in its New Testament context 3. Wine is spoken of constantly, and while the Greek word oinos can refer to either fermented or unfermented grape juice, cultural conditions and primacy of meaning demand that we consider the word to refer to actual alcoholic wine unless otherwise indicated 4. Furthermore, passages like 1 Timothy 3:8, "not given over to much wine," makes little sense if oinos only refers to grape juice 5. Matthew 9:17, Matthew 11:19, John 2:1-10, Romans 14:21, and 1 Timothy 5:23 indicate that wine was consumed by Jesus and the Apostles and others in the New Testament 6. The Bible, therefore, does not condemn any consumption of alcohol; it does explicitly condemn the abuse of alcohol and any intent to abuse alcohol, but not alcohol itself E. Understanding the Purpose and Nature of Biblical Wine 1. Before we begin applying Biblical principles to our situation today, it is good to consider the purpose and nature of Biblical wine 2. Wine was the popular beverage consumed by pretty much everyone throughout Greek and Roman culture; the alcohol present in wine cleaned out the water from its many impurities 3. It was barbaric to consume straight wine in the New Testament world; it was normally cut with water, generally between 3 or 4 parts water for 1 part of wine 4. The cutting of wine with water demonstrates the reason for the wine in particular, cleaning out the water, and had no social stigma since all consumed it for that reason 5. Yes, many ancients drank wine to get drunk, and did so often; nevertheless, we can be confident that Jesus, the Apostles, and other New Testament Christians would have consumed the ancient, cut wine since it was the common beverage and cleansed the water F. Having seen such things, let us see how we as 21st century Christians should approach alcohol IV. What Should We Do With Alcohol? A. We have seen that the Bible condemns drunkenness, although we also have seen that the Bible allowed for the consumption of cut ancient wine B. What should we say about what we should do with alcohol? C. We can first establish what makes any consumption of alcohol sinful today 1. Anyone under 21 consuming alcohol is sinning, since such is against the law (Romans 13:1-7) 2. Anyone consuming alcohol in front of his brother when he knows that his brother has a difficulty with that alcohol consumption, or engaging in alcohol and in so doing searing the conscience of a brother is also sin (Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8) 3. In these circumstances, any alcohol consumption is Biblically determined as sin D. As to "moderate" alcohol consumption in general, we can establish without a doubt that it is indeed not profitable for any Christian to drink (1 Corinthians 10:23) 1. We can do this by examining the Biblical purpose and nature of wine with our own 2. In the Bible, wine was consumed, cut with water, to cleanse the water; we in America have clean water and other beverage options that are not wine but are still clean and refreshing (i.e., pop, juices, coffee, tea, etc.) 3. In the Bible, wines were cut with water so that, in the end, alcohol content was roughly 2.5% to 4% by volume, and the presence of water cut the alcohol's absorption more than if it were not cut; today, wines are not cut and generally have alcohol content of 12% to 14% by volume 4. Therefore, you would have needed to consume at least 3 or 4 times more ancient wine to have the same effect as modern wine! 5. The ancient world likewise had no knowledge of the hard liquors of today, and such have such high alcohol contents that very little is necessary to render one drunk! E. Since there is no need in any way, then, to consume alcoholic beverages today, we can say assuredly that they are not profitable for the Christian and are to be avoided 1. The health benefits that some point to can be achieved with grape juice! 2. Alcohol represents a poison to the body; why would you want to poison your body? 3. Each person is different; some people get drunk with only one glass of an alcoholic beverage. How can you know your personal line unless you have crossed it, and thus have sinned? 4. Consider the evils of alcohol and how many lives they have destroyed. Few are those in America who has no experience with an alcoholic either in their family or in their friend group! 5. Therefore, there is no reason to drink alcohol at all. It is an evil to be greatly avoided! F. Let us strive, then, to avoid alcohol in our lives V. Conclusion A. We have examined the nature of alcohol today B. We have seen different kinds of alcohol and why people drink C. We have seen that the Bible categorically condemns drunkenness D. We have seen that while the Bible does provide examples of people consuming alcoholic wine, it is not profitable for us today to do so, since the reasons behind their wine consumption are no longer necessary and their wine was far weaker than our own E. Let us, then, avoid alcohol F. Invitation/songbook G. If you are not a Christian, we would urge you to consider your position before God and come to Him today in obedient faith H. If you are a Christian, and need to make your life right with God, or simply need encouragement, we would also encourage you today to come to Him I. However we can assist you, let us do so; come to the front while we stand and sing