YouTube Transcript:
What the Bible REALLY Says About Alcohol

Skip watching entire videos - get the full transcript, search for keywords, and copy with one click.

AutoDub

Understand YouTube Foreign Videos

Immersive YouTube Voice Translation

Break language barriers, embrace global quality content

Solve Foreign Video Barriers Instantly

Video Transcript

so this is a study I've never done

before and I've never heard before out

of the thousands and thousands of Bible

studies I've heard I've never heard a

study where the goal is what my goal is

today which is what the Bible really

says about alcohol just a full full

scope what the Bible really actually

says about alcohol I think it's an

important message but I also think that

it's one of those things where this is

not taught carefully and accurately by

most people I've ever heard teach it

guys I respect godly teachers and then

comes to this topic and all of a sudden

they want to give you their version of

things instead of just giving you the

text and so my goal is to just give you

the text like I just want to know what

the Bible actually says so heading into

this I want you to know this this is not

to change your convictions if you if you

have convictions about your own drinking

so you don't drink or something this is

not to change that in fact I don't drink

the goal here isn't to change that the

goal is to ask this what does the Bible

say about alcohol that's simply the

question because pastors skew this stuff

regularly and it can be hard as a

teacher it can be hard to even tell when

you're forcing your traditions on to the

text because it's always been that way

in your little circle and in your group

and you were raised this way and so I've

heard pastors say well the Bible says

this but let me give you my reasons why

I think you should have a different set

of rules like I've literally heard this

sort of study especially this week as I

was preparing but there's another

problem as well it's just people abused

alcohol and so it's almost like you got

these two two polarized versions of the

Bible in when you hear people teaching

either they they try to put a burden on

believers that doesn't really exist and

shouldn't be upon them or they casually

talk about it without worrying about the

very serious warnings in Scripture on

the topic and so I wouldn't do the whole

thing let's just do it all so here's

what we're gonna do we're gonna try to

give you a balanced teaching we're gonna

talk about the positive passages that is

passages in the Bible that speak

positively of alcohol so I'm gonna cover

those in order of just a bunch of

passages then we're gonna look at the

negative passages passages in the Bible

that speak negatively of alcohol then

we'll look at a couple other like in

addition to this important point

like for instance alcohol as medicinal

use there's two passages in the

scripture we're gonna look at that

relate to this which I think are very

different passages but very interesting

content that we have in the Bible and

then finally we'll try to give you a

little bit of clarity if you're

wrestling with should I be drinking or

not hopefully we'll do that and then

we'll do our Q&A at the end and if

you're watching online do our Q&A in the

comment section now before we do

anything else you have to get this right

you have to get the lordship of Jesus

right in your life like if Jesus is not

Lord of your life and if this is really

about alcohol and not about Jesus then

something's wrong with you and like

nothing I teach you will be used

properly if you're the abstinence person

you'll abuse people with your abstinence

if you are the Liberty person you'll

abuse your Liberty because Jesus is not

Lord in this area of your life and

there's nothing that will fix that but

that's not the topic of the study

tonight it's not the lordship of Jesus

it's just to get clarity on this topics

but that's got to be first so let's

let's dig in now to the positive

passages Deuteronomy 14 Deuteronomy 14

this is a passage dealing with the

firstfruits o Israel would plow their

fields they bring in the firstfruits and

then they would have a feast to the Lord

where they and they'd offer their first

fruits to God and this is what it says

in Deuteronomy 14 22 I'll read all the

way through verse 26 it says you shall

truly tithe all the increase of your

grain that the field produces year by

year and you shall eat before the Lord

your God in the place where he chose he

chooses to make his name abide the tithe

of your grain and your new wine and your

oil of the firstborn of your herds and

your flocks that you may learn to fear

the Lord your God always but if the

journey is too long for you so that you

were not able to carry the tithe notice

this was not money tithe this was

actually physical produce from their

farms and stuff or if the place where

the Lord your God chooses to put his

name is too far from you when the Lord

your God has blessed you that would be

Jerusalem they're too far from there

then you shall exchange it for money

take the money in your hand and go to

the place which the Lord your God

chooses so they trade their tithe n all

the produce they get cash then they take

the cash to the place and then what do

they do with that cash then you shall

exchange verse 20

five exchange it excuse me verse 26 and

you shall spend that money for whatever

your heart desires for oxen or sheep for

wine or similar drink for whatever your

heart desires you shall eat there before

the Lord your God and you shall rejoice

you and your household now I've actually

heard a pastor take this verse and and

sat there for I don't know how long and

he basically tried to explain how this

was not alcoholic wine but the Hebrew is

pretty conclusive what it says here in

verse 26 is that it's for wine or

similar drink and there's no way around

it this is definitely an alcoholic

content it's not just grape juice like

the Hebrews clear wine or similar drink

this is definitely including a alcoholic

beverage and there to take it in there

and he says well oh but it's the first

fruit so they just pressed the grapes so

right if you just press the grapes they

don't have time to ferment

yes but it's once a year and it's in the

first part of the year in May April May

right well the harvest for the wine was

months before that so this is this is

yeah its firstfruits but anyway the

point is this if you've sat under that

teaching or someone tells you this is

not alcoholic that's just not true

and we can't build our theology off

things that aren't true because we feel

like it makes people's lives safer we've

got to deal with what scripture actually

teaches so they're to spend this money

on wine or similar drink whatever they

want and enjoy it unto the Lord this is

a positive passage right it's not

specifically about alcohol or wine or

some but it but it includes that and

this obviously could could get somebody

intoxicated but they're not to get

intoxicated but they are to enjoy with

that liquid as part of their feast to

the Lord that's something that they're

able to do do they have to drink wine no

but it's an option numbers 15 let's look

at another another passage another

positive passage so just to recap

Deuteronomy 14 is showing us there

eating it before God there rejoicing

there loving God in the feast of their

firstfruits and that would include

