Lesson 43 How Should Christians View Alcohol?
[Image:] Alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages sitting on a counter at a gathering.
Around the world, people have different opinions about alcohol. Some enjoy sharing an occasional drink with friends. Others choose not to drink at all. Still others drink to the point of getting drunk. What is the Bible’s view of alcohol?
1. Is it wrong to drink alcoholic beverages?
The Bible does not condemn drinking alcohol. On the contrary, when listing many gifts that God has given us, the Bible includes “wine that makes man’s heart rejoice.” (Psalm 104: 14 and 15)
[Quotation] Psalm 104:14 and 15: He is making grass grow for the cattle And vegetation for mankind’s use, To grow food from the land And wine that makes man’s heart rejoice, Oil that makes the face shine, And bread that sustains the heart of mortal man. [End Quotation]
Some faithful men and women mentioned in the Bible drank alcoholic beverages. (1 Timothy 5:23)
[Quotation] 1 Timothy 5:23: Do not drink water any longer, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent cases of sickness. [End Quotation]
2. What advice does the Bible give to those who choose to drink?
Jehovah condemns heavy drinking and drunkenness. (Galatians 5:21)
[Quotation] Galatians 5:21: envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom. [End Quotation]
His Word says: “Do not be among those who drink too much wine.” (Proverbs 23:20)
[Quotation] Proverbs 23:20: Do not be among those who drink too much wine, Among those who gorge themselves on meat, [End Quotation]
So if we choose to drink, even in private, we should not drink so much that we cannot think clearly, control our speech and actions, or maintain our physical health. If we cannot control our drinking, we should be willing to stop drinking altogether.
3. How can we respect the decisions of others regarding alcohol?
Each person must decide whether to drink alcoholic beverages. We should not judge someone who chooses to drink alcohol in moderation, and we should not pressure someone to drink who does not want to. (Romans 14:10)
[Quotation] Romans 14:10: But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you also look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. [End Quotation]
We choose not to drink if our drinking could cause problems for others. (Read Romans 14:21.) We seek “not [our] own advantage, but that of the other person.” Read 1 Corinthians 10:23 and 24.
[Read scripture] Romans 14:21: It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything over which your brother stumbles. [End of Read scripture]
[Read scripture] 1 Corinthians 10:23 and 24: All things are lawful, but not all things are advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person. [End of Read scripture]
Dig Deeper
Consider Bible principles that will help you decide whether to drink and how much to drink if you do so. Also find out what you can do if you struggle with a drinking problem.
4. Decide whether you will drink
How did Jesus view drinking alcohol? To learn the answer, consider the first miracle that he performed. Read John 2:1 through 11, and then discuss the questions that follow:
[Read scripture] John 2:1 through 11: And on the third day a marriage feast took place in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the marriage feast. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him: “They have no wine.” But Jesus said to her: “Woman, why is that of concern to me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to those serving: “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars sitting there as required by the purification rules of the Jews, each able to hold two or three liquid measures. Jesus said to them: “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them: “Now draw some out and take it to the director of the feast.” So they took it. When the director of the feast tasted the water that had now been turned into wine, not knowing where it came from (although the servants who had drawn out the water knew), the director of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him: “Everyone else puts out the fine wine first, and when people are intoxicated, the inferior. You have saved the fine wine until now.” Jesus did this in Cana of Galilee as the beginning of his signs, and he made his glory manifest, and his disciples put their faith in him. [End of Read scripture]
From this miracle, what can we learn about Jesus’ view of alcohol and those who drink it?
Since Jesus did not condemn drinking alcohol, how should a Christian view someone who chooses to drink?
However, just because a Christian is free to drink alcohol, this does not mean that it is always wise for him to do so. Read Proverbs 22:3, and then consider how the following factors might influence whether you will drink:
[Read scripture] Proverbs 22:3: The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself, But the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences. [End of Read scripture]
You are going to drive or operate machinery.
You are pregnant.
A doctor has advised you not to drink alcohol.
You have trouble controlling the amount you drink.
The law does not allow you to drink alcohol.
You are with someone who chooses to abstain because he has had trouble controlling his drinking in the past.
Should you serve alcohol at wedding receptions or other social gatherings? To see what can help you decide, play the video Should I Serve Alcohol? (2:41).
[Disclaimer: The following video is created by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society; however, the audio description has been added by independent blind and sighted volunteers to assist those who are blind or have low vision]
[Click for transcript]|[Should I Serve Alcohol?]
