He not only approved of drinking wine but he, himself, drank wine on several occasions. For me to go to a bar and have a drink wouldn't be a sin. So when I was in Spain, I ordered a Sangria. Getting drunk can be caused by different situations and some of them may or may not be a sin. If you go 1 mile per hour over, you are breaking the law. I hope this post gave you some comfort if you are planning to have a drink sometime soon. St. Paul is very serious here: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, There are all kinds of neutral grounds where one can evangelize (e.g., sports, intramurals, meals, etc.). As we mentioned above, drinking alcohol isn't a sin, but overindulging in it can be. Jesus drank wine and was falsely accused of being a drunkard (Matthew 11:19). Learn how your comment data is processed. They drank alcohol during many social functions, including church events like ordinations. Throughout most of Christian history the consumption of alcohol in moderation has been widely accepted and rarely condemned. Just log in or create your free account. Drinking, in itself, is not necessarily a sin. We hope we were able to answer your question, is it a sin to get drunk? These are verses you will likely never hear preached on in church. I said Id take a glass of Sangria, they said, We dont make it by the glass, only by the pitcher. So they brought a pitcher of sangria, and it didnt taste like alcohol to me, it just tastes like grape juice, so I drank the whole pitcher. The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. It helps strengthen our control over our bodily desires and avoid unhealthy attachment to the material world. Driving in an impaired state could be a mortal sin since it puts others as well as oneself at risk of death or serious harm. She is exceedingly grateful for both the loving kindness of many people and the sound Christian doctrine that helped her to keep on living after her son died in a skiing accident in 2006. Remember that being a Christian and a Catholic means following in Christs footsteps. Or if youre an alcoholic, going to the bar and getting a drink and saying Ill just have one is a very dangerous thing and could be a near occasion for sin, or be a sin, especially if you play it out. aspect of ones life over which Christ is not king and Lord. And such a habit will spare you a lot of grief throughout your life. Ive heard serious Catholics nod their heads in agreement that drunkenness is a mortal sin. One Bible verse that clearly supports the intake of alcohol is the apostle Pauls admonition to Timothy to drink wine for health reasons: No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. This is why so many Scripture passages warn against excessive consumption of wine and strong drink (a beverage containing a significant amount of alcohol; some Bible verses that mention "strong drink" include Lev. In fact, we even have a sacramental wine or altar wine thats specifically intended for Eucharistic celebrations. There are other aspects of drinking that may be sinful;for example, its impact on the health of the body. For this reason, in order for the analogy to hold, one would have to compare underage drinking to something like going twenty miles per hour over the speed limit. performed while intoxicated were not freely willed in themselves, they were willed in their causenamely, deliberate drunkenessand so the drinker is responsible for them as though he had chosen them deliberately. Is drinking a sin? 1 Timothy 5: 23. However we know from the Bible that the wine still had plenty of kick in it to get wasted on. Psalms 104 says that wine gladdens the heart of main. Jesus drank wine during his time on earth. For example, dont drink when hanging out with a friend who struggles with alcohol. 2023 Ascension Press. I would recommend using the legal limit as a benchmark for drunkenness. A little one here could refer to age or ones spiritual state. Who is St. Agnes of Rome, the Virgin and Martyr? The Church does teach that drunkenness is a form of gluttony, and a grave sin (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2290). But for Catholics, drinking alcohol may also have moral and religious implications. Rather we should see them as they are intended and not elevate them to an unhealthy level. I once had a Methodist pastor tell me of a friend who was caught drinking at a party by one of his parishioners. Regarding intoxication, Wikipedia gives this rather technical passage: Symptoms of alcohol intoxication include euphoria, flushed skin and decreased social inhibition at lower doses, with larger doses producing progressively severe impairments of balance, muscle coordination (ataxia), and decision-making ability (potentially leading to violent or erratic behavior) as well as nausea or vomiting from alcohols disruptive effect on the semicircular canals of the inner ear and chemical irritation of the gastric mucosa. One Bible verse that clearly supports the intake of alcohol is the apostle Paul's admonition to Timothy to drink wine for health reasons: No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. And in so doing, it often leads us to more sin such as violence and fornication. There are three situations where drinking alcohol is a sin even if you don't slip into drunkenness. Choosing to be drunk all the time, knowing that it is a grave physical danger to your health, is the same as choosing to intentionally neglect your own health which may be seen as a sin. That is, Jesus was not with sinners when they were sinning (or even came close to it). We are our brothers keeper, and this is true spiritually as well. Under that logic, we should all get rid of our money to fend off materialism. On one hand it talks about how it can a blessing. Excessive eating is also . By using this website you are agreeing to our privacy policy. They then proceed to draw a moral equivalence between this and underage drinking. This leads you to do things that you wont otherwise do when youre sober such as brawling and excessive cursing. Adam: Yeah. So, what I want to do is take a look at what the Bible says about alcohol and then look if Christians should drink. Jesus said, If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away (Matthew 5:30). Moreover, you might want to be careful not to build your social life around drinking. 