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The Bible Teaches Total Abstinence
E. L. Bynum
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The Bible teaches total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks. If everyone would be obedient to the teaching of God's Word, there would be no alcohol problem in America.
Drunkeness brought sorrow to Noah and a curse upon the offspring of Ham, his son. This is the first recorded instance of the use of strong drink and it should give us a clear warning to leave it alone. (See Genesis 9:20-25).
The Nazarites were forbidden to drink wine. "He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine…" Num. 6:3. Samson, the strongest man that ever lived, did not drink wine.
Kings are told not to drink wine. "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink." Prov. 31:4.
The Rechabites were total abstainers. "…Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever." Jer. 35:6.
Daniel refused to drink. "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank…”
John the Baptist was a total abstainer. "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink…" Luke 1:15.
Wine is a deceiver. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Prov. 20:1.
Wine brings WOE (distress). "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who bath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who bath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." Prov. 23:29-32.
"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink: that continue until night, till wine inflame them! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink." Isa. 5:11, 22.
The Bible forbids us to give drink to others. "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!" Hab. 2:15.
The Bible forbids drunkenness. "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." Eph. 5:18.
Drunkards shall not "inherit the kingdom of God." I Cor. 6:10. Only by being "born again", can a drunkard be cleansed of his sin and be made ready for heaven.
Jesus Christ was not a winebibber. The Pharisees did accuse Him of being gluttonous, a winebibber and having a devil, but all three charges were false.
Jesus did not make intoxicating wine. He did turn the water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. The Greek word for wine is "oinos".
"’Oinos’ is a generic word, and as such, includes all kinds of wine and all stages of the juice of the grape, and sometimes the clusters and even the vine, it is begging the whole question to assert that it was intoxicating." Patton.
If this wine that Jesus made was intoxicating, then He was guilty of putting the bottle to His neighbor’s lips. We cannot believe that Jesus was less separated than the Nazerites or Daniel.
Jesus did not institute the Lord's Supper with intoxicating wine. The record of that event is recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14 and Luke 22. Paul also refers to this event in I Cor. 10 and 11. None of the above writers even use the word wine in their account. Each one says "fruit of the vine" or "cup" when referring to that which represents the blood of Christ. (For those who are interested in more information on this subject of Bible Wines, we recommend Bible Wines or The Laws of Fermentation by William Patton).
Liquor is a curse to the human race and the Bible teaches against it in both the Old Testament and New Testament.
"Liquor has many defenders, but no defense."