What Does God Say About Alcohol?

I used to drink too much. To be honest, I was a drunk. The Lord saved me from unbelief and addiction at the age of 21. I am now 37 and have been sober for almost 16 years. The Lord is good. For many years, my position on alcohol was simple: alcohol is not always bad, but it is never good.

However, I realize now that my thinking was not entirely based on Scripture. I knew the Bible’s warnings against alcohol, but I didn’t see any value in drinking. Since then, I’ve had to adjust my thinking on alcohol to align with Scripture. Here is a biblical framework for thinking through this topic. Drinking Alcohol is Not a Sin Contrary to what many Christians have grown up hearing, it is not a sin to drink alcohol.

Scripture nowhere condemns or prohibits consuming moderate levels of alcohol. Case in point—Jesus drank wine. The religious leaders accused our Lord of being a drunkard. “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'” (Luke 7:34).

Of course, Jesus never got drunk, but he did drink wine. We all know he made water into wine at a party, and it would have been customary for him to enjoy a drink with his friends (John 2:1-11). It was also tradition for Jews to drink wine at the yearly Passover meal, in which Jesus routinely participated.

He also instituted the Lord’s Supper with bread and wine (Luke 22:14-20). It’s clear that drinking is not a sin; otherwise, Jesus would not have done it. Drinking Alcohol Can be a Blessing The Bible doesn’t present drinking in moderation as merely neutral; it is also depicted as a blessing.

The Psalmist says that in addition to the many earthly blessings God bestows, the Lord gives “wine to gladden the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15). Friends enjoying a meal together may choose to enhance their gathering by sharing drinks. Alcohol can encourage relaxation, happiness, and laughter. These are all blessings from God (see also Eccl.9:7, Isaiah 55:1-3, Amos 9:14).

Alcohol can also be used for medicinal purposes. “Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress.” (Proverbs 31:61, 1 Tim.5:23). Today, we use even stronger medications, but in the past, it was alcohol that provided relief from pain.

This, too, is a blessing from God. In a broken world full of pain, the Lord has provided help in our times of suffering. Finally, the Lord promised that in the New Heavens and New Earth, there will be wine when we feast with God Himself. “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.” (Isaiah 25:6).

The Lord will share a drink with us in heaven. Drunkenness is a Sin Drinking is not a sin, and it is often a God-given blessing. However, Scripture’s overwhelming testimony is that drinking alcohol can be spiritually dangerous. Christians are allowed by God to drink alcohol, but we are forbidden to get drunk.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18; also see Proverbs 20:1, 23:20, Isaiah 5:22).
This is a command from the Spirit-inspired apostle.
Christians, “do not get drunk.” To get drunk, then, is a sin.
Christians who drink alcohol may raise a question here.

“What does it mean to be drunk?” It’s a fair question. In most states, the blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for driving a vehicle is,08 (at this point, you are considered legally impaired). Body weight, how much one drinks, and the amount of time between drinks will determine your BAC.

For example, according to some research, a male weighing 200 lbs. can consume one 12 oz beer and only reach a level of,02 BAC. Our bodies metabolize alcohol over time, and our BAC will drop,015% every hour from our last drink. ( Source ) Additionally, many would argue that even though,08 is the legal standard for intoxication, that doesn’t necessarily meet the Bible’s definition of drunkenness.

The positive command Paul gives to believers in contrast to drunkenness is that we should be “filled with the Spirit” (Eph.5:18). The issue, then, is about control. We must be controlled by the Spirit and not alcohol. So then, drunkenness, in Paul’s mind, at least means we have lost control.

I suspect most believers would say that 1-2 drinks would not cause them to lose control.
All this to say, what qualifies as being drunk varies from person to person.
The command is easy: do not get drunk.
Defining drunkenness, on the other hand, is not as simple.
My pastoral counsel would be to err on the side of caution.

Use discretion and be wise with alcohol. Like sex, it can be wonderful, but if it is not contained and appropriately used, it can also be deadly. The measurements above are a helpful guide. Suppose we define drunkenness according to the dictionary, In that case, it means “having the faculties impaired by alcohol” and reaching “a level of alcohol in the blood that exceeds a maximum prescribed by law.” Paul’s counsel here is helpful.

‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.” (1 Cor.6:12). The Dangers of Alcohol I’d be willing to bet my last dollar that everyone reading this article has been impacted by addiction in one way or another. Either you have struggled with substance abuse, or someone you know (and probably love) has struggled.

It’s an epidemic in our country, and alcohol is at the heart of it. This is why Scripture warns against the dangers of drunkenness. Several categories must be established here.

Drunkenness ruins lives. “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” (Proverbs 23:20-21). God’s judgment is on the drunkard. “Woe (a pronouncement of judgment) to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!” (Isaiah 5:11, 22) Drunkards cannot serve in church leadership. Elders must be “sober mindedand not a drunkard.” Likewise, deacons cannot be “addicted to much wine” (1 Tim.3:2-3, 8, also see Prov.31:4-5). Drunkards are considered unbelievers in the Bible. “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry” (1 Peter 4:3; also see Romans 13:13, Luke 21:34, Isaiah 28:1). Godliness is characterized by sober-mindedness. “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.” (Titus 2:3). Drunkards will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor.6:9-10, also see Gal.5:19-21).

What’s Our Motive for Drinking? Christians are called to live every part of their lives to the glory of God, and that includes both eating and drinking: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor.10:31). If our drinking alcohol helps us in appreciating a pleasure God created, especially in fellowship with others, it can be a blessing.

