Alcohol: My Perspective

Concerning the specific topic of alcohol consumption, the Bible only prohibits its abuse and use for drunkenness. In those passages which do explicitly prohibit alcohol consumption, the context suggests that God only prohibits certain individuals from drinking, though not all children of God. Therefore, to suggest that Scripture prohibits all believers from alcohol consumption overstates the Biblical position. The Bible instead focuses on the personal and corporate holiness and even-mindedness of God’s people for His glory and service.
The New Testament, as a whole, addresses alcohol under the heading of the Christian witness and worship of God. Such passages indicate that believers are to regard alcohol less as a matter of legalistic rule making, or an opportunity to add measures to the canon, but more in the context of their lives and bodies as holistic instruments of worship of God. Because believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit they can rest assured that the Spirit will either assure or convict them of their decision to drink. Drinking is a matter of faith of whether or not God is glorified in one’s life, dependent on the believer’s humble submission to the Lord and earnest seeking of Him. Scripture suggests that God can be both glorified in consuming one beer as well as deprived of His glory in drinking one beer.
Yet, believers must also recognize the baggage that alcohol carries as a topic both within and outside of Christianity. Sensitive to those around us, as humble servants to all men, even though it may be lawful for Christians to drink, it may not always be beneficial or loving to both believers and non-believers. First, concerning within the church, new believers may often carry negative associations with alcohol as a drug that characterized their life before Christ. To drink in front of them may cause stumbling in their walk in regards to the call to turn from their old life toward Christ. Second, some believers, both matured and wise in the faith, may simply find alcohol sinful for their own lives. To drink in front of them may tempt them to renege on their conviction, or simply hurt one’s fellowship with them. In both instances, Christian freedom dictates that for the sake of Christ, that alcohol should be avoided.
In regards to the Christian witness in the world, believers must recognize that in many societies and contexts, alcoholism is a rampant disease and carries numerous negative feelings. To drink in such a situation harms the Christian witness and call to be light and salt of the earth. Christianity is a call to holy lives of worship and praise of God. For many unbelievers alcohol does not seem to fit with the concept of holiness. Alcohol consumption can thus nullify the Christian witness and make believers appear to be hypocrites who live according to this world and not the next. Because of this possibility, Christian freedom dictates that alcohol consumption, though not in and of itself unholy or unclean, should be done so privately for the sake of the public Christian witness.
Therefore, Christians are free to enjoy alcohol so long as it does not make them drunk or control their senses or judgment (i.e. “buzz drinking), and, they can do so free of doubt or conviction by the Holy Spirit. However, because a believer’s first obligation is to the humble service of one another as an act of worship and love for God, one should refrain from drinking in the company of believers who hold a conviction against alcohol, though not lie about their own conviction, or in public settings where one’s witness may be tarnished.