[Text: John Ekrann. Helper to the Coordinators Committee]
John: What Bible principles could help a couple to decide whether to serve alcohol at their wedding? What principles and scriptures do you think would help them make a balanced decision? Again, you’re welcome to pause the program if you’d like to write down what comes to mind or to research something. Now, your list probably has some of these principles. At John 2:9, Jesus made wine for a wedding. However, 1 Corinthians 6:10 says that ‘drunkards will not inherit the Kingdom.’ And 1 Corinthians 10:31, 32 says: “Whether you are eating or drinking . . ., do all things for God’s glory” and to “keep from becoming causes for stumbling.” Now, it doesn’t seem that any one principle provides the answer. The couple could simply say: “Well, Jesus served wine at a wedding, so we can too.” However, there’s really more to it than that, isn’t there? It’s clear that a balance of all these Bible principles is needed. Will relatives or others be there who might be prone to over drinking? Would serving alcohol bother the conscience of many present because of local customs and feelings about alcohol? It’s often the case when making decisions that we need to balance several Bible principles, not taking any one principle solely on its own merit. Jehovah expects us to use our “power of reason” to balance Bible principles and make good decisions. Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 gives us good advice about being balanced. “Do not be overly righteous, nor show yourself excessively wise. Why should you bring ruin to yourself? Do not be excessively wicked, nor be foolish. Why should you die before your time? It is best to grasp one warning without letting go of the other; for the one who fears God will heed them both.” How true. Such balance between extremes is often necessary when we apply Bible principles. We need to heed them both, so to speak. We need to balance all the Bible principles so we can come to the decision that would show love of God and love of neighbor.
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2017 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania) [Click to close]
Read Romans 13:13 and 1 Corinthians 10:31 and 32. After reading each scripture, discuss the question that follows :
[Read scripture] Romans 13:13: Let us walk decently as in the daytime, not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in immoral intercourse and brazen conduct, not in strife and jealousy. [End of Read scripture]
[Read scripture] 1 Corinthians 10:31 and 32: Therefore, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else, do all things for God’s glory. Keep from becoming causes for stumbling to Jews as well as Greeks and to the congregation of God [End of Read scripture]
How can applying this principle help you to make a decision that will please Jehovah?
[Image:] A brother refusing wine at a restaurant. The two sisters dining with him are drinking wine. Caption: Each Christian decides for himself whether to drink alcohol or not. Even if he sometimes drinks alcohol, he may at other times choose not to drink it
5. Decide how much you will drink
If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, remember this: While Jehovah does not condemn the drinking of alcohol, he does condemn overdrinking. Why? Read Hosea 4:11 and 18, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read scripture] Hosea 4:11: Prostitution and wine and new wine Take away the motivation to do what is right. [End of Read scripture]
[Read scripture] Hosea 4:18: When their beer is finished, They become promiscuous. And her rulers dearly love dishonor. [End of Read scripture]
What can happen when a person drinks too much?
How can we avoid drinking too much? We need to be modest, or aware of our limitations. Read Proverbs 11:2, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read scripture] Proverbs 11:2: When presumptuousness comes, dishonor will follow, But wisdom is with the modest ones. [End of Read scripture]
Why is it a good idea to set a definite limit on how much you will drink?
6. Overcome the misuse of alcohol
See what helped one man to stop abusing alcohol. Play the video ‘I Got Fed Up With My Lifestyle’ (6:32), and then discuss the questions that follow.
[Disclaimer: The following video is created by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society; however, the audio description has been added by independent blind and sighted volunteers to assist those who are blind or have low vision]
[Click for Transcript]|[I Got Fed Up with My Lifestyle]
[A man in a black coat and scarf walks through snowy streets in a Russian city]
Dmitry: My name is Dmitry Korshunov. I live in the same city where I was born, in Kovrov.
[City buildings]
It is a rural town in central Russia.
[People walk in the snow past shops and buildings in the city, barren trees line the sidewalk]
Dmitry’s Wife Lubov: When I met Dima, I really enjoyed his company, because he was a kind and approachable person, and he was very sincere with me. We met, dated for two years, and then were married. The same year, our daughter was born.
[Text: Reenactment. Parents walk with young daughter]
Dmitry: I worked as an electrician.
[Works wires and electrical box, removing pliers from toolbox]
Since people were poor, frequently they offered to pay with alcohol.
[After speaking with homeowner, man gives him a bottle of clear liquor]
Lubov: When you live with an alcoholic it’s like you live
[Eyes searching]
on an active volcano. Sober, he was a good, kind, attentive husband.
[Talking, they walk arm in arm]
But when he was drunk, he was a completely different person.
[Unsteady, he walks sideways and falls to the ground]
He was angry.
[Shuffles towards the house]
He wouldn’t listen to anything.
[Thumbling, he opens the door. A silhouette of the couple in a window shows Dimitri aggressively gesture than grabs and shakes his wife]
Dmitry: There was a knock at the door.
[Two women at the door]
They asked me to look at the Bible.
[Arms crossed, Dmitry peers at the scripture]
They showed me the reason why there is so much suffering, and why people are afraid to live today.
[Slightly nodding, he takes a magazine. When he walks in the house, he slams it on the counter]
My wife read the whole thing. I saw that she liked it.