Yet, if our reason for drinking is to become drunk, seek temporary escape from difficulties, or conform to the practice of others against our conscience, we are drinking to our own peril. Some Christians may also have been guilty of flaunting their freedom in defiance of the convictions of other believers or with no regard for the temptations of others to drunkenness (1 Cor.8:8-13).

As with any action we take, we must ensure it demonstrates both our love for the Lord and for others. God created alcohol, and in many places, the Bible describes it a God-given gift and blessing. But like all things the Lord has given, we must use it with wisdom and caution.

Unfortunately, because we are sinners, we tend to turn God’s good gifts into idolatry and sin. Alcohol is no exception. In fact, it stands out as one of Scripture’s major themes regarding warnings and judgment against a particular kind of sin. Drunkenness, therefore, is forbidden, and for good reason. The drunkard’s life is dishonoring to God and destructive to oneself, family, and friends.

Worst of all, a drunkard is a slave to alcohol and demonstrates a heart where the Holy Spirit does not reside. As Scripture says, such a person will not go to heaven. Note: This article and our many resources are made available for free through the generous support of others. Brandon is the Associate Pastor of The Journey Church in Lebanon, TN and leads the TJC RE:GENERATION ministry for the church. Brandon is married to Sherrie and has a daugher, Emma. Recent Articles:

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Contents

0.1 Was wine alcoholic in the Bible?
- 0.1.1 What does God say about addiction?
0.2 Is it a sin to drink alcoholic?

1 Is drinking alcohol a sin Bible verse?
- 1.1 Why is smoking a sin?
  - 1.1.1 Is it OK to drink alcohol?
- 1.2 Why is alcohol called spirits Bible?
2 Is it forbidden to eat pork in the Bible?
- 2.1 Where in the Bible does it say stay sober?
- 2.2 What does the Bible say about depression?
3 Is tattooing a sin?
4 Is beer mentioned in the Bible?
5 Who was the first drunkard in the Bible?
- - 5.0.1 What food is forbidden in Christianity?
- 5.1 Was wine in the Bible fermented?
  - 5.1.1 Where in the Bible does it say not to drink strong drink?
6 Can Catholics drink alcohol?

Was wine alcoholic in the Bible?

Charles L. Quarles | July 22, 2021 – By Dr. Charles L. Quarles Unfortunately, many Christians know little about the ancient Mediterranean world. When they read the New Testament, they naturally imagine that things there and then must have been very much like they are here and now. Famous Christian art provides many examples of such anachronisms.

Artists of previous centuries often depicted biblical figures wearing the fashions and using the technology of the artist’s own time rather than those of the actual biblical world (see Gerbrand van den Eeckhout’s painting, “Vision of Cornelius the Centurion” or Rembrandt’s “The Prodigal Son in the Brothel”).

We may unknowingly commit similar anachronisms when we read the New Testament. One such anachronism relates to modern Christian views of alcohol. The New Testament clearly prohibits drunkenness (Eph.5:18) and even insists that drunkenness is inconsistent with an authentic Christian lifestyle (1 Cor.6:9-11).

However, other texts show that the New Testament authors approved the use of wine in moderation (1 Tim.3:3, 8; 5:23; Titus 2:3).
Today’s readers reasonably conclude that the Bible approves of the use of all modern alcoholic beverages in moderation today.
The unstated assumption of this argument is that modern alcoholic beverages are very similar to biblical wine.

It turns out that the assumption is really a presumption. New Testament wine (by which I mean the wine ordinarily consumed in the New Testament world) was significantly different from many modern alcoholic beverages. How was this wine different? First, ancient beverages did not contain distilled alcohol like modern alcoholic beverages often do.

Distillation was invented by Arab alchemists in the 8 th century long after the New Testament era. The strongest alcoholic beverage that was accessible to the New Testament authors and their original readers was natural wine that had an alcoholic content of 11-12 percent (before dilution). Second, ancient wine was normally diluted.

Even ancient pagans considered drinking wine full strength to be a barbaric practice. They typically diluted wine with large amounts of water before the wine was consumed. Ancient wine was stored undiluted in large jars called amphorae, Before it was consumed, it was poured into large bowls called kraters where it was mixed with snow or water before being poured into cups (called kylix ).

The ratio of wine to water varied.
However, the ancients were virtually unanimous that a dilution rate of at least two parts water to one part wine was necessary.
Anacreon called unmixed wine “a Scythian draught.” Scythians ranked with primitive cannibals as the most barbaric of peoples.
Archippus said those who drank wine half and half were “wretches.” Mnesitheus of Athens wrote that to those “who mix and drink it moderately, it gives good cheer; but if you overstep the bounds, it brings violence.

Mix it half and half, and you get madness; unmixed bodily collapse.” One of the most helpful discussions of dilution rates appears in a work by Athenaus of Naucratis called Deipnosophistae (Banquet of the Learned; c. AD 228). Athenaus mentions several different dilution rates that he culled from ancient works.

Ancient Writer	Water:Wine
Homer	20:1
Pliny	8:1
Aristophanes	2 or 3:1
Euenos	3:1
Hesiod	3:1
Alexis	4:1
Diocles	2:1
Ion	3:1
Nichochares	5:2
Anacreon	2:1

The alcohol content was negligible by modern standards. The Old Testament Apocrypha also documents the practice of diluting wine with water.2 Maccabees 15:39 states, “It is harmful to drink wine alone, or again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one’s enjoyment.” A careful study of the Mishnah and Talmuds shows that the normal dilution rate among the Jews was 3 parts water to 1 part wine.B.