1o4:1415). Is getting drunk a mortal sin? But I wanted to address it from the other side. What Freedom From Sin Looks Like in This Life. What does the Bible say about drinking? Then they go on to define drunkenness as setting in only when one blacks out. At a family meal, a 17 year old can have some champagne to toast her grandmothers birthday because her father is there, but if her 20-year-old cousin who happens to be visiting without her parents is there she shouldnt because it would be a sin? Drunkenness is indeed a grave sin. Weve already touched on this a little above. We are commanded to heed civil laws (e.g. Commercials, advertisements, social media, movies, and television heavily promote beer, wine, and liquor as means to having a fun and active social life. There is very good reason to detach young people from giving such over reaching authority to the State. The sinfulness of those effects might depend on circumstances. As far as I know, the only day of the year that you're not supposed to drink alcohol is Good Friday, but even . However, we do advise that it is a must for you to always follow the legal drinking age. from my ultimate end? And further, one asks this same question with respect to those who may be influenced by my actionseither by knowing me directly or by reputation: am I helping or hindering their pursuit of their ultimate end? For instance, Proverbs 21:17. Sports teams, some religious orders, and many other organizations all have forbidden drinking alcohol. In fact, about once a month we get an email from somebody saying that they either disapprove of us drinking on the show or how alcohol is of the devil or something like that. Lets jump in, what does the Bible say about drinking? He not only approved of drinking wine but he, himself, drank wine on several occasions. In laymans terms, it means voluntary self-restraint. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Here, he instructs us to radically avoid the near occasion of sin. Catholics & Bible is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others safety on the road, at sea, or in the air., Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2290. Thats not to say theres no warnings. As we mentioned above, drinking alcohol isnt a sin, but overindulging in it can be. Also, check out our posts on The Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Church, then does not consider consuming alcohol to be sinful, however, it does caution against drinking in excess. It is illegal to run a red light. It means that we should act cautiously. It was commonly served during sacrifices and feasts. Lets take an absurd case. It wasnt until recently that Christians started to ask, is drinking a sin? As in many things, occasional, limited drinking of alcohol is a matter between each believer and God. Complete this form to receive the weekly email and create a FREE account, which provides access to member only content. For example, in the Proverbs verse above, its talking about drinking too much wine because the next few verses describe things that typically happen during drunkenness like, Your eyes will see strange things and your heart utter perverse things. In fact, Paul tells Timothy, Drink a little wine for your stomachs sake. I think Timothy was nervous and shy, and hed get, like, his stomach would get sick, and so Paul said Have a few glasses of wine and relax.. But for the sake of those weaker in faith, do not do itbecause those weaker in faith may see their brethren eating food sacrificed to idols and it may unwittingly lead them into idolatry. The Bible keeps this issue in the grey, up for each Christian to decide whats the wisest and most loving thing for them to do. Not only is it not, but among Greek-speakers, the Lenten discipline of abstinence from wine is relaxed on Sundays. Your email address will not be published. Lets take a look: For more about reading the Bible in context: How To Read The Bible (the 5 best tips). Thosewho choose to drink alcoholic beverages must always do so responsiblydoing no harm to others or themselves. Steve Ray: Okay, just a short answer. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin (Luke 17:1-2). He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivatebringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. , The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. , For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to doliving in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.. Some people can take several bottles of beer and they are fine. Thats not a matter of moderation. Living a life dedicated to God makes as much sense as the sunshine in our world. Trying to be more like Jesus each day. Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 is trying to drive that home. To be morally mature one must distinguish between State laws that exist because they protect the natural law, and State laws that exist only to protect the common good. This is true both in the Old and New Testament. But its important to address this with our Catholic leaders because every year other new budding Catholic leaders (i.e., freshmen) watch their exampleand then imitate it in the ensuing years. This is why combining drinking alcohol with the operation of any kind of machinery, including a motor vehicle, is so dangerous. May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. This means that when one starts to feel it, its time to slow down or back off. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Again, Scripture does not forbid Christians from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. In personal life he is a proud father of a boy and twin girls. Well deal with those in the next point. an unjust law. Scripture warns kings not to crave alcohol because a ruler needs a clear mind to uphold justice and protect the oppressed (Prov. Copyright 2019-2023. Lets dive in a bit deeper to find out! Ive drank too much in my life, but Ive only been drunk once in my life, and that was when I had heard that you had to try Sangria, its really good. Why? Its absolutely acceptable and normal. In order to pass through this threshold, one has to move beyond simply asking: At what point have I done something wrong? in a minimalistic way, to asking: Are these actionsthese movies, these parties, etc.taking me. you had no idea the punch at the party was strong), thats a venial sin. Christians should always be sober-minded and watchful: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Also, wine isnt the only alcoholic drink mentioned in the Bible. St. Thomas defines temperance as the disposition of the mind which binds the passions. It is simply warning against addiction and drunkenness. Is drinking a sin, or is just drunkenness a sin? Which view is correct? Paul explains that it may be all right for those who know that the idols are not real. Only you can really judge what your limit should be. The abuse of alcohol can cause damage, so many advocate to just avoid it altogether. A: It is good to hear that you have entered the Church. In some states like Texas its perfectly legal to drink with parental supervision. That is, Jesus was not with sinners. Enjoy wine, beer, or any other alcoholic beverage if you so choose, but only as is honoring to Christ and your fellow human beings. When you are in a state of drunkenness, your ability to make more conscious and informed decisions tend to get blurred and resort to more slow or poor judgment. And ten minutes later, ka-BOOM, it hit me and I was on the floor. There are all kinds of neutral grounds where one can evangelize (e.g., sports, intramurals, meals, etc.). If Jesus is really Lord of my entire life, then the question is simply this: am I willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Gospel? First things first: Catholics have long considered drunkenness a mortal sin; St. Paul refers to it as a sin that excludes one from the kingdom of God (see Galatians 5:21). If you are harming your health - It's our responsibility to take care of our health, which is a gift from God ( CCC 2288 ). He not only approved of drinking wine but he, himself, drank wine on several occasions. And lets not forget that Jesus first miracle was turning water into wine And no it wasnt grape juice. Youll know when you are in danger of sinning. For example, waiting a few more years to drink in America (21 years old) compared to Spain (16 years old) is not unjust. 5:1521). Abusing intoxicating drink is a grave sin if it deprives the drinker of the use of reason. We regard drunkenness as a sin. Writer. We got one recently saying how someone was shocked we were promoting the consumption of poison on our show. Part of the reason people drink alcohol is for the relaxing effects. Alcohol is complicated, and today many dont know what the Catholic Church teaches about it. Please consider supporting RCSpirituality with a donation today. The principle is clear: charity demands that we take into account how our actions affect others. A person who is at home and plans to stay at home might be able to have a second or third beer without any problem (read: without sin). It may sound simple but practicing temperance requires a will of steel. And thats why we generally arent nervous when driving five miles per hour over the speed limit with a policeman immediately behind us. This does have its good points, a people who slavishly follow the laws of the State make for a well ordered society, and it does help keep people from being lax and disregarding State law as unimportant. These days, chastity seems to be so misunderstood! Is Anger a Sin? In drunkenness, we willingly defile our rational nature. How would you answer the question, what does the Bible say about alcohol? Never battle alone. The Guinness family created their famous Irish Stout as an act of worship to God. In fact, the Bible says. The reason is that in the act of drunkenness we are forfeiting two of God's greatest giftsour intellect and will. Yet despite all the content, I have seen very little clarity on this question, is drinking a sin? This can be in situations wherein your primary intention for drinking isnt for relaxation, or socialization but for intoxication. That's adding to the Bible, it doesn't say that. Because young people under 21 tend to to have a higher propensity than older people to drink, get drunk, and drive recklessly. John Calvin had a 250-gallon wine stipend written into his church contract. If you become dependent on alcohol, seek help. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Whos around you that you can impact? But it is not Catholic. We should not be made to feel that drinking is a sin ( 1 Corinthians 10:30 ), although, at times, it may be inappropriate ( 1 . But anyone who wants to claim drinking is a sin has to face the sometimes positive light the Bible talks about alcohol in. 31:45). The blood alcohol limit established by law is much lower than actual gravely sinful intoxication, but it is the point at which some reflexes may be so impaired as to make driving unsafe. Instead, let it bring you together with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Drinking should be a time of joyful celebration and fellowship! Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ (1 Corinthians 8:10, 12). And thats why the Bible warns against getting drunk on wine. Would saying Mass in a hotel room be a sin? DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affliliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. To the extent that the answer is noto the extent that I insist on underage drinking just because I want toto that extent perhaps my own conversion has not yet fully taken hold. If you were to glance through these verses that talk about drinking you would find that the Bible never gives a straight answer. He holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake and a masters degree in Old Testament & Semitic Languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. So moderate consumption of alcohol is not a sin. Others point to the fact that Jesus not only drank wine, but he also made wine at a wedding in Cana where the host had run out of his own supply in the middle of the celebration. It is my opinion that our young people will face much greater moral difficulties than we can presently imagine. What does the Bible say about drinking? Like the one we are asking, is drinking a sin? A radical conversiona person set on fire for Jesus Christdoes this with respect to his own life. The good God, our local Bishop, the State, my boss, all have different competencies and all require from me a different moral stance to their requests. As I said, underage drinking cultivates a culture of lukewarmness, a sapping of spiritual zealits a sort of gateway to the party culture described above. An incentive from Satan. Steve Ray discusses on Catholic Answers Live. The short answer is, if you are trying to get drunk on purpose, then the answer is basically "yes." That is a sin, and a grave (mortal) one. Caller: Recognizing that Jesus turned water into wine, the question is: is it a sin to drink? Here at RCSpirtiuality, we develop and produce online Catholic resources to help all of us grow as Complete Christians. Where To Donate Catholic Religious Items. This can have disastrous consequences. But I think that its a matter of being moderate about things. Being drunk is certainly a sin. What does the Bible say about drinking? Simply put, you arent your true self when drunk. In reality, the exact opposite is true. And there were many monks that brewed their own beer. I think it comes from a good place. If your drinking hinders someone coming to know Jesus than we should abstain. God is never outdone in generosity; when we go all in, he often blows us away with blessings we could never imagine. Whats interesting about the debate surrounding this topic is that its relatively new. But for Catholics, drinking alcohol may also have moral and religious implications. But in some topics the Bible just doesnt do that. If youre interested to know more about the depths of sin and how it is part of our daily lives, and how we can overcome it, we suggest for you to check out our posts on Is it a Sin to Overeat? Any grave sins arising from that state are also mortal sins. In other places, it is regarded as something bad and unworthy. Believers who feel it is safer not to drink any alcohol have the freedom to abstain. Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable. While others see drinking as a reprehensible activity that can corrupt the soul. Of course an organization has every right to forbid underage drinking, or even drinking at all. But I would suggest the analogy does not hold for the following reason: the customary enforcement of the law is relevant with speeding. We might have the freedom to do something, but that doesnt always make it the best thing for us to do. If you find your reasoning and thinking beginning to get corrupted, youve gone too far. It is simply warning against addiction and drunkenness. In fact, I would wager that I have almost never (if ever) seen a student involved in underage drinking who is totally on fire for Jesus. There are people in our life that we have the opportunity to positively influence. What ever other benefits a higher drinking age might bring, that is the purpose of the law. However, as my favorite Dominican priest quoting St. Thomas pointed out to me once in talking about this issue, Not all crimes are sins and not all sins are crimes. While the author here makes very good points about underage drinking having the ability to lead to laxity, scandal, and other undesirable things, we must be clear that it is not a sin for a 19 year old to have a drink. Who would readily believe such a thing? Or are we kind of beating a dead horse here? Even though these actions were done out of your own free will because of your drunkenness, you are still held responsible for them, as you chose to be in the state of intoxication deliberately. If you are in a country where you have to be above a certain age in order to legally consume alcohol, then it is sinful to break the law. This is at no cost to you and helps keep Rethink up and running. But in the first century there were