Should Christians Drink??

This is a question i get asked often. As a Youth Pastor and communicator for almost 15 years, this questions comes up very often. As a matter of fact, what has prompted this BLOG entry is a college student in my local ministry, who inquired about this very subject. I figured that if i am hit often with this then there is a strong chance, others of you have to biblically tackle this issue as well.

Below are my notes on the research I did a few years ago.
here u go: :P

WINE AND STRONG DRINK The word "wine" was defined your several types of beverages in the original languages of the Bible. Here is a list of those beverages in its original text form.

1. Hebrew Words for Wine: a. YAYIN Fermented, intoxicating wine b. TIYROSH Grape juice c. SHEKAR Intensely strong alcoholic liquor. d. CHAMAR To boil up — thus to burn away fermented (alcohol) Best wine - with 4 stages to make ready (boil/filter/cool/preserve) e. MAMCAK Mixed wine water or spice f. AWSEES Just trodden grape juice

2. Greek Words for Wine: a. OYNOS Same as CHAMAR in Hebrew. b. GLEUKKOS Most common wine - FERMENTED wine c. OINOPHLUGIA (pro. oy—nor—loog-ee) An overflow of wine—excess drunkenness; on oynos. d. SHAKER Extremely strong wine. (also called: strong drink) OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES (WITH ORIGINAL HEBREW WORD) 1. Genesis 9:21 YAYIN 2. Genesis 14:18 MAMCAK 3. Genesis 19:33 YAYIN 4. Exodus 29:40 AWSEES 5. Leviticus 10:9 YAYIN 6. Leviticus 23:13 YAYIN 7. Numbers 18:12 TIYROSH 8. Numbers 28:7 SHEKAR 9. Deuteronomy 12:17 TIYROSH 10. Judges 13:4,7,14 YAYIN 11. I Samuel 1:14,15 YAYIN 12. II Samuel 13:28 YAYIN 13. Ezra 7:22 CHAMAR 14. Nehemiah 10:37, 39 TIYROSH 15. Psalms 104:15 YAYIN 16. Proverbs 20:1 YAYIN 17. Proverbs 23:30, 31 YAYIN 18. Proverbs 31: 4, 6 YAYIN 19. Isaiah 65:8 TIYROSH 20. Jeremiah 23:9 YAYIN 21. Daniel 5:4 CHAMAR 22. Joel 1: 5, 10 YAYIN, TIYROSH NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES (WITH ORIGINAL GREEK WORD) 1. Matthew 9:17 GLEUKKOS 2. Mark 2:22 GLEUKKOS 3. Mark 15:23 SHAKER 4. Luke 1:15 OYNOS 5. Luke 7:33 OYNOS 6. Luke 10:34 OYNOS 7. John 2:3,9,10 GLEUKKOS - JESUS GAVE THEM OYNOS - the miracle of that day was not that Jesus turned water into alcoholic wine, according to the original text. The miracle was that at His command, the water went through 4 stages that took months to acheive (boiled, filtered, cooled, preserved) just by His words. 8. John 4:46 OYNOS 9. Acts 2:13 OINOPHLUGIA 10. Romans 14:21 GLEUKKOS 11. Ephesians 5:18 SHAKER 12. I Timothy 3:3 GLEUKKOS 13. I Timothy 5:23 OYNOS **referes to purified grape juice - no alcohol in it. 14. Titus 1:7 GLEUKKOS 15. Titus 2:3 OYNOS 16. Peter 4:3 OINOPHLUGIA

