Alcohol
1. Have you ever drank alcohol? No, I have never drank alcohol of any kind. 2. Do you think it is wrong to drink alcohol? Why or why not? (Ask for the Scriptural basis of their answer.) When you become drunk, because of drinking alcohol, then yes, it is wrong and your are sinning, according to the Word of God: Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Through the Scripture, we have seen alcohol abused. One incident was with Noah: 20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded [a] to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers." Most circumstances with drinking wine, the person becomes drunk. In the Old Testiment it was associated with being evil: Deuteronomy 21:20 They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." 21 Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid. I know the Lord does not want us to be "drunk with wine". I believe if alcohol, mostly wine, can be used to help your health, then, yes, drink it. Also, if you use it to flavor foods, if you cook with it, that is fine. But not to the point that you become drunk. One of the fruits of the spirit is self-control, when you are drunk your do not have self-control. Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Also, as a Christian we have certain responsibilities that non-Christians do not. One of them is that we are held accountable for our actions. We are also help accountable for making a brother or sister in Christ stumble in their walk with the Lord. If drinking alcohol, for your health or for cooking is causing a Brother or sister in Christ to stumble, then do not use it. 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 1 Corinthians 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. 3. Why do you think alcohol is so widely abused? Alcohol is abused because, our world has become corrupt. Behind the faces of this world is hurt and fear. Alcohol is a way out of the pain. Alcohol dulls the pain for a time. When a person drinks they don't have to worry about their life. It's a selfish, immature, way of pushing aside the responsibilities of life. And because our world harbors so much pain and fear this is a way that they can push it all aside, and be "free" for a time.