alcoholic beverages at least potentially

and God was okay with it and numbers 15

7 it says and as a drink offering you

shall offer one-third of a hint of wine as

sweet aroma to the Lord now in the

Hebrew there's like three different

words they typically use for alcohol or

for a wine or new wine one of them is a

word that means new wine or sweet wine

and it was like more recently made it

may be alcoholic or it might just be

grape juice same word then there's

another word used for more aged wine and

that's the word we have here forgive me

if I mispronounce this but as a yin and

it and it is a word that means

definitely a fermented drink this

passage is definitely a fermented drink

so it can't be referring to grape juice

numbers 15 7 this is this is where God

says you can offer alcohol in this sense

to him as a sweet offering in the Old

Testament law right we're not following

these same rituals we see the fullness

not just a shadow but we can learn from

the principles and there's a principle

here where God allows them to offer wine

as a sweet aroma to the Lord now if

you're like me and you and you grew up

the way I grew up if you feel like like

especially you know when I was younger

it was like alcohol is just wrong like

alcohol sin like maybe maybe maybe I

haven't found the verse that says it yet

but I'm sure it's in here it looks like

it's gotta be in here and that's kind of

how I started I've literally been

drugged by the Scriptures away from that

perspective into a perspective that says

no this is just my conscience it's not

some rule I can press upon other

believers because what does the

scripture say here God's like you can

offer this thing to me now did God allow

them to offer wicked things to him

no like it has to be a land without spot

or blemish like he doesn't say you can

offer disgusting things to me things I

hate pour your wine out to me because

that way you won't be drinking it like

that's not what God's doing this is that

that's not the biblical idea here he's

like saying take the best in fact it's a

sweet aroma to the Lord and so this is a

positive now there'll be negative

passages so if you hate alcohol don't

worry I'm gonna help you out here in a

minute but but I want to I want to be

fair I just want to give us what the

Bible says and let the chips fall where

they may because God's right about what

he says in his word and I believe that

even if it conflicts with my own natural

inclinations to be sort of opposed to

these things because that's like I said

that's kind of where I'm coming from in

fact I feel like I'm the perfect guy to

teach about

liberties of alcohol in the Bible since

I don't ever take them except nyquil

every once a while so maybe that makes

me evil but I have scripture for that

today I'll share with you later okay so

Genesis 14 18 this is again that word

yayan or the word that refers to

definitely a fermented or beverage with

alcohol in it it's not firm it's in the

sense of like like a scotch or vodka or

something like that it's not as strong

what do they call those there's a term

for their more strong drinks strong

drinks it's not one of those it's it is

however talking about really truly

fermented like wine and Genesis 14 18 it

says that Melchizedek king of Salem

brought out bread and wine he was the

priest of God Most High so Melchizedek

here he is he comes out and you guys

know the story many of you right this is

a picture of Jesus in the Old Testament

and he comes out he brings to Abraham

bread and wine picturing the Communion

and the body and blood of Jesus Christ

his offering for our sins which by the

way consider the fact that his the great

picture of Jesus's sacrifice involves

wine and then he brings it out this is

definitely a fermented beverage and he

brings it out to Abraham Abraham

partakes of it it's considered actually

a very glorious moment in Scripture and

it is not tainted by the fact that it

involved alcohol now didn't involve

drunkenness no and we'll get there in a minute

minute

it didn't no but it did involve alcohol

so we're just talking about the positive

passages here for a second Psalm 104 15

if I've bothered you so far I'm probably

really gonna bother you now but not

because I want to but because this is

what the Bible says

so I'm 104 so I'm 104 talks about things

that God has blessed man with you can

read it starting verse 13 if you like

but verse 15 it says this listing those

things it says and wine that makes glad

of the heart of man oil to make his face

shine and bread which strengthens his

heart again this is that word yah and

this is definitely an alcoholic or

intoxicating beverage I stayed away from

a lot of the verses that dealt with what

might have been fermented or might not

and just stuck with what we know was

according to Psalm 104 it clearly indicates

indicates

this is an eye-opener for me as I read

as I read and studied this liked wines

meant to be a blessing and let me let me

point out to you it not only says that

God has given us this as a blessing it

specifically says wine to make glad the

heart of man so it mentions not only

wine but its effects as being a blessing

because some people say wine is meant to

be a blessing but if you ever feel its

effects you're in sin but that's not

what this text says this text is

implying and it's kind of odd to think

that wine supposed to be a blessing but

you can't ever feel any of its effects

of any kind I mean that's this it just

seems counterintuitive doesn't it a

little bit but follow the hermeneutic

here as we as we look at this verse okay

so oil to make his face shine bread to

strengthen man's heart and wine to make

a glad man's heart you see how it's that

it's the thing and that its effect is

also bless now that is actually that's

the first effect of alcohol is it just

lightens your mood it brings you up a

little but it brings you up a little bit

as far as a sense of pleasure or joy in

that sense that's the first effect of

alcohol and that's actually definitely

endorsed by God the later effects will

see later are rebuked so you know what

you consume a little bit more alcohol

now you're moving into the sin territory

but the initial small amounts of alcohol

moderate drinking in a biblical sense is

considered a blessing from God now this

might come as a shock to you as it is to

me because I haven't drank since I was

so but I I'm like what that's okay but

this is what the text says and I just

want this is why I'm saying let's just

talk about what the Bible really says

about alcohol and let's let God shape

our thinking now your conscience is

fully allowed to restrict you further

than this but let's not press that on

others if it's not based on Scripture

and it's just based on my conscience

that's the thing

all right let's let's keep going I feel

like there's two groups of people right

the ones they're gonna love the first

half of the study and the ones they're

gonna love the second half we're still

in the first half so proverbs chapter 3

verses 7 through 10

it says do not be wise in your own eyes

fear the Lord and depart from evil and

then it talks about the blessing of

following God in these areas it says it

will be health to your flesh and

strength to your bones honor the Lord

with your possessions and with the

firstfruits of all your increase so your

barns will be filled with plenty and