Shabbath 77a says that wine that does not mix well with three parts water is not true wine.B.
Pesahim 108b states that the wine consumed during Passover was 3:1 wine.
This was very likely the commonly accepted dilution rate among Jews of the NT era as well.
This dilution rate reduces the alcohol content of New Testament wine to 2.75 to 3.0 percent.

Although Federal law in the US classifies a beverage with 0.5 percent or more alcohol by volume as an alcoholic beverage, state laws may differ. In some states, a beverage with the weak alcohol content of New Testament wine is not even considered an alcoholic beverage.

According to Title 67 of the Mississippi Code, “wine containing five percent (5%) or less of alcohol by weight” shall not be considered an alcoholic beverage.
To answer the question we posed earlier, was New Testament wine alcoholic? Certainly, it was fermented and had a modest alcohol content.
But the alcohol content was negligible by modern standards.

Editor’s Note: In a future article, we will compare New Testament wine to modern alcoholic beverages. We will seek to determine if the approval of New Testament wine in moderation provides ethical justification for the consumption of significantly stronger alcoholic beverages today. Charles L. Quarles is Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology and Charles Page Chair of Biblical Theology at SEBTS. He has served at SEBTS since 2013. His current research focuses on the Gospel of Matthew, New Testament textual criticism, and the biblical theology of the work of Christ.

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What does God say about addiction?

1 Corinthians 10:13 – This verse has to do with temptations, which can certainly include addiction. The key point that addicts and loved ones of addicts should take from this verse is the last sentence: “But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” It tells addicts that there is always a way back to sobriety.

Is it a sin to drink alcoholic?

However, I realize now that my thinking was not entirely based on Scripture. I knew the Bible’s warnings against alcohol, but I didn’t see any value in drinking. Since then, I’ve had to adjust my thinking on alcohol to align with Scripture. Here is a biblical framework for thinking through this topic. Drinking Alcohol is Not a Sin Contrary to what many Christians have grown up hearing, it is not a sin to drink alcohol.

Of course, Jesus never got drunk, but he did drink wine. We all know he made water into wine at a party, and it would have been customary for him to enjoy a drink with his friends (John 2:1-11). It was also tradition for Jews to drink wine at the yearly Passover meal, in which Jesus routinely participated.

The Psalmist says that in addition to the many earthly blessings God bestows, the Lord gives “wine to gladden the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15). Friends enjoying a meal together may choose to enhance their gathering by sharing drinks. Alcohol can encourage relaxation, happiness, and laughter. These are all blessings from God (see also Eccl.9:7, Isaiah 55:1-3, Amos 9:14).

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18; also see Proverbs 20:1, 23:20, Isaiah 5:22). This is a command from the Spirit-inspired apostle. Christians, “do not get drunk.” To get drunk, then, is a sin. Christians who drink alcohol may raise a question here.

For example, according to some research, a male weighing 200 lbs. can consume one 12 oz beer and only reach a level of,02 BAC. Our bodies metabolize alcohol over time, and our BAC will drop,015% every hour from our last drink. ( Source ) Additionally, many would argue that even though,08 is the legal standard for intoxication, that doesn’t necessarily meet the Bible’s definition of drunkenness.

I suspect most believers would say that 1-2 drinks would not cause them to lose control. All this to say, what qualifies as being drunk varies from person to person. The command is easy: do not get drunk. Defining drunkenness, on the other hand, is not as simple. My pastoral counsel would be to err on the side of caution.

It’s an epidemic in our country, and alcohol is at the heart of it. This is why Scripture warns against the dangers of drunkenness. Several categories must be established here.

Yet, if our reason for drinking is to become drunk, seek temporary escape from difficulties, or conform to the practice of others against our conscience, we are drinking to our own peril.
Some Christians may also have been guilty of flaunting their freedom in defiance of the convictions of other believers or with no regard for the temptations of others to drunkenness (1 Cor.8:8-13).

Unfortunately, because we are sinners, we tend to turn God’s good gifts into idolatry and sin. Alcohol is no exception. In fact, it stands out as one of Scripture’s major themes regarding warnings and judgment against a particular kind of sin. Drunkenness, therefore, is forbidden, and for good reason. The drunkard’s life is dishonoring to God and destructive to oneself, family, and friends.

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Is drinking alcohol a sin Bible verse?

Drunkenness – Easton’s Bible Dictionary says, “The sin of drunkenness, must have been not uncommon in the olden times, for it is mentioned either metaphorically or literally more than seventy times in the Bible,” though some suggest it was a “vice of the wealthy rather than of the poor.” Biblical interpreters generally agree that the Hebrew and Christian scriptures condemn ordinary drunkenness as a serious spiritual and moral failing in passages such as these (all from the New International Version ):

Proverbs 23:20 f: “Do not mix with winebibbers, or gluttonous eaters of meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”
Isaiah 5:11 f: “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the L ORD, no respect for the work of his hands.”
Galatians 5:19–21 : “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Ephesians 5:18 : “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

The Drunkenness of Noah by Giovanni Bellini The consequences of the drunkenness of Noah and Lot “were intended to serve as examples of the dangers and repulsiveness of intemperance.” The title character in the Book of Judith uses the drunkenness of the Assyrian general Holofernes to behead him in a heroic victory for the Jewish people and an embarrassing defeat for the general, who had schemed to seduce Judith.

