Is Drinking Alcohol O.K.?

Q: I would like to know what the Church thinks about drinking alcohol. I am not an alcoholic. I like to have a few drinks on the weekend at home. I am very confused and wonder if God looks down on this or not. I have searched and searched the Bible for some answers, but there just don’t seem to be any.

A: Since alcohol is part of God’s creation, it should be used responsibly and in moderation. The Scriptures have many positive references to wine, such as Isaiah 25:6, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.”

The Scriptures also give warnings about the misuse of alcohol. Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is arrogant, strong drink is riotous; none who goes astray for it is wise.”

The key issue here is honesty. Is alcohol the center of your life, something around which you frequently make decisions to ensure its availability? Or is it incidental, something that you can take or leave?

If you can honestly say that it is incidental and those closest to you would agree, then I do not think you need to worry. If you cannot honestly say that, then you need to deal with this realization, using the help of a professional or a group like Alcoholics Anonymous.

Some medical conditions require people to refrain from drinking alcohol. Alcoholism is a disease for which there is no cure but which can be managed.