your vats will overflow with new wine

now again this this is the word that

could mean grape juice but it also meant

probably a lower alcohol percentage wine

just because it was a newer that's why

it's also called sweet wine because I

guess as I was researching these things

the sugars break down and that increases

the alcohol content so the sweeter wine

has less alcohol and but it's still

there so it's seen as a blessing

proverbs chapter 9 verses 1 through 6

talks about wisdom here wisdom it says

this wisdom has built her house she has

hewn out her Seven Pillars she

slaughtered her meat she has mixed her wine

wine

she has mixed her wine she has also

furnished her table she has sent out her

maiden she cries out from the highest

places of the city whoever simple let

him turn in here as for him who lacks

understanding she says to him come eat

of my bread and drink of the wine I have

mixed forsake foolishness and live and

go in the way of understanding now this

is this is really symbolism not literal

wine here this is symbolic but you can't

use wine symbolically as a blessing and

good thing if it's actually an evil

thing so it's symbolically being used as

a blessing

speaking of plenty speaking of benefit

speaking of having more than enough in

your life that's the idea and something

we we should be aware of Isaiah 25 verse

6 it says and in this mountain and

speaking actually about probably the

millennial reign it's a future time if

you read the whole passage Isaiah 25 is

this and in this mountain the Lord of

hosts will make for all people a feast

of choice pieces a feast of wines on the

Lees of fat things full of marrow of

well refined wines on the LEAs and and

that phrase the well refined wines on

the leaves that's speaking of aged wines

definitely and

that includes a noticeable alcohol

content and that scene is a good thing

you can't make it symbol if it's

symbolic you can't use it as good

symbolism if it's actually bad and then

you shall be blessed like the snake in

the garden like you just doesn't work

you know you can't use that kind of

symbolism it has to be sums in some

sense of blessing a good thing this is

the thing that I've been drug to as I've

studied this this idea over the years is

the idea that wine is something alcohols

something God intended to be used as a

blessing for mankind I just have seen it

used as abuse so much that it was hard

for me to perceive of it that way but

the Bible is you know the Bible is the

Bible so let's let it speak Isaiah

chapter 1 verses 21 and 22 it says how

the faithful City has become a harlot it

was full of justice righteousness lodged

in it but now murderers your silver has

become dross your wine mixed with water

so it's considered a bad thing that

their silver has become like draw straws

is like that the offscouring the

impurities in the silver and the wine

has been mixed down with water now so as

we like hooray mix it down you know but

but this is seen as like a sad thing

Oh your wines been watered down that's

that's a seen as a I think that's not

good we can also go to the New Testament

we can look at John chapter 2 and we

think of the wedding at Cana Jesus's

first miracle everybody knows this every

drunk in the world can tell you what

Jesus's first miracle was it's like the

only verse they know in the Bible some

people say that this was not alcoholic

now I have looked this stuff up because

I'm open I'm open either way god I just

went I want to know your word so I know

what it really says and they quote some

of these guys there's these guys that

these Greek and Roman guys that lived

around that same time and they said that

the best wine was wine that heaven had

lost all of its alcohol through firm and

tape or through filtering excuse me and

it hit through processing it would not

cause people to be intoxicated that was

the very best wine and then when in the

wedding at Cana the Toastmasters like

hey this is the best wine and they

combined those two ideas but what I was

able to find online just doing some

research looking for people that would

actually give me some ancient history on

this stuff

is that the Romans did have a typical

thing where they would water down to add

pretty strong wine they water it down

about two parts to one back then so

about two parts water to one part wine

which would make it more like modern-day

beer in its alcohol consistency and then

the the Jews the only source I could

find on this was one source that

suggested the Jews didn't do this and

they would consider it like uncouth to

water down the wine and there of course

we're in a Jewish environment so I don't

know if I want to quote the Romans to

find out what the Jews were doing at

that time the Jews very much had their

own culture very much did their own

thing but let me say this in John 2

verses 9 to 10 let's look at the the the

comments of the master of the feast what

did he say about this says when the

master of the feast had tasted the water

that was made wine and did not know

where it had where it came from but the

servants who had drawn the water knew

the master of the feast called the

bridegroom and he said to him every man

at the beginning sets out the good wine

and when the guests have well drunk then

the inferior you have kept the good wine

until now

now these comments actually I'm just I'm

just doing Bible study here just

hermeneutics this is obviously not to

feed my own drinking habits I haven't

done right because I like pomegranate

juice is really good grape juice just

grapes you know I'm down but this is

just because I want to give us the

Scriptures here right and the scripture

here makes it clear that this was

definitely alcoholic wine that Jesus

made how do I know this because the guy

says normally the guy sits out the good

wine and then after the guests have well

drunk and the Greek there he means that

they've became somewhat intoxicated

that's what that means in the Greek so

he then compares that wine that Jesus

made to the wine that could intoxicated

wine so his version of good wine could

intoxicate people and he calls but Jesus

is wine good wine so we know what what

kind of wine he was talking about it's

right there in the text you don't need

to study ancient Greek you don't need to

study ancient Roman cultures to see just

read the text

mm-hmm now I just want to add this some

people will take this and they'll act

like it met Jesus is okay with

drunkenness Jesus sends people to hell

for drunkenness

let's get we'll get to that in a second

okay any use of this text because I've

seen this many times this text used to

excuse drunkenness or to have a low

attitude on the sinfulness of

drunkenness we'll come to that in a

minute it just means that Jesus did in

fact make alcoholic wine for the people

that were at that event so Matthew 11 19

Jesus says that he's and he's accused of

them of being a bad guy because it says

the Son of man came eating and drinking

and they say look a glutton and a

wine-bibber a friend of tax collectors

and sinners now if Jesus only drank a

grape juice then you couldn't be accused

of being a wine-bibber probably so Jesus

himself would have drunk never once ever

becoming too tipsy or a little bit over

the line of what's appropriate never

ever ever but he would have drunk okay

so those are those are it to me those

are like a lot of really important

positive passages I draw from this the

