Is it a sin?

D RUNKENNESS IS A S IN Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:13-14)

S OME STATISTICS & F ACTS - 1 Any amount more than 6 pints of beer in a week, or 10 small glasses of low strength wine in a week can have serious accumulative health risks. (NHS, England) Research indicates the possibility of various adverse consequences to even moderate alcohol consumption, including: stroke, motor vehicle crashes, adverse reactions with other medications, cancer, birth defects, and gradual increase of heavier consumption. (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)

S OME STATISTICS & F ACTS - 2 Despite claims that red wine in moderation is good for you, the Mayo Clinic states: “doctors are wary of encouraging anyone to start drinking alcohol. That's because too much alcohol can have many harmful effects on your body.” Resveratrol and other antioxidants are found in other foods (in similar amounts) that are much less problematic, such as blueberries, peanut butter, red grapes and dark chocolate!

S OME STATISTICS & F ACTS - 3 Drinking to excess is not only a problem among college students: “Among men, the 31-to-50-year-old age group had the most heavy drinkers - 22 percent. Among women, the heaviest drinkers - 12 percent - were between 51 and 70 years old.” On any given day, 18% of men, and 11% of women drink more than federal guidelines recommend. Alcohol abuse and dependence can start at any age. There are no good predictors of when it may start, though a family history or current family alcohol or drug abuse problems may influence the start of personal drinking problems.

S OME STATISTICS & F ACTS - 4 A typical person becomes measurably impaired after an average of 2-3 drinks. (Weight affects this amount). Many things can affect a person’s blood alcohol level, such as medication, food, weight, gender and body fat. “So, practically, if you’re wondering how many drinks you can have before driving, the best answer is ‘None.’” (duidrivinglaws.org)

ALCOHOL USE CAN HARM YOUR (SPIRITUAL) HEALTH!

Proverbs 23:29-33 “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30 Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. 31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; 32 at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things.”

T HE P ROBLEM WITH D RINKING ANY A LCOHOL Destroys Influence Matthew 5:13-16

T HE P ROBLEM WITH D RINKING ANY A LCOHOL Destroys Influence Matthew 5:13-16 Violates the concept of Sanctification 1 Peter 1:13-16

T HE P ROBLEM WITH D RINKING ANY A LCOHOL Destroys Influence Matthew 5:13-16 Violates the concept of Sanctification 1 Peter 1:13-16 Note: It is important for the Christian to honestly and carefully consider the motive behind drinking alcohol

F INAL C ONSIDERATIONS Assertion: Jesus made wine! (John 2) Q: Did Jesus contribute to drunkenness?

F INAL C ONSIDERATIONS Assertion: Jesus made wine! (John 2) Q: Did Jesus contribute to drunkenness? Assertion: In ancient times, “wine” had to be fermented liquid. It has been established that methods were employed to store unfermented juice

F INAL C ONSIDERATIONS Assertion: Jesus made wine! (John 2) Q: Did Jesus contribute to drunkenness? Assertion: In ancient times, “wine” had to be fermented liquid. It has been established that methods were employed to store unfermented juice “drinking parties” (1 Peter 4:1-3) A direct condemnation of social drinking

Albert Barnes (James-Jude. pp ) “The thing forbidden by it is an assembling together for the purpose of drinking. There is nothing in this word referring to eating, or to banqueting, as the term is now commonly employed. The idea in the passage is, that it is improper for Christians to meet together for the purpose of drinking-as wine, toasts, etc. The prohibition would apply to all those assemblages where this is understood to be the main object. It would forbid, therefore, an attendance on all those celebrations in which drinking toasts is understood to be an essential part of the festivities, and all those where hilarity and joyfulness are sought to be produced by the intoxicating bowl. Such are not proper places for Christians.”

Liquor is a corrupting substance that brings sin and destruction. Christians should abstain from the sin of alcohol consumption