Is it a Sin to Drink Alcohol?

One subject of heavy debate is whether it is a sin to drink alcohol and at what limit it becomes sinful. One common argument comes from the wedding mentioned in the Gospel of John. During the wedding, Jesus performs the miracle of water to wine (John 2:1-12). Some argue the wine was nonalcoholic; however, in John 2:10, we read: "and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now," (John 2:10 NASB1995). The passage states the people had "drunk freely" or "were drunk". In fact, the original Greek word "μεθυσθῶσιν" specifically refers to intoxication. As Ellicot writes: "When men have well drunk.—The same Greek word is used in the LXX. in Genesis 43:34, and rendered in the Authorised version “were merry;” but its general use in the Old Testament, as in classical writers, and its invariable use in the New Testament ... is to express the state of drunkenness," (Ellicot).

In 1 Timothy, Paul also recommends wine to help Timothy's pain: " No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments," (1 Timothy 5:23 NASB1995). One scholar writes on this passage: "Wine was often helpful in setting stomachs and preventing dysentery..." (Keener 612).

Now it is important to remember that drunkness is a sin. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God," (Galatians 5:19-21 KJV).

In this list that Paul provides, he notes that drunkness is sinful. This is to say, if one drinks, it must not become drunkness. If drinking controls their mind, they have fallen into drunkenness (1 Peter 5:8). As Paul says: "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit," (Ephesians 5:18 NASB1995).

Works Cited:

Ellicott's Bible Commentary, Volume 1. N.p., Delmarva Publications, Inc., 2015.

Image by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Keener, Craig S.. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. United Kingdom, InterVarsity Press, 2014.