conclusion that wine is intended by God

to be a blessing for man used in

moderation but now we'll talk about the

negative passage ISM here's the negative

passages proverbs 20 verse 1 and there's

a lot of them we will not cover all of

them because we don't have much time

proverbs 20 verse 1 it says wine is a

mocker strong drink is a brawler and

whoever's led astray by it is not wise

you drink you become the mocker you

become the brawler that's what happens

III lose my inhibitions I start to say

dumb things foolish things I criticize I

ridicule I have no filter for this mouth

which I desperately need you know I

become a fighter I'm more likely to get

into trouble and cause battles and

fights both physical and just strife

emotionally and so it says whoever's led

astray by it is not wise and that's the

point though it may intended to be a

blessing it can lead you astray and

that's the danger I imagine that if you

love the first part of this study the

most you probably need the second part

the most and if you love the second part

the most you probably need the first

part first because that's kind of the

way this balancing act goes with

understanding alcohol it is something

that can lead you astray

if you are being led astray there is no

excuse this is not wise it's not okay

proverbs 21 verse 17 it says he who

loves pleasure will be a poor man he who

loves wine and oil will not be rich the

danger here is not just that I can enjoy

it it's that I love it like are you a

little too romantic with your glass of

wine with your with your beer or is it

like too much to you is it out of its

proper place

I mean hey I like you know hamburgers

are great but am I like I need him

you know I'm it's not like I have this

passionate love for burgers and there

could just be an over commitment of my

heart into this substance that's

actually gonna mess me up and that's of

course a possibility the people I've

known who can who can handle wine can

easily not have wine people have known

who can who can take it easily can set

it aside easily as well and this person

probably has an issue with that and it's

included in oil it's just a lover of

pleasure I just like pleasure too much I

want to feel good I want the oil I want

the finer foods I want the I want the

alcohol I just want to partake it more

of this stuff that's a danger proverbs

23 verse 20 and 21 it says this do not

mix with wine-bibber x' or with

gluttonous eaters of meat for the

drunkard and the glutton will come to

poverty and drowsiness will clothe the

man with rags this glutton and the

drunkard are those who either eat food

or alcohol to excess to excess now both

of these things are bad and gluttony is

wrong and at this point someone's like

you should teach more about gluttony

Mike and I really like that's great wait

for that study how about you pay

attention to the alcohol for this study

instead of using gluttony as an excuse

for your alcoholic nature because I see

that way too often well let's just

change the subject and ignore what the

text says about the thing we're actually

talking about right now

so yes gluttony is an issue it's not the

same thing as wine but it's connected

for sure not in excess and here the

statement is this if you know people who

drink too much and their habitual too

much drink too much of whatever the

pleasurable things in life don't even

hang out with them don't even make them

part of your friends circle that's

that's what the proverb is saying here

don't let this be part of your cluster

of friends it's not good it doesn't do

good for you

proverbs 23 verses 29 through 35 it says

who has woe who has sorrow who has

contentions who has complaints who has

wounds without cause who has redness of

eyes those who linger long at the wine

those who go in search of mixed wine do

not look on the wine when it is red when

it sparkles in the cup when it swirls

around smoothly and someone's like I

need some wine right now and if you're

just like craving you're just hearing

that maybe something's wrong oh yeah it

is very vivid and so what do they have

they have whoa

they have sorrow they have contentions

complaints wounds without cause how'd

that happen oh no no I just woke up and

I had an injury I don't know what

happened redness of eyes that's

interesting redness of eyes is thrown in

there if you see these symptoms

something's wrong with you like if your

wine causes problems in your life who

has whoa causes whoa in your life you're

doing something wrong if it causes

sorrow in your life instead of bringing

a sense of joy something's wrong if it

causes contentions and fights in your

life with with loved ones and friends

something's wrong if it causes

complaints or downsides because of the

drinking of the alcohol something's

wrong if it you wounds without cause

even redness of eyes if you wake up the

next day and you have something of a

hangover you did something of a sin the

night before pretty simple those who

linger long at the wine notice it's not

just see if the Bible was just against

drinking it all together it would just

say those who drink wine but it says

those who linger long at the wine that's

the issue it's too much man it's too

much so don't look at it and maybe

that's the advice for you for those who

linger long at wind those who abuse it

don't look at it when it's read in the

cup in sparkles and goes down smoothly

maybe this is the statement to those who

say man this is an area for me I stumble

in the area of drinking then maybe you

need to not drink at all maybe that's

the best thing for you do you have woe

and sorrows and contentions and wounds

without cause and redness of eyes then

don't even look at it just stay away

from it

maybe that's that's a an advice from the

scripture to say to the drunkard don't

even touch the stuff let me keep reading

because it goes on it says in verse 32

at last at the last it bites like a

serpent and stings like a Viper

your eyes will see strange things and

your heart will utter perverse things

that jumps out to me because do you know

that it's it's so interesting even you

know secular information about alcohol

when people have a lot of alcohol they

say bad things like this is just what

people do it's not like they go man I

thought I'm gonna give all my money to

the poor like this isn't generally what

they do they their perversities come out

the inappropriate ungodly things come

out to selfish things that the wrong

things come out and so this is this is

the nature of man the sin nature of man

having easier access to control you when

you drink too much so your heart will

letter perverse things yes you will be

like one who listen to this who lies

down in the midst of the sea or like one

who lies at the top of the mast the mast

of a boat saying they've struck me but I

was not hurt they have beaten me but I

did not feel it when shall I awake that

I may seek another drink if you wake up

craving alcohol something's wrong when

shall I awake that I may seek another

drink like I wake up and I already want

it in the morning something something

something is seriously wrong like this

is don't put the name of Jesus on this

and make it try to make it okay like

something's wrong the description of one

who's sleeps in the mass now the mast of

the boats on the top of the boat the

boats Rocking

well nothing moves more than this mast