One of the original sections of 1 Esdras describes a debate among three courtiers of Darius I of Persia over whether wine, the king, or women (but above all the truth) is the strongest. The argument for wine does not prevail in the contest, but it provides a vivid description of the ancients’ view of the power wine can wield in excessive quantity.

A disputed but important passage is Proverbs 31:4–7, Some Christians assert that alcohol was prohibited to kings at all times, while most interpreters contend that only its abuse is in view here. Some argue that the latter instructions regarding the perishing should be understood as sarcasm when compared with the preceding verses, while others contend the beer and wine are intended as a cordial to raise the spirits of the perishing, while some suggest that the Bible is here authorizing alcohol as an anesthetic,

Why is smoking a sin?

Orthodoxy – Though there is no official canonical prohibition regarding the use of tobacco, the more traditional among the Eastern Orthodox Churches forbid their clergy or monastics to smoke, and the laity are strongly encouraged to give up this habit, if they are subject to it.

One who smokes is considered to be polluting the “Temple of the Holy Spirit” (i.e., the body), which has been sanctified by the reception of the Sacred Mysteries (Sacraments).
In Orthodox cultures, various derogatory terms have developed to describe smoking, such as ” incense of Satan”.
Father Alexander Lebedeff described the Orthodox approach as follows: You ask, “Are there canons that speak to the issues of,

tobacco?” I would ask you, where are the Canons that forbid use of marijuana or snorting cocaine or downloading pornography from the Internet? Obviously, there are none. Does this mean that your innate Orthodox common sense should not be enough to guide you to recognize what is healthy and what is not? The Canons should not be considered a compendium of answers to all possible questions.

God gave us a mind and a conscience and we should use them to determine what is right and what is wrong, whether or not the particular yes issue has been addressed in the canons or not.
Smoking tobacco is a disgusting, filthy, addictive habit that turns the mouth of the smoker into an ashtray.
It not only poisons the body of the smoker but pollutes the air that others around the smoker breathe.

It is absolutely incompatible with the dignity of the Orthodox Priesthood, diaconate, or monastic state, whether the Canons specifically address it or not.

Is it OK to drink alcohol?

What’s Moderate Alcohol Intake? What’s a Drink? – Loose use of the terms “moderate” and “a drink” has fueled some of the ongoing debate about alcohol’s impact on health. In some studies, the term “moderate drinking” refers to less than 1 drink per day, while in others it means 3-4 drinks per day.

Exactly what constitutes “a drink” is also fairly fluid. In fact, even among alcohol researchers, there’s no universally accepted standard drink definition. In the U.S., 1 drink is usually considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of spirits (hard liquor such as gin or whiskey).

Each delivers about 12 to 14 grams of alcohol on average, but there is a wider range now that microbrews and wine are being produced with higher alcohol content. The definition of moderate drinking is something of a balancing act. Moderate drinking sits at the point at which the health benefits of alcohol clearly outweigh the risks.

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Why is alcohol called spirits Bible?

Go Telling on the Bible – Suppose you are familiar with the biblical teaching of the New Testament bible. In that case, you may also be familiar with a passage from Acts 2:13 in which the author identifies the Holy Spirit as tongues, a dove, water, fire, and even wind.

The passage goes interpreted to mean that the Pentecost’s bystanders were actually comparing the effects they felt from the Holy Spirit as the sensation of being intoxicated from drinking too much good wine.
Simply put, the holy spirit is physically compared to intoxicating spirits such as alcohol.
Let’s hope that came without the dreaded hangover.

Even for nonbelievers, the connection between alcohol’s intoxicating nature and the Holy Spirit is a natural jump in logic. However, like many Bible verses, it isn’t laid out clearly and can be open to the reader’s interpretation. So, if it didn’t come from a religious text, what does the scientific community have to say about its origins?

Is it forbidden to eat pork in the Bible?

Pig As Symbol Barnyard Animal Holds Significant Meaning For Jews, Christians And Muslims Throughout history, the pig has been an animal with a deeply fraught significance for Christians and Jews as well as Muslims. Why, for example, are Jews forbidden to eat pig meat at the same time Christians happily serve up ham for Easter? The answer may involve more than simply the biblical prohibition against Jews eating pork.

If you understand the pig’s symbolism, you can understand the complex and often tortured relationship between Jews and Christians, says French cultural anthropologist Claudine Fabre-Vassas.
In her book “The Singular Beast: Jews, Christians and the Pig” (Columbia University Press, 1997), Fabre-Vassas depicts the pig not only as a beloved figure in medieval and modern Christian households, prized as both a pet in peasant cultures and a source of delicious food, but also as a symbol of a hated figure, the Jew, of the very group that scorns it as unclean.

Fabre-Vassas argues that the cultural tension between those who did and those who did not eat pork helps set the stage for a murderous anti-Semitism. The Jewish interdiction against the pig is first mentioned in the Old Testament. In Leviticus 11:27, God forbids Moses and his followers to eat swine “because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud.” Furthermore, the prohibition goes, “Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you.” That message is later reinforced in Deuteronomy.