certain benefits to light drinking. Its sort like of this: if you want to be a Jediif you want to go all in with Christthis is what it takes: for at that point, there is no aspect of ones life over which Christ is not king and Lord. 5:21). You can go to confession or pray to God for forgiveness. How will your decision in these grey areas affect people in those circles? In fact, St. Thomas Aquinas insists that the sin of scandal itself can be a mortal sin: because [the person] has such contempt for his neighbors spiritual welfare that he declines to forego doing what he wishes to do (ST II-IIae, q. But the case is different with underage drinking: in the vast majority of places across the country, one certainly would not drink underage while standing next to a police officer. Its become a societal norm to celebrate things over food and drinks. And this is subtle and deceptive: while not being as bad as a typical fraternity house, these students slide into a lifestyle that they sometimes couldnt have imagined years or months prior; but it becomes the norm, and their zeal for the spiritual life is sapped. Would Jesus drink a beer with me? Just because it works for you that typically you dont get pulled over, does not make it not against the law. As Catholics, we are required to respect the civil governing authority assuming that they are working for the common good and that the law is not unjust. What does the New Testament have to say about all of this? Copyright 2023 RC Spirituality | All Rights Reserved. There are some that say drinking is a sin because theres no health benefits. While wine may not have contained as much alcohol in ancient times as it does today, fermented beverages in biblical times clearly had the capacity to make people drunk. Would I do so if a police car was parked on the side of the road? And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. It never condemns it, but it often warns against the abuse of it. However, that is a problem because without being able to clearly and accurately articulate what chastity truly Have you ever given a gift that was meaningless to you? A positive criterion might be this: When you feel relaxed, that is a good time to stop drinking. Here is another traffic example. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Drunkenness is also mentioned in Galatians 5:19. Of course. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth . Lets look at a traffic example. We should always seek to bring honor to the Lord in all our activities: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. What does the Bible say? Its a grey area of the Bible. The ideal is that you dont want to get to the point where you feel overly giddy or lose coordination of your limbs, etc. No. What if the State (Sweden) forbid spanking your child, would it be sin to pooch your five year old in the behind? 5:23). This has lead many to the conclusion that all drinking is a sin. To make things very concrete, drunkenness has set in when you cannot (or should not) drive a car. You must have a strong resolve and an equally strong sense of self-discipline. Absolutely not. The apostle Peter reminds believers, Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Pet. Saint Paul answers this question clearly: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury; but be ye filled with the Holy Spirit" (Eph 5:18). If this is the case, then its safe to say that alcohol is not inherently immoral. Sinful. The primary mission of Christians is to tell those around us about what Jesus has done (Matthew 28). After that point there could be diminishing returns in a moral sense meaning that you are putting yourself in danger of serious sin beyond that moment. What Miracles Did Pope John Paul II Perform? The Pilgrims brought 7,500 gallons of alcohol on their journey across the Atlantic. In the seminary, I came across a book of no small thickness explaining how Jesus did not use fermented wine at table. A healthy moral intelligence is able to judge well the competency of any lawgiver and the purpose of the law. Thats why Jesus was accused of being drunk on wine (Luke 7:34). Le Ann is a writer, editor, speaker, wife, and mom who enjoys the Southern California lifestyle, including flip-flops, the beach, riding electric bicycles along the 101,and an occasional salted caramel Americano from Lofty Coffee in Solana Beach. Heres 6 lessons from the Bible that will help us navigate the question, is drinking a sin? In my experience, underage drinking tends to go hand-in-hand with a culture of lukewarmness, a general lowering of zeal, and a subtle openness to other forms of sin. The Catholic Church does not prohibit the consumption of alcohol. It is drunkenness and addiction to alcohol that a Christian must absolutely refrain from ( Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 6:12 ). Is drinking alcohol a sin? It is important to remember that even if gravely wrong actions (fornication, violence, etc.) For one thing, it gives the student an overly legalistic approach to the moral law, it reinforces his latent Calvinism, it gives far too much moral authority to the State, it is simply not true. Drunkenness, however, was always considered sinful based upon the clear biblical teaching about it. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Nor will we be deserving to inherit Gods kingdom. As the State divorces itself more and more from the natural law we will want to increase our young peoples ability to detach from the State as a moral gate keeper while still giving the State its rightful place to regulate the common good.
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