this thing's just going all over the

place and I think sleeps in the mast why

sleeps in the mast my best guess is that

the guy he sleeps in the masts that's

his position up there and then when he

comes back ashore he has the hardest

time walking on solid ground because

he's used to the constant roiling of the

waves and everything and so that's I

mean there's the drunken person you're

alright do you have a hard time walking

you drank too much no I think I'm fine I

think I'm fine the funny thing about

alcohol is the more of it you drink the

less you think it's affecting you

because it impairs your judgment the

worst person to know if a drunk person

is drunk is the drunk person and so the

advice I think you'll know when you've

drunk too much is actually really

terrible advice because the more you

drink the less you tends to be aware of

it we need we need better rules in our

lives then I feel pretty good about it

good luck living life like that right I

feel pretty good about it

so specifically it says do you not feel

pain they struck me but it did not hurt

so are you at the point where you drank

and you're like right like I'm like like

numb do you think I have more pain

resistance it's not pain resistance

you're just pained um like you just

don't know what's going on they start me

but it didn't hurt if that's you you

drank too much I think that that's

that's a biblical boundary to say yep

you had too much because your your pain

resistance resistance that's fun has

gone up you drink too much are you

saying sinful things you have drunk too

much or is your body unable to balance

and walk properly and normally you've

drunk too much

and again if you crave alcohol in the

morning you've drunk too much that's

based at least I'm trying to look at the

scripture for cues as to what is too

much alcohol because I feel like nobody

talks about this and I want to know what

the Bible says about it proverbs 31

verses 4 through 7 it says it is not for

Kings o Lemuel it is not for Kings to

drink wine this is by the way this is

this is one passage in the scripture

written by a woman pretty cool

interesting passage a mother to her son

and she says it's not for Kings o Lemuel

is not for Kings to drink wine nor for

Prince's intoxicating drink lest they

drink and forget the law and pervert the

justice of all the afflicted again a

negative passage about alcohol

specifically it's like Kings don't drink

wine and the question is does that mean

Kings never drink wine I don't think so

I think specifically it's talking about

not in the discharge of their duties so

for a king they're making judgment calls

on on the entire nation decisions for

the nation you know should we go to war

like do you really want to make that

call after you've been drinking someone

comes before you and they've been you

have to like use your discernment to

figure out who's guilty and who's

innocent who to protect and who to go out

out

and you've been drinking and your

judgments potentially somewhat impaired

even a little bit that's not gonna be

good I I can understand how like as a US

president should probably never have any

moment in their life when they're

drinking while they're president because

like I would hate it if the president

had put back like three or four beers

and then someone asked him if they

should drop a nuke in response to some

crazy thing that just happened and he's

like yeah yeah let's do it like that

scares me to think that someone would be

making judgment calls in a moment of

even just even even appropriate drinking

it could be a little scary to be

thinking making those kinds of judgment

calls so the principle here is that

there may be certain duties that you're

doing where it's like don't even you

know like if a pastors like I'll just

have a beer right before I go teach I'm

like you're gonna go handle the Word of

God and and you're a little bit happy or

whatever like this does not seem right

to me this seems like your judgment is

gonna be a little bit off there's

another verse that talks about this it's

Leviticus 10 9 now the context is this

so here we are Old Testament we have the

the the Israelites and they have the

camp where they have the tent where

there's like the meeting place and all

this other stuff is going on right they

have the tabernacle well we have made a

banana by who these are the sons of

Aaron how they go in to minister to God

and burn incense and they drink too much

or at least drink some but probably were

intoxicated and they go into the

presence of God that way and they bring

burn they burn strange fire is the

statement God fires them destroys them

burns them kills them and then he tells

this to to Aaron it says in Leviticus 10

9 do not drink wine or intoxicating

drink you nor your sons with you when

you go into the tabernacle of meeting

lest you die it should be a statute

forever throughout all your generations

so there are certainly moments in life

where no no alcohol is acceptable in any

regard at this point this is too much of

a holy moment this is too much of an

Ezekiel 44 21 reinforces this it says no

priest shall drink wine when he enters

the inner court

if you find that your worship is just

better when you've had a couple that's

Ephesians five verses 17 and 18 this is

where we get and you might think in the

Old Testament there's these pretty

strong statements about alcohol the

strongest ones are in the New Testament

actually are the strongest statements

about alcohol in the negative sense so

Ephesians 5:17 through 18 it says

therefore do not be unwise but

understand what the will of the Lord is

and do not be drunk with wine in which

is dissipation but be filled with the

spirit now there may be times where no

one should drink at all because they're

in a discharge of some important duty

but there are also simply rules about

drunkenness and the rule is never ever

ever ever is it okay to get drunk as a

Christian that's the general rule of

thumb if people think Oh drunkenness is

like when it's habitual but you know

every once in a while on a Friday nights

a guy you have a really good time he's

okay you're in sin that's that this is

clear the scripture is very clear on

this you're sinning against God in a

very serious sin you know in all reality

in fact I'll put it this way how often

should I as a Christian be filled with

the holy spirit yes every Sunday morning

for two hours nothing all the time I

should always be filled with the holy

spirit so how often should I avoid

drunkenness all the time all the time so

these things are mutually exclusive like

drunkenness means you will not be

controlled by the Holy Spirit you want

to be filled with the Holy Spirit let me

put this into simple simple terms when I

drink too much I hurt my relationship

with Jesus in a very present and

immediate way I'm not gonna be filled

with the spirit when I'm drunk with wine

that's what scripture says or drawn with

anything else for that matter it's a sin

that messes up your walk with God and

this is a pretty serious thing in my

opinion people who feel the Liberty to

drink you have the liberty to drink

biblically you've got it okay now

there's other wrist ripple talk more

about restrictions and things like that

but but you people who drink you have

got to be the most strict about drunkenness

drunkenness

than anybody else people who don't drink

