1 Corinthians chapter 6, looking to verses 12 through 20. Paul writes, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, all things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats. But God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by His own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of Enharlot? God forbid. What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body. But he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. The question that I want to examine from scripture in our time together tonight as well as next Lord's Day evening is, should Christians drink alcohol? Should Christians drink alcohol? To drink or not to drink? That is the question. Who can deny that this particular question has been and continues to remain a passionate debate among Christian people. In my 21 years of being a Christian, in my friendships and conversations with others who I sincerely believe to be genuine born-again believers, I have heard some present what they believe to be strong biblical evidence against drinking alcohol, and some present what they believe to be strong biblical evidence that would permit the drinking of alcohol in moderation. In my 14 years of being a pastor, among my diverse associations with various fellowships, I have heard some pastors preach sermons encouraging Christians to abstain from alcoholic drinks altogether. And I have heard other pastors preach sermons on the believer's liberty to drink alcohol so long as they do not become drunk. Bringing it closer to home where we live and where we worship, in my almost nine years of being the pastor of this flock, I have heard others who sincerely love the Lord among our church who fervently say that Christians should never drink anything that contains alcohol. And I have heard others who sincerely love the Lord among our church who would contend that there is nothing wrong with having an occasional beer or glass of wine every once in a while. So my question to you is, Who is right? Which side of the argument is more faithful to Scripture? There are people on both sides of this issue who give biblical verses to support their beliefs. There are people on both sides of this issue who have genuine testimonies of salvation and are humble, God-fearing people. There are people on both sides of this issue who are very confident that their side is the right side. So who's right and who's wrong? Is it okay for Christians to drink in moderation or should Christians abstain from drinking altogether? Well, let me begin by having us recognize the main questions that lie at the heartbeat of the debate as it relates to Christians drinking alcohol. If you're taking notes, this is point number one. Point number one is the heartbeat of the debate. And the heartbeat of the debate centers around three main disputes. Dispute number one centers around the alcoholic content of biblical wines and alcoholic drinks. Dispute number two centers around whether the Bible permits drinking in moderation or altogether prohibits drinking. And then dispute number three centers around whether drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation is a matter of Christian liberty. These three disputes are at the heartbeat of the question at hand, and they are the primary dividing beliefs that Christians on both sides of the argument present. So let's consider them very briefly. Regarding the issue of alcoholic content, Some say that wine in the Bible is very different than the wine that can be purchased at the store today. Those who adhere to this side of the argument often declare that biblical wines were nothing more than what we know to be grape juice. Therefore, such drink was tolerated and even celebrated as a rare drink to enjoy on special occasions. Some among this group also argue that the wine mentioned throughout scripture was so diluted and considerably weak that it hardly had any alcohol at all. Others say that if wine was really unfermented grape juice, then why doesn't the Bible just say grape juice? Why don't we read of Jesus turning water into grape juice? Why don't we read of Paul specifically saying to the church in Ephesus, be not drunk with grape juice, which is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit? On the one side, those who oppose the drinking of alcohol say that the wines mentioned in the Bible were not fermented anywhere near to what it is today. They say that the wines of the Bible had an incredibly low alcohol content, so drinking alcoholic drinks, including wine, is much different than it used to be. On the other side, those who support the drinking of alcohol say wine is wine, beer is beer. The Bible actually speaks of drinking wine in a positive sense so Christians can drink as long as they do not drink in excess and become mastered by alcoholic beverages. This is dispute number one. Dispute number one centers around opinions regarding the fermentation process and the difference of alcoholic content between wines back then and wines available to us today. Tied in with this first issue is the second issue, which is the dispute about whether the Bible altogether forbids the drinking of alcohol or whether the Bible cautiously permits the drinking of alcohol. Again, the two sides. Some Christians argue that because the wine and alcoholic beverages of the Bible is different than it is today, that Christians should not be drinking such beverages. Other Christians argue that the Bible doesn't have a direct command against drinking alcohol entirely. The only specific command that is given is refraining from drunkenness. So the one side says Christians shouldn't have anything to do with wine, with alcoholic drinks, because the Bible says, Proverbs 23, 31, look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright, suggesting an encouragement of refraining. The other