Muslims, who follow Mosaic law, inherited the prohibition. Over the years, various explanations have been offered for the Old Testament commandment. The 12th-century rabbi, Moses Maimonides, court physician to the Muslim sultan and warrior Saladin, said the prohibition against eating pig meat was for health reasons as it had a “bad and damaging effect” upon the body.

Beginning in the 19th century, scholars offered a different explanation. In “The Golden Bough,” Sir James Frazer wrote that pig meat was forbidden because it had originally been an animal used for sacrifice. “All so-called unclean animals were originally sacred,” Sir James wrote.

“The reason for not eating them is that many were originally divine.” British anthropologist Mary Douglas, in her 1966 book “Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo,” explains the prohibition as a problem of taxonomy: The pig did not fit conveniently into the Israelites’ definitions of what a domestic animal should be (the cloven hooves, the failure to chew their cuds like cows).

Animals like pigs that cross over definitions, Douglas argues, that crawl instead of walk or swarm instead of fly, defied the tribal need to create an intellectual ordering of the world. Disorder of any kind, Douglas writes, provided a frightening glimpse into the chaos inherent in the universe.

Later, another anthropologist, Marvin Harris, gave a decidedly utilitarian explanation for the taboo against pork, arguing in his 1974 book “Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches: The Riddles of Culture” that the prohibition was a response to the realities of nomadic life in the arid stretches of Palestine.
Harris points out that the pig does indeed wallow in its own filth and eats its own feces, but usually only under conditions of severe drought.

Cows and sheep will also eat their own feces under extremely dry conditions, he adds. But pigs require larger amounts of moisture than cows or sheep, he says, and are therefore difficult to raise in hot, dry climates: It was easier, in the end, to forbid people to eat something that they might long for.

Better then, to interdict the consumption of pork entirely,” Harris writes, “and to concentrate on raising goats, sheep and cattle. Pigs tasted good, but it was too expensive to feed them and keep them cool.” Whatever the reason, the prohibition against eating pig meat became an identifying feature, a defining characteristic of Jewishness.

And that, says Alan Dundes, professor of anthropology and folklore at the University of California, Berkeley, is precisely the reason that Christians not only eat pork, but even celebrate it by eating it on holidays. “You distinguish yourself by not doing what others do,” Dundes writes.

It was in the early Christian period, in the first century, that the great divide opened up between those who ate pork and those who didn’t. Early Christians, then simply a sect among the Jews, were faced with the problem of distinguishing themselves. They did not circumcise their children. And they ate pork, the very animal that their fellow Jews avoided.

What’s more, where Jews, under biblical command, drained the blood of meat before they ate it, Christians symbolically drank the blood of Christ, and ate His body through the sacrament of the Eucharist. “There is virtually no religion that we know of that doesn’t define itself with food,” said Gillian Feeley-Harnik, a professor of anthropology at Johns Hopkins University and the author of “The Lord’s Table: The Meaning of Food in Early Judaism and Christianity” (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1994).

Where in the Bible does it say stay sober?

1 Peter 5:8 In-Context 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

What does the Bible say about depression?

God Strengthens and Cares For His People – God wants to have a loving relationship with everyone. He wants us to rely on Him during difficult times.1 Peter 5:7 says, ” Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” When we feel so overwhelmed by depression and fearful that it may never subside, we can remember God’s word in Isaiah 41:10, ” Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” God is described in different ways, but during times of depression and sadness, He can be our comforter. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, the Bible says, ” All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.” Depression can knock on anyone’s door.

Is tattooing a sin?

Judaism – Famous Jewish American NFL player Igor Olshansky has many tattoos, including two Stars of David on his neck. He is regularly featured in Jewish news publications. Tattoos can be prohibited in Judaism based on the Torah ( Leviticus 19:28): “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord.” The prohibition is explained by contemporary rabbis as part of a general prohibition on body modification (with the exception of circumcision) that does not serve a medical purpose (such as to correct a deformity).

Maimonides, a leading 12th-century scholar of Jewish law and thought, explains that one of the reasons for the prohibition against tattoos is a Jewish response to pagan mourning practices. Scholars such as John Huehnergard and Harold Liebowitz suggest that the prohibition against tattooing was less in response to the pagan mourning practices as mentioned in the preceding verse of Leviticus, as death rituals in ancient Mesopotamia, Syria, Israel, and Egypt make no references to marking the skin as a sign of mourning.

However tattooing was used a sign of enslavement and servitude in ancient Egypt, where captives were tattooed or branded with the names of priests and pharaohs to mark them as belonging to a specific person or god. Huehnergard and Liebowitz therefore suggest that tattooing was forbidden in the Torah because it was a symbol of servitude and the primacy of escaping Egyptian bondage in ancient Jewish theological law.

They also point out the verse Isaiah 44:5 in which the children of Jacob committing themselves to God: “One shall say, ‘I am the L ORD ‘s’.
Another shall mark his arm ‘of the L ORD,'” Orthodox Jews, in application of halakha (Jewish Law), reveal Leviticus 19:28 prohibits getting tattoos.
One reading of Leviticus is to apply it only to the specific ancient practice of rubbing the ashes of the dead into wounds; but modern tattooing is included in other religious interpretations.

Orthodox Jews also point to a passage from the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 180:1, that elucidates the biblical passage above as a prohibition against markings beyond the ancient practice, including tattoos. Maimonides concluded that regardless of intent, the act of tattooing is prohibited ( Mishneh Torah, Laws of Idolatry 12:11).