you don't have to worry about it I mean

you know how much in my life how many

hours of my life I spent worrying about

where's the line between not enough and

too much like never because I don't

drink so didn't even come up but if you

drink you better be very serious and

concerned about what is too much versus

too little because it's a serious

relational issue of sin between you and God

God

that hurts your walk Hosea 4 verse 11 it

says harlotry wine and new wine enslave

the heart enslave the heart speaking

here the biblical point is addiction

wine new wine this stuff can it can

cause addiction it can enslave the heart

and if I see that happening that's a bad

thing this is like not a good thing

1st Corinthians 6:12 has this great

principle that applies very much to this

topic it says all things are lawful for

me but all things are not helpful all

things are lawful for me but I will not

be brought under the power of any

meaning if wines bringing you under its

power if you are enslaving yourself to

this issue then that's a real problem

now this is a separate issue which is

this I've known several people who had

drinking problems and very rarely would

they admit it even to themselves all I'm

gonna say is this you've got to deal

with it if it's you like you've got it

you got it

like I don't need to have an

intervention you you need to do this for

yourself like grow up take a look in the

mirror and deal with it if it's you if

it's you you just got to look at it

straight on and deal with it because it

is it is causing problems don't be

brought under the power of anything and

yeah big warning against that and I

could go on for days about statistics

about alcoholism and drinking and car

accidents and you name it but um but the

scripture is clear that's a big issue

Habakkuk 2:15 it says and this speaks of

a different side of the alcohol issue

it's about using alcohol to manipulate

others it's really interesting it how it

cook 215 it says woe to him who gives

drink to his neighbor pressing him to

your bottle even to make him drunk that

you may look on his nakedness or his

shame you want to watch him do something

shameful you want to see him get drunk

he'll do something embarrassing or funny

that she could make him make into a vine

video or whatever it is they don't even

have vine videos anymore sorry that was

like seven seconds ago they're coming

into there's a new one coming out vine -

this is God's judgment woe to them on

those who use alcohol to manipulate

other people or cause other people to

sin or to watch other people's

inhibitions fall away so that they might

be entertained or exhilarated by the

things those people will do now that

they've been drinking

God has judgment for those people lots

daughters did this lost daughters gave

him alcohol so they could do

inappropriate things with him David got

Uriah drunk so that he could get him to

go back to Bathsheba against his vows so

that he could cover up his adultery and

God says woe to you to use this use this

drink to manipulate someone into sin

Isaiah 28 verse 7 says but they also

have erred through wine and through

intoxicating drink are out of the way

that that means that the drinking has

caused their life direction to move away

from obeying God to disobeying God the

priest and the Prophet have erred

through intoxicating drink they are

swallowed up by wine they're out of the

way through intoxicating drink they err

in vision they stumble in judgment

the errant vision they stumble in

judgment these are a couple specific

areas they're airing in some people I've

met have you met this guy he says I'm

not like that man I'm better when I

drink people like me when I drink they

err in vision they stumble in judgment

you're not the best person to make this

judgment call like God's makes it pretty

clear if you think I'm better when I

drink and when I get you know a little

tipsy when I get a little bit drunk

that's when I'm my best person no you're

not you're not you're deceived and

you're insane that's what scripture

would say Isaiah 5:11 says woe to those

who rise early in the morning that they

may follow intoxicating drink who

continue until night to wine and flames

them this would be like a

a shameful thing they get up early and

they drink like all day this is like

what what most people think should

happen at some point when you're in

college but not god not God God's very

much opposed to this sort of thing it's

a shameful thing it's not a college

liberty thing um so my Wild Oats all

right you're insane

like this is pretty simple pretty basic

stuff Isaiah 5:22 says it even stronger

it says woe to men mighty at drinking

wine woe to men valiant for mixing

intoxicating drink the world likes to

boast about how much they can handle in

alcohol if you're a Christian you should

never know how much booze it takes to

take you down if you even know how much

alcohol it takes for you to black out or

not remember the night before then you

were in sit and it's like oh I can

handle that or I can have the drinking

competitions and things like this this

sort of thing is wickedness it's evil in

the eyes of God

no no disagreement about it whatsoever

and if you're gonna have the Liberty to

drink you have to have like some serious

sin radar when it comes to the issue of

drinking and not be casual about those issues

issues

woe to men mighty of drinking wine are

you really great you're really powerful

in your wine drinking you're a great

fool woe to you a godly person shouldn't

even know what they're like when they're

drunk no one should ever know what

you're like when you're drunk because

you should never be drunk easy peasy

so these are severe warnings Galatians

5:21 let me give you it gets stronger

God says to us in Galatians 5:21 that a

list of people who will not go to heaven

they will not inherit the kingdom of God

envy murderers murders drunkenness

revelries and the like of which I tell

you beforehand just as I also told you

in time past that those who practice

such things will not inherit the kingdom

of God if you practice drunkenness we

can assume you're not saved like that's

kind of what it's I mean I'm not sure

how else to interpret this passage 1st

corinthians 6:10 says something similar

it says nor thieves nor covetous nor

drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners

will inherit the kingdom of God I cannot

overstate this warning it applies to all

of the topics we mentioned it applies to

thieves it applies to covet

it applies to revilers extortioners but

it also applies to drunkenness will not

inherit the kingdom of God I cannot

overstate this morning drunkenness is a

great sin it's kind of like you know you

have you God invented marital relations

for the marriage bed but you do this

outside of that environment and it's a

great in terrible sin and alcohol seems

to be very much the same kind of thing

in its right context in its right way

it's a blessing it's meant to be there

to encourage your heart bring joy

outside of that context it's a great

wickedness that God's very serious about

Psalm 75 verse 8 it says for in the hand

of the Lord there is a cup and the wine

is red it is fully mixed and He pours it

out surely it's dregs shall all the

wicked of the earth drain and drink down

and we have lots of verses like this in

the Bible where God uses wine to

symbolize judgment so wine is like