side says, the Bible says, Ecclesiastes 9.7, go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy work, suggesting a limited participation of it. This is dispute number two. Dispute number two centers around what exactly the Bible allows and forbids. And then we have dispute number three. Dispute number three centers around the issue of whether drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation is an issue of Christian liberty. Some argue that drinking alcohol is such a strong God in this world and an obvious worldly practice that Christian people should abstain from it altogether because it is an unquestionable stumbling block to so many people. Others argue that drinking an occasional glass of wine or can of beer in private is a matter of Christian liberty. So long as one does not become addicted to alcoholic beverages, so long as one does not become drunk, so long as they are drinking in private, without those who struggle with alcoholism, they have liberty to enjoy alcohol in small quantities. Those in this camp would argue Just as Christians have Christian liberty to drink unhealthy energy drinks if they please, just as Christians have Christian liberty to drink a pot of coffee throughout the day, just as Christians have Christian liberty to eat unhealthy snacks and processed foods from time to time, so I have Christian liberty to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer if I so please. These are the three main disputes. that both sides present in their argument for and in their argument against drinking alcohol. The heartbeat of the debate centers around, number one, the fermentation process and alcoholic content of beverages, which sometimes leads to a debate of Greek words and the ratio of water to wine. Number two, it centers around whether the Bible actually permits the drinking of alcohol. And then number three, whether consuming small quantities of alcohol from time to time is a matter of Christian freedom. This is the debate. One preacher says one thing, another preacher says another thing. One Bible scholar presents one side, another Bible scholar presents another side. One Christian argues one way, another Christian argues another way. Martin Luther enjoyed drinking beer, John Wesley preached against drinking. Many Puritan preachers, whose book I love, drank alcohol in moderation. Other preachers who I greatly appreciate, such as John MacArthur, to my knowledge, abstains from alcoholic beverages. So where do we go from here? Who is right and who is wrong? And how can we assess which side is more biblical? And more importantly, what specific Bible commands and principles should lead us to make a personal, biblically sound answer to this hotly debated question? Well then my second point, I want us to think about five general biblical statements that are often made that both sides should be able to agree upon at least to some degree. Whether you are for drinking alcohol in moderation or against drinking alcohol altogether, I believe that there are five main statements that are often made using scripture where the one side might be able to understand where the other side is coming from as it relates to their differing viewpoints. Point number two, general biblical statements. about alcoholic drinks. The first general statement that does hold weight is the truth that there is no direct command against the drinking of wine. We can argue what we think about wine and what it means and how it may differ from then to now, but we must come to agree that there is no straightforward command against the drinking of wine. There is not a commandment among the Ten Commandments that says, Thou shalt not drink wine. Likewise, there is no commandment that says, Thou shalt not drink beer. We can argue Hebrew and Greek words. We can argue the differences between wine and strong drink. We can argue our thoughts about distilling processes. We can argue our thoughts on fermentation and differences between wines back then and wines today. But I think we can agree that there is no straightforward blanket command that says drinking wine is a sin against God. I'm just trying to be honest. The second generic statement I want us to consider is the statement about the Bible's condemnation against drunkenness and enslavement to wine. Those Christians who are favorable of drinking in moderation will tell you not only that there is no specific command against drinking alcohol, they will also tell you that what is specifically commanded in God's word is drunkenness. Now again, I'm presenting just the statements that others make on both sides. I'm not taking a side yet. We need to understand something of where both sides are coming from. Statement number one is the Bible doesn't say drinking is a sin. Statement number two, the Bible doesn't condemn drinking small quantities of alcohol in moderation. It only condemns drunkenness and addiction to alcoholic beverages. And then statement number three, there are many passages of scripture that speak of drinking wine in positive terms. For instance, Ecclesiastes 9.7 says, drink wine with a merry heart. Deuteronomy 7.13 and 11.14, we read of God blessing Israel and prospering them with wine. In Psalm 104, 15, we read of wine making the heart of man glad. In Amos 9, 14, we read of wine being associated with God's favor. And in Isaiah 55, 1, we read of God, through the prophet Isaiah, inviting others to buy wine and milk without money and without price. So the argument goes, if wine is a great sin, as you suppose it to be, then why does God reference it so positively? If wine should be forbidden by Christians, then why did Jesus turn water into wine? The argument goes, drinking wine in moderation was permitted to the Jews in the Old Testament. It's spoken positively about in the New Testament, so why should we abstain from