Conservative Jews point to the next verse of the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 180:2): “If it was done in the flesh of another, the one to whom it was done is blameless” – this is used by them to say that tattooing oneself is different from obtaining a tattoo, and that the latter may be acceptable. Orthodox Jews disagree, and read the text as referring to forced tattooing— as was done during the Holocaust —which is not considered a violation of Jewish Law on the part of the victim.

In another vein, cutting into the skin to perform surgery and temporary tattooing used for surgical purposes (e.g.: to mark the lines of an incision) are permitted in the Shulhan Arukh 180:3. Reform Jews and Reconstructionist Jews neither condemn nor condone tattooing.

In modern times, the association of tattoos with Nazi concentration camps and the Holocaust has changed the discussion around tattoos in Judaism.
It is made clear that any such tattoos do not fall under the scope of the prohibition, since it applies only to voluntary and permanent tattoos.
For some, the Holocaust added another level of revulsion to tattooing.

For others, this tragedy sparked a wave of many Jewish individuals getting tattooed with Auschwitz numbers as a form of remembrance and reclamation. Additionally, it is a common misconception that anyone bearing a tattoo is not permitted to be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

Is beer mentioned in the Bible?

Should Christians Drink Alcohol? “Here are your keys,” muttered the secretary when I arrived to pick up the keys to my office at Aberdeen University, where I would be studying for my doctorate in theology. “It looks like you’re in The Old Brewery.” Intrigued by the name, I later found out that it reflected the building’s original function.

Aberdeen was founded in the 15th century and used to train monks for ministry.
In the brewery, monks brewed vast quantities of Scottish ale, which was served by the liter at mealtimes.
And here I was, a post-fundamentalist Ph.D.
Student studying the Scriptures in a malted sanctuary where late medieval Bible college students once clapped mugs together in an act of worship.

Throughout Christian history, alcohol was rarely a taboo as it is in some circles today. John Calvin had a stipend of 250 gallons of wine per year written into his church contract. Martin Luther’s wife was a famed brewer of beer, which certainly won Martin’s heart.

And the Guinness family created their renowned Irish Stout as an act of worship to Jesus. From Bordeaux to Berlin, wine and beer have always been part of church tradition. But what was once considered the nectar of heaven was later condemned as the devil’s libation. Moderation not Abstinence Even though some Christians advocate for the total abstinence of alcohol as a moral mandate for all believers, the Bible never requires all believers to abstain from alcohol.

It condemns drunkenness and being enslaved to wine (Ephesians 5:18; Titus 2:3), but it never says that tee-totaling is the better way to obey God. In fact, the Bible never says that abstaining from alcohol is the wisest way to avoid getting drunk. Think about it.

Alcoholism has been rampant through every age, but the Bible never says that all believers should therefore refrain from drinking. If Christians want to forbid all alcohol consumption to avoid drunkenness, then to be consistent, they should also avoid making a lot of money to guard against the crushing sin of materialism and the misuse of wealth.

What About our Testimony? I sometimes hear that when Christians drink, it ruins their testimony. But quite honestly, I’ve never understood this line of thinking. It’s one thing if you’ve struggled with alcoholism or are ministering in a Muslim country, but for the most part, most non-Christians I know are turned off by the arbitrary dos and don’ts created by modern Christians.

I’m not convinced that if my unbelieving neighbor sees me slipping into a pub, I will lose much traction to my Gospel witness.
In many cases, the Gospel will shine brighter when you break down wrong assumptions about Christianity by having a beer with your neighbor.
When we strip away all the man-made clutter that dims the Gospel, the full glory of Jesus shines much brighter.

A good chunk of the dying world that’s rejected Christianity hasn’t said no to Jesus, but no to a pharisaical version of Him. Some people have been turned off by the Gospel because they’ve thought that becoming a Christ-follower meant giving up having a beer with your friends after work.

If this is the “good news” we preach, then the true beauty of a crucified and risen King will become covered in the fog of a man-made, pharisaical “don’t drink” gospel. AA didn’t hang on a cross for your sins and abstaining from alcohol won’t give you resurrection life. Any Christianese, man-made, unbiblical footnotes to the gospel are actually a distraction and offense to the Gospel.

You might be interested: Why Am I So Sensitive To Alcohol?

Lower Alcohol Content? Now, some say that wine in the Bible was nothing more than grape juice and therefore neither Jesus nor the Biblical writers advocated drinking alcohol. Others say that wine was so diluted that it hardly contained any alcohol. But neither of these views can be substantiated by what the Scriptures actually say.

If wine was really unfermented grape juice, then why did Paul warn the Ephesians: “Do not get drunk with grape juice, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit?” This doesn’t make sense.
It is true that wine back then probably had a lower ABV than today’s stuff.
But whatever the alcohol content, people were quite able to get smashed by drinking too much of it (Proverbs 20:1; Isaiah 5:11).

Still, the Bible never says not to drink it. There’s another alcoholic beverage mentioned in the Bible called “strong drink. The Hebrew word for “strong drink,” shakar, refers to fermented barley, which is why some translations call it “beer.” Shakar had an ABV of around 6-12 percent, similar to a Belgium Tripel Ale or a Double IPA.

Like all alcoholic beverages, the Bible prohibits abusing beer (Isaiah 5:11; 28:7; Proverbs 20:1; 31:4).
But in moderation, drinking beer was encouraged (Proverbs 31:6).
In fact, Deuteronomy 14:26 actually commands Israelites to use some of their tithe money to buy some beers and celebrate before the Lord.

