Drinking Wine. Christian compromise?

[oracle]

Hello everyone. I'd like to know your opinion concerning Christians who drink wine, or alcoholic beverages.

Does drinking wine compromise ones testimony or christian walk? If so, how. If not, in what way?

Also, I am wondering, if you drink; is it publicly or in a private setting? Do you drink around your children or young ones in general?

And when is enough, enough....can you know when to say when, and avoid getting drunk?

I will jump in later...hiccup..(lol)

[Beulah5]

Good luck with this topic.

[oracle]

LOL. It's a subject that is still really split down the middle. Many people think it is a matter of geographics. For example many christians in Italy, the Holy Land, Russia etc,, drink.
In Germany, many christians drink beer....often, and see nothing wrong with it.

Then of course, there is the matter of Jesus at the wedding...I still think it is worth discussing. Because, no matter what the opinion; with alcohol, we all know there is always the chance of going too far...

But hey, in all thy getting.....So we will see!

[Nikkol]

A lot has depended on one's culture. If one is living overseas, having a glass of wine is normal to have when they are eating their dinner. There are a few that will disagree with that but I believe that there are many that see it as ok.

Drinking can compromise your walk depending upon many different things. If you aren't one who drinks, you don't know your tolerance and can therefore become drunk. I believe in scripture we see that there were kings and prophets who were told not to drink wine. Additionally, it can appear to others as the appearance of evil. Yes there are those that will say "Well it doesn't matter what people think because God looks at the heart". However, the truth of the matter is still that man is looking at the outward appearance and we can be held accountable for doing something that appeared to others as evil.

I don't drink and my husband doesn't drink at all. Actually he had some wine but he didn't know it was wine. It was during communion at a church and since he is use to everyone using grape juice, he didn't know that it was wine. It actually made him sick.

Of course if you are overseas, it is normal for people to drink in anpublic or private setting and also in front of the children.

Your second to last statement is very important. It is very difficult to know exactly what one's tolerance is. It's possible that one day you can drink three glasses and be fine while on another day you may drink one and you're already tipsy. For those that have never drink,they don't know their tolerance and could become drunk. This is why for many it is said that it is better not to drink at all than to take that chance.......

[true]

I am going to say the same thing I said before.

Jesus turned water into wine. Not wine into water
However we do know that it is to be done in moderation. If there is a history of alcoholics in your family then by all means stay away from the sauce .. But as far as drinking as long as it is not to drunkenness then you should be fine.

[Nikkol]

But as far as drinking as long as it is not to drunkenness then you should be fine.

But how would you know that unless you have a history of drinking?


Also, I have heard that there is a difference between the wine that we drink and kosher wine.

[True NSI]

But how would you know that unless you have a history of drinking?

You can tell when you have had to much of anything. Food, drinks etc..

[Nikkol]

But some people can become drunk after a few sips because of their tolerance (or lack thereof) for alcohol. Therefore, the only way you will know your tolerance for alcohol is if you had a history of drinking and know "I can drink 3 glasses of wine but if I have 4, I'll become tipsy"...........

[livinganewlife]

Everything in moderation, the problem I have with drinking or eating for that matter is that we to many times do things in EXCESS. The Bible says do not be drunk with wine in excess. But we as humans sometimes act as if we have no temperance.

I am not Islam but I was reading about the eating habits of Elijah Muhhamed and he even said that a dog even knows when he is full and when a dog is full he stops eating. But we as humans are so selfish that we have to finish it all...... and that can apply to wine also.

If you want a glass of wine or champagne you don't have to down the whole bottle, BTW I beleive that anything pass 2 glasses is questionable.

[Grace]

I think that one needs to be conscious about what message they are sending when doing certain things. Paul talks about using liberty as a ocassion to sin. Where me haveing a drink may not be a problem but I have to consider in my actions when doing things is there a possiblity that I could cause my sister or brother to stumble.

For me I don't believe I should drink as a christian, i have many reasons. One being that when I was not saved i drank like a fish. So now that I have been delievered from that I ssee no need to go back to it.

The other thing is I don't want to be percieved as hypocritical if i am preaching or telling people that we shouldn't drink and then turn around and drink, it really puts my intergrity into question.

I think if a person is comfortable with a glass a wine well that ok for them. But the bible as speaks about not drinking strong drink. Some people think wel i can have a drink and they are drinking jack Daniels. I don't it adviseable, but again those are just my thoughts on the subject.

[ybrown]

Amen, Grace! You expressed my sentiments exactly.

[Jasmine]

Amen Grace!

[Beulah5]

Luk 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.


Luk 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

[oracle]

Ever wonder why alcoholic beverages are referred to as Spirits?

In my opinion the problem with drinking is this, regardless of how much or little you drink, the drink in itself will alter your mood. It is a fact. Be that alteration to the level of being stoned, or just relaxed;
the end result is that what you consumed is in fact altering your mood, and perhaps your perception and judgement.

Also, to me, comparing drinking alcohol to eating food, is like comparing riding a bicycle uphill, to swimming...they are two different things, with two very different results, if over consumed....

Just my 2 cents...

[true]

Not necessarily that different.
If you consume to much of either you will be sick, throw up, feel gross etc.

Also I think people place way to much on the alcohol made me do it factor. "I was drunk" blah blah blah .

Luk 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

Amen Beulah