it altogether? That's statement number three. And then statement number four. Wine in the Bible was encouraged for medicinal purposes. Wine was encouraged to be used for illnesses and even at the point of death. Proverbs 31, Solomon says that strong drink should be given to those who are perishing. In other words, it can be a needed help to those who are in pain at their death. They may not have access to morphine, but they may have access to alcoholic drinks that may help relieve pain. 1 Timothy 5.23, Paul tells Timothy, drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. Again, whether you are for or against drinking, I think we can collectively agree that such truths are in the Bible. Alcoholic drinks are mentioned in a positive way as it relates to bodily illnesses and physical pains. And then statement number five, if we are going to remain fair and balanced about this topic, we must, we must, we must acknowledge that the Bible very frequently mentions alcohol in a negative way. Like it or not, God throughout his word does mention many dangers associated with drinking wine and alcoholic beverages. Genesis 9, 20 through 26, Noah became drunk with wine and it led to acts of immorality and family trouble to say the least. Genesis 19, 30-38, Lot drank wine and became so drunk that it led to his daughters taking sexually advantage of him, which led him to have a shameful, incestuous relationship with his own daughters. Leviticus 10, 9 through 11, God commands the priests not to drink wine nor strong drink that they might be able to tell the difference between the holy and the unholy. Judges 13, 4, Judges 13, 7, Judges 13, 14, God commanded Samson's mother three times not to drink wine nor strong drink. Proverbs 21 says that wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging. Proverbs 23 19-20 says that a wise person will not be among those who are heavy drinkers of wine. Proverbs 23 29-30 says drinking alcoholic beverages can cause woe, sorrow, strife, complaining, wounds without cause, and red eyes. In fact, Proverbs 23, 31 specifically says, look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, because it can easily become a snare. It can be as a poisonous snake that can harm you. Proverbs 31, four through five, Solomon says, kings, princes, and others who rule and judge must not drink alcohol because alcohol perverts good judgment. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon acknowledges that he gave himself to drinking wine to find satisfaction in life, and it did not satisfy. In Daniel 1, 5-17, we read of Daniel refusing the king's intoxicating wine and was blessed for it along with his abstaining friends. Daniel 5.4 we read of Belshazzar making a feast, drinking wine, and praising false gods as he became drunk with wine. Hosea 4.11 we read of wine depriving men of their reasoning abilities. Habakkuk 2.15 says, Woe unto him that gives his neighbor drink with the intention of looking upon someone else's nakedness. Luke 115, the angel of the Lord tells Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother, that John will be great in the sight of the Lord and will not drink wine nor strong drink, because he will be filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb. Matthew 24, 48 through 50, we read that a drinking servant is a servant who is unprepared for his Lord's return. 1 Corinthians 6, 10, we read that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. Ephesians 5, 18, we read that the believer is to be filled with the spirit in contrast to being drunk with wine. 1 Thessalonians 5, 6, and 7, we read that Christians are to be watchful and sober as they wait for the coming of the Lord. I could go on mentioning text after text after text that speak negatively about drinking wine and strong drinks, but I think you get the point. There are many specific commands, many warnings, many narratives that encourage Christians to be fearful of alcoholic drinks and to stay away from it. Well, Pastor Casey, many of the references you mentioned speak of drunkenness, not the occasional beer or glass of wine. Okay, okay, I'll give you that. But you must acknowledge that drunkenness always starts with one drink. And many times, when you have one drink, it's easy to justify another, and another, and another, and another, and before you know it, you're plastered. Let me pause here and say, this is my problem with Christians and pastors. who want to give me biblical arguments for their drinking habits, all while remaining silent about the negative aspects of alcohol. My problem is that many times, not all the time, but many times, those who boast about their liberty to drink are completely silent about all the biblical texts that speak negatively about alcoholic beverages. I distinctly remember visiting a church in Oregon during the COVID era, and the pastor of the church preached a message on Christian liberty And while the immediate point of the pastor's sermon was about vaccines and the wearing of masks and Christians having the liberty to do what they feel the Lord would have them to do in that specific instance, it quickly took a turn to the pastor from the pulpit tolerating Christians getting tattoos, watching rated R movies, and drinking alcohol. For 10 to 15 minutes, The pastor was giving explanation after explanation as to why he thought Christians had the liberty to drink alcohol if they wanted to, all without saying one word against alcohol. Not one warning. Becky and I left so very disappointed. It was obvious that among the congregation there were new believers listening to the pastor biblically justify drinking. It was obvious that there were children among the church who were hearing their pastor give a blanket allowance for drinking. And I was frustrated that my own children were supposedly hearing a man of God tell them that