(Ever hear that verse being read as the ushers are passing the plates?) They were also commanded to offer up two liters of beer to God six days a week and even more on the Sabbath (see Numbers 28:7-10). This is why the absence of beer (and wine) was an outcome of God’s judgment on the nation.

Wine as a Blessing But the Bible goes further than admitting that drinking is simply allowed.
Throughout Scripture, the production and consumption of beer and wine are often connected to the covenant promises of God.
Under the old covenant, wine is a blessing (Deut 7:13; 11:14) and the absence of wine a curse (28:39, 51).

When Israel looked to the future, God promises to flood them wine flowing from the mountaintops (Amos 9:14; Joel 3:18) and vats brimming with fresh wine (Joel 2:19, 24). Jesus signals the beginning of such blessings by creating an over-abundance (150 gallons) of wine at Cana (John 2:1-10).

And on the eve of his death, He sanctified a cup of wine as “the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:14-23).
When Christ comes back, He’ll prepare “well-aged wine” (Isaiah 25:6)—the stuff I only notice on the top shelf but can never afford—and for theological reasons it will be served, as at Cana, in abundance.

Although a good beer and rich wine are blessings from God, they should be consumed with caution. There’s a growing tendency, however, among some younger evangelicals to celebrate their freedom without discipline. These young, restless, and slightly inebriated libertines are doing some great things for the Kingdom.

They’re feeding the poor, living in community and planting authentic churches—or missional communities—all to the glory of God.
Yes, God cares about the poor; He also cares about your sobriety.
Enjoying alcohol in moderation takes discipline, and many beer drinkers, I hate to say it, aren’t known for their discipline.

A good glass of beer can be celebratory; it doesn’t belong in the hands of an undisciplined 16-year-old playing video games in his mom’s basement. Belgium ale is strong and complex. Savor it, sanctify it, and let it meditate on your palate. Give glory to God, not just to your thirst, when enjoying the blessings that flow from Eden.

Drunkenness may not be at the top of God’s list of most heinous sins; neither should it be tossed aside as a relic of American fundamentalism. Drinking alcohol without celebrating the Cross and Kingdom is theologically anemic. Abusing alcohol mocks the blood of Christ and scoffs at God’s holiness. But moderate, intentional, celebratory and reflective drinking of wine and beer, which contemplates the crucified and risen King and anticipates our future glory, is rooted in the grace that poured from Christ’s veins on Calvary.

I originally wrote this post for in 2014. : Should Christians Drink Alcohol?

Who was the first drunkard in the Bible?

1 Noah The Drunkard Here we have the 1st mention of alcohol in Scripture and it is presented in an unfavourable light. Alcohol is a drug known as ‘ethanol’ which when consumed affects our behaviour.

What food is forbidden in Christianity?

In the New Testament – The only dietary restrictions specified for Christians in the New Testament are to “abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals” ( Acts 15:29 ), teachings that the early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen, preached for believers to follow.

Was wine in the Bible fermented?

Definition and origin – In the Bible, the few chapters that come between the creation of Adam and the birth of Noah contain no mention of alcoholic drinks. After the account of the great flood, the biblical Noah is said to have cultivated a vineyard, made wine, and become intoxicated,

Thus, the discovery of fermentation is traditionally attributed to Noah because this is the first time alcohol appears in the Bible.
Noah’s wine has been described as a “pleasant relief for man from the toilsome work of the crop”.
There is debate as to whether certain references to wine in the Bible are actually to a non-intoxicating substance, but, at least in this passage, the Bible states Noah became drunk ( Hebrew : ישכר yiškār ) after consuming wine ( יין ‎ yayin ).

It has been suggested that Noah’s wine must have been drugged as it could not have been strong enough to cause him to become intoxicated. Rabbinic literature goes as far as to suggest that the grape vine-branch had its origins with Adam, and that Satan, along with fertilization using animal blood, played a part in the production of the wine.

It blames those factors (especially the latter two) for the aforementioned potency of the wine.
From a biblical view, fermented beverages presumably spread throughout the world after Noah’s supposed discovery, as alcoholic beverages are historically widespread.
Some climates are not suited for the growing of grapes; hence it is purported that humanity was led to discover other means (e.g.

beer ) of not simply satisfying thirst but also stimulating the mind.

Where in the Bible does it say not to drink strong drink?

Luke.1 –

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink ; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

Can Catholics drink alcohol?

How to Drink Like a Saint September 6, 2021 While researching Drinking With the Saints, I was looking for what drinks I could recommend on certain feast days of the liturgical year. What I did not expect to discover was a lesson in how to drink them. That lesson can be distilled into five key points.

To drink like a saint—that is, to enjoy alcohol the way it was meant by God to be enjoyed—one must drink 1 – With Moderation Moderation is not only the morally responsible thing to do, it is also the more pleasant.
The Epicureans of old were moderate in their appetites because of their commitment not to virtue but to maximizing their physical pleasure, for they knew that excess would rob them of the carnal goal they sought.

Christians are free to profit from this insight, for God wants us to derive pleasure from his creation. Moderation is also important because it fosters health, which is one of the reasons the Church has historically tolerated and even supported the consumption of alcohol (think of the medieval religious orders and their production of beer, wine, whiskey, and liqueur).

