Social Drinking

by David McPherson

Most folks are clear on the fact that drunkenness is condemned throughout the pages of the Bible. What some are not as clear on is that social drinking is also condemned.

“Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder” (Proverbs 23:31-32).

Those who try to justify social drinking emphasize that the biting and the stinging have reference to drunkenness. They fail, however, to note the commandment in the first part of the verse, “Look not thou upon the wine...” Certainly, the effects of alcohol are stressed in the biting and stinging statement. Thus, the command is: Don’t you even look at it (much less drink it) when it seems innocent, wholesome, and good.

“For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings...” (I Peter 4:3).

Advocates for social drinking will cry out, “See, ‘excess of wine’ is condemned.” While that is true, they need to consider the word “banquetings.” Clearly distinguished from “excess of wine,” this word refers to drinking parties or social drinking. Those who practice such are fulfilling a lust of the flesh and disobeying the will of God.

Social Drinking . . . You can defend it or you can defend the Bible, but you cannot defend both.