getting their just desserts now and now

what some pastors will do I've heard

this is they'll take all these bad

passages but they'll ignore the positive

ones I mentioned earlier we want to take

them all get the full teaching of God's

Word on the topic

Luke 1:15 this is about John the Baptist

properly called John the Baptizer

actually the word Baptist it's actually

a verb in the Greek he's a Baptizer he's

not a Baptist like Southern Baptist or

something like that so it says for he

will be great in the sight of the Lord

and he shall drink neither wine nor

strong drink he will also be filled with

the Holy Spirit even from his mother's

womb John did not drink ever in his life

that was the rule for him Jesus did

that's an interesting idea isn't it you

got one person who never drinks wine at

the command of God and someone else who

does and there's no sin in it whatsoever

and this describes some of the church

doesn't it some of you you don't you

have a conviction I don't touch this

stuff I will not touch it good for you

but don't put that piety on someone else

as though that's piety for them John

honoring God didn't drink wine others

can drink it to the Lord and honor God

in it and I think that's the balanced

thing don't make it a rule for everybody

if it's a rule for you in Titus 2 we

have recommendations for

the older men and the older ladies of

course back then we're talking like you

know your past like 18

I can't maybe not 18 but but yeah old

back then was a little probably

considered a I'm old compared to them so

but as for you speak the things which

are proper for sound doctrine that the

older men be sober reverent temperate

sound and faith and love and patience

the older women likewise that they be

reverent and behavior not slanderers not

given to much wine teachers of good

things of course if wine was we were to

completely abstain that it would say not

given or no wine at all basically over

here says not giving a much wine

there's instructions given to leaders

and we have strict instructions given as

requirements for bishops or elders same

term there and then deacons in first

Timothy chapter 3 so in first Timothy

chapter 3 the bishop or the elder is

told not given to wine not violent not

greedy for money gentle not quarrelsome

not covetous so these are character

qualities meaning this if you are given

to wine if wine is an area where you

compromise in your life on some sort of

regular basis you are disqualified for

this position of Christian leadership

not because everyone else can compromise

there but because it's not much more

important that the leaders in the church

have godly character not just speaking

skills now first Timothy 3:8 it says

likewise deacons must be reverent not

double-tongued and not given to much

wine not greedy for money not greedy for

money so they're told to not have these

qualities and not not given over to this

sort of thing if there's the old story

about the pastor who he gets drunk like

he's disqualified like this is a serious

issue in the scripture I don't say that

callously I just say it to get us

serious I want us to realize a couple

things for one wine intended bite or

alcohol intended by God for a blessing

abused by the sinfulness of mankind and

the abuse is far more serious than most

people admit they just think well maybe

I had a little bit too much to drink

that was Grievous sin in the sight of

God that Jesus had to die for it was

pretty serious so we want to put these

bookends together and

have like a full scoped understanding

let me give you a couple other

first Timothy 5:23 talks about this

first Timothy 5:23 this is where Paul

tells Timothy many of you are thinking

his passage already he says no longer

drink only water but use a little wine

for your stomach's sake and your

frequent infirmities he's actually

implying a little used a little wine

he's implying taking wine and mixing it

into the water so this is like a mixture

in order for it to probably kill some of

the bacteria or something like that

because Timothy is a true is a guy who

traveled with Paul and he knows that man

I'm just gonna guess here that his

stomach and his issues couldn't handle

the different water as he went from

place to place like if you go to New

Mexico you're you the waters you know

yep they're coming water it's gonna come

out water like that's what its gonna happen

happen

and so they'll say like in Mexico you

know you could drink the alcohol down

there but not the water if you're from

California yeah well that's what he's

told so I think this is an essential it

really is it's just a purification thing

is being told yeah you know what Timothy

obviously Timothy's normal policies I

don't drink wine I don't drink alcohol

at all that's Tennessee's normal policy

but because of a medical issue he says

you know go ahead and have mix in some wine

wine

I don't think Tennessee what Timothy was

ever gonna even probably get buzzed or

anything off of this that was just for

him to be medically taken care of but

there's one of the really intriguing

passage and I kind of saved this towards

the end here because I thought it was so

interesting proverbs 31

turn back to proverbs 31 we read it

earlier where it's the king's mother

saying oh lemme well it's not for kings

to drink wine you know it's not you'll

feel lose judgment you'll forget justice

don't do it but then it goes on so let's

um let's hear like a proverbs 31

I'll just read from verse 4 again it's

not for kings Oh lemme well it's not for

kings to drink wine or for princes

intoxicating drink lest they drink and

forget the law and pervert the justice

of all the afflicted and then it has

this really to some very strange

statement give strong drink to him who

is perishing and wine to those who are

bitter of heart

let him drink and forget his poverty and

remember his misery no more

is this just exaggeration and they don't

really mean it you know gods like I

don't really mean give drink to people

that are poor like give jury if you oh

you're poor have a bottle of vodka or

something like that like that's but if

you read the passage carefully that's

not exactly what it says it says give

strong drink to who him who is perishing

pairs they're dying someone's on their

deathbed isn't that interesting

now I'm just curious raise your have you

been at someone's deathbed before

would you have withheld any medication

that would make it easier for them I

wouldn't and that's what they do at the

end they say we're just trying to make

them comfortable and at that point the

family's like you don't need to be

sober-minded right now buddy like we

just want to help you through this and I

think there's a biblical precedence for

this in Proverbs give strong drink to

him who is perishing but it also implies

something else when is it really okay to

so it's it really is God understands

he's giving us I think medicinal use of

not only alcohol but whether I don't was

morphine or whatever it is you're gonna

give this person to help them through

this incredibly bad time incredibly hard

time there's no u-turn here they're

dying let's help them out and I think

there's a biblical precedence I don't

think I should feel guilt I don't think

a Christian should feel like oh I'm no

I've stayed sober my whole life and now

I'm not going under the influence of

this it's like no this is I think that