they have nothing to worry about in drinking alcoholic beverages. I'm sorry, but this is my righteous fury with pastors and Christians who want to talk about their liberty and getting tattoos and going to the casinos and going to the secular dance clubs and dancing to provocative music and drinking alcoholic beverages. Many times they focus in on their supposed liberty to do certain things while purposely remaining blind to the obvious dangers that such practices often lead to. I'm just throwing it on the table. Let's just be fair, balanced, and honest. You can say that the Bible doesn't say thou shalt not about alcohol. I'm fine with that. You can say the Bible only condemns drunkenness. Okay, I'm with you. You can say that the Bible speaks of wine in positive ways. I get it. You can say that you have Christian liberty to drink in moderation in private, as long as you don't post your pictures online as a stumbling block to others on Facebook. Go ahead. But you must be honest with scripture in recognizing that there are a lot of Scripture references that speak negatively about the consumption of and the association with alcoholic beverages. If we would be honest with the Scriptures tonight, both sides should be able to agree in this point. The fifth statement that must be acknowledged is the obvious, obvious danger of alcohol. It cannot be passed over. It must not be dismissed as some trivial reality. Do you think when Noah started drinking that he could handle it himself? Well, obviously it came to a point where he couldn't. Same thing with Lot and the others who got drunk from one drink to the next, to the next. Now looking beyond what the Bible specifically says in our third point, I want us to think about several incontestable common facts about alcoholic beverages that are consumed in our day. Just as I presented several generic statements about alcohol from a biblical standpoint in my second point, In my third point, I want to present several generic realities about alcohol from a secular, non-biblical standpoint. These are simply well-known facts about alcohol that must be acknowledged by everyone, believer or unbeliever, those who drink alcoholic beverages and those who refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages. Again, we're just throwing all the facts on the table. We haven't even sought to answer the question yet. Five facts about alcoholic beverages in general. The first truth that cannot be denied is that alcohol is a very addictive drug. Yes, alcohol is widely considered as a drug. It is sometimes referred to by the chemical name ethanol. According to addictioncenter.com and alcoholhelp.com, alcohol is classified as a central nervous center depressant. This means that alcohol has an impact on your brain, your emotions, and your discernment. Alcohol, and I quote from these websites, shared this designation with many other well-known drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and LSD. It is the most commonly addictive substance in the United States. America's number one problem is not an illegal drug like cocaine, marijuana, meth, or heroin. It is a, quote, legalized one named alcohol. According to the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence, along with several million more who engage in risky, binge-drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking, and more than seven million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol. The first truth that cannot be denied about alcohol is that it is a very addictive drug. The second truth that cannot be denied about alcohol is that it can and often does lead to serious health problems. Alcohol causes many health problems. Look it up for yourself online. The articles are endless. and they are being circulated more and more. In fact, just this week, I saw two recent articles that were posted on Fox News about the negative health impacts of alcohol written by doctors. I posted them right here. Healthcare experts are warning of heightened cancer risks. inflammation and insomnia, insufficient nutrition, the worsening of existing conditions, the negative effects of medication interactions, increased pain sensitivity, various mental and cognitive effects. Some are suggesting that alcohol use has been found to increase the risk of dementia and so on and so forth. It seems that more and more doctors are being bold in telling their patients and the world at large that alcohol is not good for your heart, your brain, or your waistline. Some neurosurgeons are suggesting that the best thing to do is to refrain from alcohol altogether. Dr. Brett Osborne says, quote, I don't want it, speaking of alcohol in my practice, I don't want it for my patients, I don't use it myself, it's bad, get rid of it. The third truth that cannot be denied about alcohol in a secular sense is the truth that alcohol has always had an obvious association with other godless activities. We haven't even entered into the argument in a biblical standpoint yet. This is just obvious to the world at large. Even those who are not Christian people know this to be true. When the unbelieving world thinks of alcohol, they do not instinctively think of Jesus Christ. They do not inherently associate the consumption of alcohol with godly Christian people. They do not come to the excitement of Friday nights and going to the dance clubs and going to the bars with the doing of God's will. They do not think of things associated with honesty, justice, purity, and things that are lovely and of good report. When the unbelieving world thinks of alcohol, they think of having a good time and finding a way to, quote, escape life. Yes? And most of the time, having a good time and escaping the reality of life is typically associated with acts of fornication and adultery and dancing in sexually enticing ways to