In the Middle Ages and beyond, alcohol purified contaminated water or served as a substitute for it, and it also acted as a medicine for different ailments. To this day, when Carthusian monks in the Grand Charterhouse (located high in the drafty French Alps) catch a cold, they take a tablespoon of their delicious herbal liqueur, chartreuse.

Lastly, moderation is key to fostering fellowship. Drinking just enough to relax the tongue but not enough to have it reel away from dispassionate thought is highly conducive to good conversation and camaraderie. As the poet Ogden Nash puts it in his poem “Reflections on an Ice Breaker,” “Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker.” 2 – With Gratitude Moderation is also an expression of gratitude to God for the goodness of the grape and the grain.

As Chesterton puts it: “We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them.” Gratitude is a much-ignored virtue these days, as we fixate more and more on our rights and entitlements and less on what we owe to others.
Indeed, for some modern philosophers such as Kant gratitude is a bad thing, a threat to our autonomy, for it implies that we are in someone else’s debt.

But for the Catholic, it is a joy to give thanks to the God who creates, redeems, and sanctifies us and to see his beneficence in all the goods around us, including those in our glass. Note the gratitude fermenting in this statement by St. Arnold of Metz, a patron saint of brewers: “From man’s sweat and God’s love, beer came into the world.” 3 – With Memory Catholic piety is centered on the Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving,” and hence an attitude of gratitude permeates all aspects of Catholic life.

But the Eucharist is also a memorial, a fulfillment of the command to “Do this in memory of Me.” Gratitude requires memory, specifically, the memory of the good things undeservedly given to us.
One of the key differences between healthy and unhealthy drinking is whether the imbiber is drinking to remember or drinking to forget.

Consider the difference between the drinking that goes on at a truly good and noble wedding and the drinking that often goes on at a bar. At a good wedding, multiple generations gather to celebrate the triumphant and honorable nuptials of a faithful man and a faithful woman; they gather to celebrate the love of this new couple which, God willing, will only grow over the years and lead to more children and more love.

And when they do so, they also remember the love in their own marriages, the love in their parents’ marriages, and on and on.
They remember a great chain of love, and they raise their glasses to it.
Contrast this picture with that of a middle-aged man at the corner of the bar drinking alone.
He laments his loneliness, his dead-end job, his lost youth.

The man orders round after round not to remember the good but to forget the bad. Such a use of the drink falls far from the fine art of Catholic quaffing.4 – With Merriment Another way to consider the difference between healthy and unhealthy drinking is to reflect on the notions of “fun” and “merriment.” “Fun” implies a form of entertainment that is not necessarily bad but is usually superficial and can usually be enjoyed alone.

Perhaps a young man would have more fun playing video games with his friends, but it is conceivable that he can still have some fun playing the game by himself. “Merriment,” on the other hand, necessitates fellowship. People usually do not make merry alone in a room; they make merry at a festival or a great banquet.

At least to my mind, merriment presupposes strong community and a truly divine and memorable reason to celebrate: think of how absurd it would be to say “Merry Administrative Professionals’ Day.” But “Merry Christmas” still has theological meaning, and not just because Christ’s Mass is mentioned.

When we wish someone to be merry on Our Lord’s birthday, we are hoping that they will have more than just a good time.
Of course, all of this involves risk: there is an obsolete term in English, “merry-drunk,” that suggests as much.
But as Josef Pieper points out in his work In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity, all festivity contains “a natural peril and a germ of degeneration” because all festivity carries with it an element of lavishness.

But just as lavishness need not involve decadence, “wet” merriment need not involve drowning.5 – With Ritual Pieper’s book calls to mind another aspect of merriment: ritual. “The ritual festival,” Pieper goes so far as to assert, “is the most festive form of festivity.” How? Because true festive joy cannot exist without God and without a tradition of celebration involving ritual praise and sacrifice.

Without religious ritual, Pieper concludes, a holiday becomes not a “profane festival” but something worse: a contrived and artificial occasion that becomes a “new and more strenuous kind of work.” We pious drinkers can appropriate Pieper’s wisdom with two simple practices. First, our celebrations should be grounded in the liturgical year, that grand recurring narrative of the mysteries of Christ and His saints.

Catholic liturgy, Pieper writes, “is in fact ‘an unbounded Yea- and Amen-saying’ to the “whole of reality and existence,” and each saint’s feast day is both a celebration of a saint’s having said Yes to God and an invitation for us to do so as well. Second, there should be some ritual component to one’s celebration, no matter how humble.

The easiest way to accomplish this goal is with the ritual of a toast.
Toasting is about as old as drinking itself and has deeply religious roots.
The original “libation,” along with uttering some invocation to the divine, consisted of pouring out the first portion of one’s drink to the gods.
And according to one account, the custom of clinking glasses is a Christian invention, its tinkling sound imitating the peal of church bells driving away demons.

Catholics should be natural toasters, for ritual is in our blood: we recognize that formality does not replace spontaneity or joy but completes it, channels it, enriches it. And the universal desire to toast to someone’s health finds new meaning in the high Christian aspiration for more than a mere absence of bodily ills.

All it takes is one toast to make your amorphous get-together an event, perhaps even a holy one.
In the same work, Joseph Pieper quotes with approval a Nietzschean aphorism: “The trick is not to arrange a festival, but to find people who can enjoy it.” With the age of post-modern nihilism upon us, the question is not whether Christians should enjoy a drink festively; the question is whether they will be the only ones left capable of doing so.

(This article originally appeared in )