Lubov: The next time the women came, I really liked what they told me, especially about God’s promise of the paradise on earth, of people living in happiness on the earth.
[Turns pages in her Bible]
So, I agreed to a Bible study.
Dmitry: Many times, they said, would you like to join us? I’d say, No, I’m not ready for that yet.
[Dmitry shakes his head and leaves the room]
I reached a real breaking point in my life.
[Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighs]
I asked Lubov, ‘What should I do?’
[She rubs his shoulder]
Lubov: So, then I suggested that he read the Bible. He asked me, “What should I start with? I suggested beginning with the book of Matthew.”
Dmitry: I read all night.
[With heavy breaths, he looks into the Bible]
It was like I lived through the events I was reading about, and they touched my heart deeply. It was then that I decided that, until I’ve read the whole Bible, I wouldn’t drink another drop.
[Sitting on the sofa, with his hand on his chin, he ponders]
Lubov: Apparently, it touched his heart so much that he wanted to change, change his way of life, change his behavior.
[He picks up the Bible and intently reads]
And it was a big change, because meanwhile, it was quiet at home.
[From across the room, she watches him as he turns a page in the Bible]
Dmitry: I read the whole Bible and didn’t drink for seven months.
[Pressing his lips together, he pushes a bottle of alcohol away across the table]
I got so fed up with my lifestyle. I could not live like that anymore. I saw from the Bible that there are only two paths,
[Walking outside]
and that I am on the wrong one.
[Approaches a fork in the road]
I pleaded with God and asked him to help me.
Lubov: He had times when he broke off the study and would drink again. So, then, it was difficult to pick up where he left off, to recover, and again study the Bible.”
[Sobbing, he leans his head against a wall] Dmitry: I realized that without God’s help I couldn’t crawl out of this hole, not on my own.
[His shoulders shake]
Lubov: The Bible affected Dima very deeply. Before, I felt that he didn’t think about me at all, that he only remembered that I existed when he needed something. Now, he’s a completely different person. The atmosphere during our family worship is warm, affectionate, and joyful.
[His wife and daughter smile with him]
We can talk with each other about spiritual things, hear each other’s thoughts, understand what each other has inside, how each of us loves Jehovah.
[Dmitry nods as his daughter reads from the Bible]
Dmitry: The joy that I feel every day cannot be surpassed by the temporary enjoyment that comes from drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
[At the Kingdom Hall, he beams as he speaks with others]
My life has changed drastically, and it was Jehovah who influenced me that way. His Word made me into who I am now. That is why I can say that I am happy.
[laughing, with his wife and daughter]
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2015 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania) [Click to close]
In the video, how did alcohol affect the way Dmitry acted?
Was he able to stop drinking right away?
How was he finally able to break his addiction to alcohol?
Read 1 Corinthians 6:10 and 11, and then discuss the questions that follow:
[Read scripture] 1 Corinthians 6:10 and 11: thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom. And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean; you have been sanctified; you have been declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God. [End of Read scripture]
How serious is drunkenness?
What shows that someone who misuses alcohol can change?
Read Matthew 5:30, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read scripture] Matthew 5:30: Also, if your right hand is making you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to land in Gehenna. [End of Read scripture]
Cutting off a hand illustrates making sacrifices to please Jehovah. What can you do if you are struggling to overcome the misuse of alcohol? * [Footnote] * Those who are addicted to alcohol may need professional help to break free. Many doctors suggest that those who have had a drinking problem should not drink at all. [End of footnote]
Read 1 Corinthians 15:33, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read scripture] 1 Corinthians 15:33: Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits. [End of Read scripture]
What effect can your friends have on how much you drink?
[Image:] Collage: Scenes from the video ‘I Got Fed Up With My Lifestyle.’ 1. Dmitry looks at a bottle of alcohol. 2. Dmitry, his wife, and their daughter study the Bible together.
[Box]
Someone May Ask “Is drinking wrong?” How would you respond? [End of box]
Summary
Jehovah provided alcohol for our enjoyment, but he condemns overdrinking and drunkenness.
Review
What is the Bible’s view of alcohol?
What are the dangers of drinking too much?
How can we respect the decisions others make regarding drinking?
Goal
If you choose to drink, consider the circumstances and set a definite limit for yourself. Set Other Goals
Explore
How can teenagers make good choices about alcohol? Think Past the Drink (2:31)
[Click for transcript]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]
Discover the steps you can take to overcome a drinking problem. “Keeping Alcohol in Its Place” (The Watchtower, January 1, 2010)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]
Should a Christian share in toasting? “Questions From Readers” (The Watchtower, February 15, 2007)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]
In the story “I Was a Bottomless Barrel,” see how a man gave up binge drinking. “The Bible Changes Lives” (The Watchtower, May 1, 2012)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]