75 WARNINGS OF DRINKING
1) Genesis 9:20-26 - Noah became drunk; the result was immorality and family trouble.
2) Genesis 19:30-38 - Lot was so drunk he did not know what he was doing; this led to immorality
3) Leviticus 10:9-11 - God commanded priests not to drink so that they could tell the difference between the holy and the unholy.
4) Numbers 6:3 - The Nazarites were told to eat or drink nothing from the grape vine.
5) Deuteronomy 21:20 - A drunken son was stubborn and rebellious.
6) Deuteronomy 29:5-6 - God gave no grape juice to Israel nor did they have intoxicating drink in the wilderness.
7) Deuteronomy 32:33 - Intoxicating wine is like the poison of serpents, the cruel venom of asps.
8) Judges 13:4, 7, 14 - Samson was to be a Nazarite for life. His mother was told not to drink wine or strong drink.
9) 1 Samuel 1:14-15 - Accused, Hannah said she drank no wine.
10) 1 Samuel 25:32-38 - Nabal died after a drunken spree.
11) 2 Samuel 11:13 - By getting Uriah drunk, David hoped to cover his sin. 12) 2 Samuel 13:28-29 - Amnon was drunk when he was killed.
13) 1 Kings 16:8-10 - The king was drinking himself into drunkenness when he was assassinated
14) 1 Kings 20:12-21 - Ben-Hadad and 32 other kings were drinking when they were attacked and defeated by the Israelites.
15) Esther 1:5-12 - The king gave each one all the drink he wanted. The king was intoxicated when he commanded the queen to come.
16) Psalm 75:8 - The Lord's anger is pictured as mixed wine poured out and drunk by the wicked.
17) Proverbs 4:17 - Alcoholic drink is called the wine of violence.
18) Proverbs 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging. WHOEVER IS LED ASTRAY IS NOT WISE
19) Proverbs 23:19-20 - A wise person will not be among the drinkers of alcoholic beverages.
20) Proverbs 23:21 - Drunkenness causes poverty.
21) Proverbs 23:29-30 - Drinking causes woe, sorrow, fighting, babbling, wounds without cause and red eyes.
22) Proverbs 23:31 - God instructs not to look at intoxicating drinks.
23) Proverbs 23:32 - Alcoholic drinks bite like a serpent, sting like an adder.
24) Proverbs 23:33 - Alcohol causes the drinker to have strange and adulterous thoughts, produces willfulness, and prevents reformation.
25) Proverbs 23:34 - Alcohol makes the drinker unstable
26) Proverbs 23:35 - Alcohol makes the drinker insensitive to pain so he does not perceive it as a warning. Alcohol is habit forming.
27) Proverb 31:4-5 - Kings, Princes, and others who rule and judge must not drink alcohol. Alcohol perverts good judgment.
28) Proverbs 31:6-7 - Strong drink could be given to those about to perish or those in pain. Better anesthetics are available today.
29) Ecclesiastes 2:3 - The king tried everything, including intoxicating drink, to see if it satisfied. It did not. (Ecclesiastes 12:8)
30) Ecclesiastes 10:17 - A land is blessed when its leaders do not drink.
31) Isaiah 5:11-12 - Woe to those who get up early to drink and stay up late at night to get drunk.
32) Isaiah 5:22 - Woe to "champion" drinkers and "experts" at mixing drinks.
33) Isaiah 19:14 - Drunken men stagger in their vomit.
34) Isaiah 22:12-13 - The Israelites choose to drink; their future looks hopeless to them.
35) Isaiah 24:9 - Drinkers cannot escape the consequences when God judges.
36) Isaiah 28:1 - God pronounces woe on the drunkards of Ephraim.
37) Isaiah 28:3 - Proud drunkards shall be trodden down.
38) Isaiah 28:7 - Priests and prophets stagger and reel from beer and wine, err in vision, and stumble in judgment.
39) Isaiah 28:8 - Drinkers' tables are covered with vomit and filth.
40) Isaiah 56:9-12 - Drinkers seek their own gain and expect tomorrow to be just like today.
41) Jeremiah 35:2-14 - The Rechabites drank no grape juice or intoxicating wine and were blessed.
42) Ezekiel 44:21 - Again God instructed the priests not to drink wine.
43) Daniel 1:5-17 - Daniel refused the king's intoxicating wine and was blessed for it along with his abstaining friends.
44) Daniel 5:1 - Belshazzar, ruler of Babylon; led his people in drinking.
45) Daniel 5:2-3 - The king, along with his nobles, wives, and concubines, drank from the goblets which had been taken from God's temple.
46) Daniel 5:4 - Drinking wine was combined with praising false gods.
47) Daniel 5:23 - God sent word to Belshazzar that punishment would be swift for the evil he had committed.
48) Hosea 4:11 - Intoxicating wine takes away intelligence. - tell me the truth
49) Hosea 7:5 - God reproves princes for drinking.
50) Joel 1:5 - Drunkards awake to see God's judgment.
51) Joel 3:3 - The enemy is judged for selling girls for wine.
52) Amos 2:8 - Unrighteous acts of Israel included the drinking of wine which had been taken for the payment of fines.
53) Amos 2:12 - Israel is condemned for forcing Nazarites to drink wine.
54) Micah 2:11 - Israelites are eager to follow false teachers who prophesy plenty of intoxicating drinks.
55) Nahum 1:10 - The drunkards of Nineveh will be destroyed by God.
56) Habakkuk 2:5 - A man is betrayed by wine.
57) Habakkuk 2:15 - Woe to him that gives his neighbor drink.
58) Habakkuk 2:16 - Drinking leads to shame.
59) Matthew 24:48-51 - A drinking servant is unprepared for his Lord's return.
60) Luke 1:15 - John the Baptist drank neither grape juice nor wine.
61) Luke 12:45 - Christ warned against drunkenness.
62) Luke 21:34 - Drunkenness will cause a person not to be ready for the Lord's return.
63) Romans 13:13 - Do not walk in drunkenness or immorality.
64) Romans 14:21 - Do not do anything that will hurt your testimony as a believer.
65) 1 Corinthians 5:11 - If a Christian brother is a drinker, do not associate with him.
66) 1 Corinthians 6:10 - Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God
67) Galatians 5:21 - Acts of the sinful nature, such as drunkenness, will prohibit a person from inheriting the kingdom of God.
68) Ephesians 5:18 - In contrast to being drunk with wine, the believer is to be filled with the Spirit.
69) 1 Thessalonians 5:6-7 - Christians are to be alert and self-controlled, belonging to the day. Drunkards belong to the night and darkness.
70) 1 Timothy 3:2-3 - Bishops (elders) are to be temperate, sober, and not near any wine.
71) 1 Timothy 3:8 - Deacons are to be worthy of respect and not drinkers.
72) 1 Timothy 3:11 - Deacons' wives are to be temperate and sober.
73) Titus 1:7-8 - An overseer is to be disciplined.
74) Titus 2:2-3 - The older men and older women of the church are to be temperate and not addicted to wine.
75) 1 Peter 4:3-4 - The past life of drunkenness and carousing has no place in the Christian's life.

1: POINT: ALL THIS IS SUMMED UP IN 3 SCRIPTURES 1. Eph 5:1-7 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. NIV

2. 1 Peter 4:1-6 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do-living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. NIV

3. The majority of the scriptures deal with "priests". so does that mean me?? absolutely. 1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. NIV

Hope I Helped!!
PG