But "Do not be drunk with wine"? There are about five billion questions and hypothetical situations for that. How drunk is drunk? Does a buzz count? What about social drinking? What if I am "of age"? What if I only drink occasionally? What if I only drink in my own home? What if...?
I can't answer those questions for everyone. But I can answer them for myself. So here are my personal conclusions reached from thought, discussion, and most of all, Bible study. It's a lengthy post ... buckle up.
From high school to now I have probably ... most definitely ... turned down hundreds of invitations to "go out" with friends. And I hate it every time. Obviously I like the people I choose as friends - and I genuinely like spending time with them. But when the purpose of going out is to "let down and have a good time thanks to alcohol", I decline. I thought that "peer pressure" would get easier to avoid when I graduated high school, and then college. But it never becomes easy or fun to turn down time with friends. But I do. And why?
*The obvious
Well, first and foremost, because the Bible says "Do not be drunk with wine".
- Ephesians 5:18 says "Do not be drunk with wine."
- Galatians 5:21 lists "drunkenness" in a list of things ended with "they which do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
- 1 Corinthians 6:10 has a similar list and thought.
- Titus 2:3 encourages women to be "not given to much wine"
The list goes on and on. So here it is plain and simple: If the Bible tells us not to do something and we do it anyway, it is sin. Whether it's murder, stealing, adultery, fornication, or drunkenness, the Bible says not to. If I do, I'm sinning. End of story.
**Line walking
So we've ruled out getting drunk. But what about a little casual/social drinking?
When I ask one of my kiddos at school to walk down the hallway, I expect them to walk. Sometimes they take off running. When I ask them to come back and try again, they may then start skipping (and this will, of course, be accompanied with a whine of "but I didn't rrruunnn!"). They will try again, and they will probably take of "fast walking" with the occasional skip. And then just fast walk. And then, eventually, they will walk. Up until the point where they are actually walking, they are trying to walk a line ... a fine line ... between what I want them to do and what they want to do. They are trying to figure out how close they can get to ignoring me before they will get in trouble. Kids are natural born 'line walkers'.
Unfortunately, line walking is something we do not easily outgrow. A dad tells his teenager to "be home at 9." Teenager says "how 'bout 10?" A professor says "Type a 5 page paper" and the student thinks "That's fine I'll use size 14 font and double space!". We push lines. We stretch boundaries. Its what we do. But is it worth your soul?
God says "do not be drunk". So instead we "get a buzz". We "only drink a little". We toe the line - carefully. But do you know what happens to people who walk a line? They eventually push it a little to far. It is inevitable. You build up a tolerance. You drink a little more each time. One drink makes another drink not seem like such a bad idea. your inhibitions are lowered. you drink a little more. You tempt yourself. Eventually, you get drunk. And then you may get drunk again. And even if it feels good. Even if it helps you forget about your struggles and woes, it is sin.
Every time we sin our conscious grows a little tougher to prick. We get a little more used to it. It becomes a little less of a big deal to us. We get better at sinning. We get more used to turning our backs on God. We get more comfortable with the very sins that are going to stand between us and heaven. So why drink at all? Why walk the line? Why tempt yourself more than necessary until you are bound to slip up? To me, it isn't worth it at all. Honestly, there are enough temptations in this world. There are enough things I have to pray for forgiveness for - enough things that I have to "watch myself" on. I don't need to put myself in situations where I will be faced with another temptation - especially one that feeds itself.
***Perceptions
There are those who would say (and have said) "The Bible only says 'do not be drunk'. I can drink and not be drunk, so I'm good". Well, here is my question to them: who cares? Who cares if you can drink and not be drunk? Does the bar tender think to him/herself "I know this person is just drinking a little and not getting drunk"? Does the liquor store worker think "I'm sure this person is only going to drink this in their home a little at a time and never get drunk?" Do your friends think "I know she only drinks a little and would never dream of getting drunk even accidentally"? Does the teenager or friend who looks up to you as a role model think "they are so strong for drinking and never ever getting drunk?"
NO! They do not think those things. If you think they do, you need to take a long honest look at yourself. You know what the bartender and liquor store owner think? "Here is some more easy $$ from someone who needs their alcohol!". You know what the impressionable teenager thinks? "If they can do it, I can too!"
In a society where we are often encouraged to "not care" what people think of us, I would like to propose that it DOES matter what people think of us. If I am *honestly* trying to serve God and bring people to him, it matters a great deal what people think of me. If people think I get drunk (even if I don't), then they will assume that I think it is okay to be drunk. If they think I get drunk and therefore think they can too and therefore they go out and get drunk, then I have contributed to them stumbling! Romans 14:21 says "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbles or is offended...". Mark 9:42 says "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone was hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea".
No one wants that on their conscious. No one wants their example to keep someone else out of heaven. It matters what people see us do. It matters what they hear us say.
****Conclusion
SO why don't I drink? Because the Bible says not to be drunk, and I don't want to tempt myself and toe the line. Because I want people to look at my life and be able to see that I have done my best to please God and to live by His word. Because it matters what people think of me if my life is being lived to give glory to God. Because I love God and I aim to please Him. Because when I tell my students "do not run" I expect them not to do anything like running - so when God tells me not to get drunk, I prefer not to push His lines - but rather to take Him at His word.
There is a story that I have heard numerous times: A giant field was split by a fence. On one side, stood Jesus. On the other side, Satan. The field full of people were asked to choose a side. And they did. All except one man. (We'll call him the line walker). This man didn't want to choose. So, instead of walking to one side or the other, he climbed up and sat on top of the fence. Jesus took his group and disappeared. But, when Satan went to leave he came over to the man. "Come with me" Satan said. "But," the man said, "I chose neither you nor Him. I sat on the fence!" "That's okay," said Satan. "I own the fence." (for a better telling, look here)
According to the Bible, if we are drunk, we are sinning. End of story. If you are trying to toe the line, I would caution you greatly. Not only are lines easy to step over and fences easy to fall off of, Satan owns the fence - and he is eager to collect. 1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
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This post may make you uncomfortable. It may make you mad. It may make you mad at me.
Please know that I write this from the viewpoint of my own personal study. I would love to hear your thoughts based on the study you have done.
Please know that I write this from a place of love. My view of you as a person has not changed. I love you the very same as before I wrote this post. I think no less of you than I did earlier today. I am not judging you. I am simply sharing what I believe the Bible teaches. The Bible, God's word, serving God ... these things are very important to me. More than anything, I want to go to Heaven. And I desperately want to take the world with me. Namely, you. Getting to heaven isn't easy. It's a small gate A narrow road. An often rocky path (Matthew 7:13-14). And we need each others help to make it. Sometimes helping each other with such important, passionate matters is not easy. But Heaven will surely be worth it all.
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