this is the exception to the rule and

it's in the text which I think is kind

of exciting that God gave us such a

rounded teaching in his word I think

this is a case for hospice or for making

them comfortable in those moments now

obviously this can be misused

oh my back really hurts so I have to

drink to feel better or I have to take

these drugs and but there is such a

thing as medicinal use or taking even a

painkiller that you normally would stay

away from under all conditions because

of this particular situation easily abused

abused

frequently abused just like alcohol but

I don't want to take away the baby with

the bathwater there may be I believe

there is an appropriate time and I think

that the scripture gives us the the room

for that in this passage so what are

some conclusions well let me let me to

round this all out let me go back to

Romans 14 which we've been in Romans we

deserve a little pause to talk about the

issue of alcohol because it's been

coming up in the passage so Romans 14 21

it says it is good neither to eat meat

nor drink wine nor do anything by which

your brother stumbles or is offended or

is made weak this is the the clause

where you say it least temporarily at

least in the presence of this brother I

wouldn't touch the stuff because I don't

want to hurt her offend them entirely appropriate

appropriate

I've told I've taught a lot about that

recently so I won't get into great

detail and then if you would turn to

first Corinthians 10 first Corinthians

10 one of our last verses for tonight

this is really a great balanced passage

for us there's the person who drinks and

says I drink and I thank the Lord for it

and someone else who says I would never

touch the stuff and they really both

need to be able to respect each other

appreciate each other try not to change

each other and and this passage helps so

first we're the ins 10:30 it says but if

I partake with thanks why am i evil

spoken of for the food over which I give

thanks therefore whether you eat or

drink or whatever you do do all to the

glory of God if you can hold this glass

in your hand and drink it and say I will

not I will not cross the line with this

I'll just enjoy it me like Gort you gave

me this and it's a blessing of thank you

for it praise You Lord and then two

houses down there's the other believer

who's in their living room and they're

just like drinking their their glass of

grape juice or whatever milk or or

whatever Martinelli's and they're having

their non alcohol and they're going lord

thank you for this I thank you that I'm

free from having to be in some bondage

to something and they just and they both

are glorifying God and God goes great do

what you're doing do it all for the

glory of God but don't speak evil of the

one who

drinks purely without compromise as unto

the Lord and don't look down upon the

other but then it has this in verse 32

really interesting it says give no

offense either to the Jews or to the

Greeks or to the Church of God give no offense

offense

so he's like yeah you could eat anything

drink anything whatever as unto the Lord

you know with those biblical boundaries

in place but then it adds the issue of

culture he goes ah there's a Jewish

culture there's a Greek culture and he's

and Paul knows because he's been in both

he's done outreach to both I'm over here

with the Jews I don't do anything that's

outside their culture if their culture

sees drinking is wrong what am I gonna

do I am NOT going to drink because I

would not want to offend them it's not

because it's wrong it's because I don't

want to offend them same thing over here

I'm not gonna offend the other culture I

led this teaching to go out and not be a

teaching for Americans but be a teaching

for Christians now we have to apply it

in in our culture and consider where you

live and the people around you and if

it's a cultural issue around you respect

the culture and be wise and honor God

with it and I think like I started out

by saying if your heart is all about

serving Jesus with this stuff then

you're gonna be fine I think you're

gonna be fine but if you're if you're

leaned towards Liberty then you probably

need to come down a little bit and if

you lean towards abstinence you probably

need to relax a little bit at least in

there's a lot of issues I didn't get

into tonight about like the ancient wine

like how percentage proof was it I don't

think that matters because the issue

isn't about how much alcohol you drink

versus how percentage proof it is it's

really issue really one thing the issue

is how it's impacting me am i getting

drunk so whether it's stronger drink

less strong drink I need to stay sober

but I'm still able to enjoy its effects

with God's liberty unto the glory of God

so there there is there's the the Bible

study that I've never heard anyone teach

and I hope it's a blessing to you guys

because in my opinion I really believe

that pastors by and large the pastor's

I've heard the circles I've been in not

not not our pastor my pastor he's never

done this but I've heard many pastors do

this where they literally a my opinion

abuse the body of Christ trying to

steal their liberties from them because

the pastor doesn't trust them with those

liberties well I don't get to trust you

with anything I get to teach you God's

Word I don't want to be the filter who

protects you from the liberties of God

like that's not my job so let's uh let's

take it take it to heart and hopefully

we can see ourselves responding

perfectly in these situations because we

have the balance of Scripture let's pray

father God we ask for wisdom for us for

those who hear this message later

whether it's a tomorrow a week from now

a month from now a year from now we just

pray Lord that every one of us has to

make decisions about whether we should

drink and and win and all that we just

pray for great wisdom to be led of your

spirit to walk in the spirit to be able

to do so for the glory of God always

whether we drink or don't we pray Lord

for unity amongst believers who drink

and who don't drink for clarity I pray

that pastors who get in the pulpit and

out of fully sincere in a sense good

motives but still they misrepresent the

scripture when they give fifty reasons

why no one should drink after casually

acknowledging that the Bible says you

can't Lord we just pray that the church

would grow up on this issue more and it

would not be a cause for division or for

hurts or for wounds and that we can

learn moderation just like the scripture

tells us in Jesus name Amen [Music]

Click on any text or timestamp to jump to that moment in the video

Most transcripts ready in under 5 seconds

One-Click Copy125+ LanguagesSearch ContentJump to Timestamps

Paste YouTube URL

Enter any YouTube video link to get the full transcript

Most transcripts ready in under 5 seconds

Get Our Chrome Extension

Get transcripts instantly without leaving YouTube. Install our Chrome extension for one-click access to any video's transcript directly on the watch page.

Add to Chrome — Free

Works with YouTube, Coursera, Udemy and more educational platforms

Get Instant Transcripts: Just Edit the Domain in Your Address Bar!

YouTube

←

→

↻

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

YoutubeToText

←

→

↻

https://youtubetotext.net/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

YouTube TranscriptPreparing your results…