Wine can indeed, as Scripture states, be a mocker. But is it solidly wrong to sip the stuff? Here’s a little Biblical study on the subject.
Some Christians insist that when Jesus turned water into wine, and when Paul said “drink a little wine for your stomach” (1 Timothy 5:23) the wine referred to must have been grape juice and wasn’t alcoholic. Jesus would never make alcoholic wine for a party, they say. I disagree, and some of you are likely to be gasping and hitting that little “x” in the top corner at this point…
If New Testament wine were only grape juice, how could anyone get drunk on it? Paul said:
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery…” (Ephesians 5:18).
Why should a deacon “not indulge in much wine” (1 Timothy 3:8) if wine is only grape juice? How could wine be used as an effective metaphor for Mystery Babylon’s intoxications if it’s only non-alcoholic grape juice (Revelation 18:3)? How can you offend anyone by drinking grape juice (Romans 14:21)?
The Greek word used to describe Miss Babylon’s wine and that which Paul warned deacons about is the same word used to describe what Jesus made out of water at a wedding feast (John chapter 2)… and he made plenty of it. It was also used to describe what would be good for Timothy’s health in small doses (1 Timothy 5:23).
There are fearful Christians who think that if a drop of alcohol passes your lips, you will become an alcoholic. We don’t all have that weakness, but for some it’s a good warning. If you don’t have a drink, you won’t get drunk. And if you don’t get drunk (Ephesians 5:18) you won’t turn into a drunkard and you won’t get addicted to wine (Titus 2:3). However, it’s the “drunkard” part which leads to ungodliness, a denial of faith, offended people and separation from God (1 Corinthians 6:10; Galatians 5:21).
If you don’t touch wine in the first place you can’t become a drunkard. However:
“Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves” (Romans 14:22).
That’s not a license to get drunk, it’s a license to freedom and enjoyment, in close association with godly self-control.
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