vile, ungodly, blasphemous music. Isn't this what we see glamorized through television shows, movies, and commercials? Isn't this what the music videos of every genre of music are all about? Isn't this what we hear being promoted through the alcoholic industry through their radio commercials and their billboards? The enticement of drinking alcohol is have fun, forget your problems, Feel good, and it's all without God in the picture. Life's short, take the shot. I don't get drunk, I get awesome. Let's get ready to stumble. If you can't be happy, at least you can be drunk. The fourth truth that cannot be denied about alcohol is that alcohol is a factor in many crime-related incidents. Alcohol is a factor in many crime-related incidents. This is a reality that cannot be denied. According to alcoholhelp.com, alcohol is involved in more homicides across the United States compared to other substances like heroin and cocaine. The Bureau of Justice Statistics suggests that nearly one-third of arrests and violent victimizations involve the use of alcohol. Alcoholhelp.com reports that nearly 10,000 people are killed annually on United States roadways due to alcohol-related accidents. Thousands more suffer from injuries due to intoxicated drivers. Close to 70% of alcohol-related violent acts occur in the home. An estimated 1.4 million incidents of alcohol-related violence are committed against strangers every year. One article I came across suggests 15% of robberies, 63% of inmate partner violent incidents, 37% of sexual assaults, 45 to 46% of physical assaults, and 40 to 55% of homicides in the United States involved the use of alcohol. If we're going to be honest about alcohol in a general sense, We must acknowledge these truths. Alcohol plays a factor in encouraging others to sin in other ways. Alcohol plays a factor in many crime-related incidents. The fifth truth that cannot be denied about alcohol is that alcohol consumption has led to and will forever lead to the destruction of marriages, homes, family relations, friends, and lives. I would bet most, if not all, of the adults in this room can think of specific people and specific instances who have severely hurt others emotionally, mentally, physically, or sexually, and alcohol was involved. I will not do a survey of hands, but I think you know what I'm talking about. Some of you have seen things and heard things from family members, friends, and neighbors that you wish you had never heard or seen before. and alcohol was involved. Some of you have heard the horror stories of those who used to be faithful church members, faithful pastors, faithful Sunday school teachers, faithful deacons and so forth, who took one drink, after another drink, after another drink, and now they're headlong in the world. Some of you will humbly acknowledge that you used to be among those who harmed others through the use of alcohol. You thought you could handle it on your own, but over time, drinking alcohol handled you. Listen, I've not even given my subject, my opinion on the subject. I'm just presenting obvious facts about alcohol in general. The obvious fact that I want to leave you to chew on this evening is the fact that alcohol has been and sadly will forever be a substance that can easily lead to other sins. and specifically the destruction of marriages, the destruction of families, the destruction of friendships. It can lead to the waste of money, the committing of sins of infidelity. It can lead to others neglecting their duties and responsibilities. It can lead to financial strain and regret after regret after regret. If we're going to speak honestly about this subject, We must acknowledge these five general truths. I'll give them to you again. Alcohol is a very addictive drug. Alcohol can lead to many severe health problems. Alcohol has always been an encourager to other sinful activities. Alcohol is a factor in many crime-related incidents. Alcohol has led to and will forever lead to the destruction of marriages, homes, family relations, friends, and lives. Next week, we will continue looking at this particular question, specifically looking at the biblical principles that should guide us in making a wise decision regarding our relationship with alcohol. The question is, should Christians drink alcohol? We will search it out more next Lord's Day evening. But for now, we throw all the facts on the table. For now, I'm hoping both sides will just be honest about their side and the arguments that other people give for their doing or not doing certain things, all right? I'm not hoping that this will turn into civil war in our church, God forbid. But in every controversial subject, if you've been here for years, in every controversial subject, it's always been my desire to just be honest, to lay everything out on the table so that you and I can go back to the scriptures, Acts 17, 11, to strive to be Berean believers so that we might make a wise decision for ourselves. I can't make the decision for you. You can't make the decision for me. Every one of us will stand before the Lord and give an account for ourselves. Every one of us is a testimony to others, so we must assess our testimony by the scriptures. And we must do so in a way asking ourselves, what is the most wise thing to do? What is the most excellent thing to do? So I'm hoping this week that you will join me in just prayerfully asking the Lord, Lord, teach me. Teach me what your word says. All right, both sides. All right, don't just grab onto your preconceived ideas. Don't just clench your heart's fist and say, the pastor's not gonna get me out of what I already believe. Just say, Lord, I'm open to be taught. I'm open to be challenged. Whatever your word says, That's what I want, all right? That is my humble pastoral plea, all right? We'll look at this question more next week. Let's pray.