Why does the Bible say Christians should drink a little wine?
The Bible does tell Christians to use a little wine “for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (I Tim. 5:23). However, the use of the word “wine” in the Bible is used interchangeably to mean both grape juice and fermented liquor. In the context of wine being used by a Christian, the scriptures are very clear that the word “wine” is being used to mean grape juice and not fermented alcohol. How does a person know which definition is being referred to? The Bible says, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II 2:15).
Anyone who has studied the Bible for any amount of time knows that God uses the scripture itself, to define terms used in scripture. The context will give the correct meaning. If a person just wants to justify their sin, they can say the Bible allows them to have a glass of wine every now and then, with moderation. Well hold on a minute, the Bible is talking in this context as wine being grape juice, not fermented hooch. A Christian who claims they can drink a little Cabernet Sauvignon now and then, has not read the Bible nor is being filled with the right Spirit.
The word “wine” is used at times in the Bible to mean grape juice and is defined as the pure blood of the grape: meaning the pure, fresh squeezed juice of the grape. The other definition used in the Bible is the fermented, spoiled juice of the grape found in Proverbs 23:31-35, Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright (ferments). At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder…. God does not want Christians drinking spoiled, fermented wine.
The Bible is very clear that Christians are to use only wine when it is freshly squeezed from grapes. Deuteronomy 32:14 says God fed the children of Israel with the pure blood of the grape, which is fresh squeezed grape juice, not having been fermented. In Deuteronomy 29:6 it says the children of Israel did not drink strong drink or wine. Yet, in Deuteronomy 32:33 Moses compares the wine given to the children of Israel against the wine of Sodom and Gomorrah. Israel’s wine was fresh grape juice, and the world’s wine is the cruel venom of asps found in Proverbs 23:31-35, which is fermented wine.
Genesis 49:11 defines wine as grape juice again. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine (notice the term foal used first and then defined as ass’s colt secondly, and vine used first and then more clearly defined as the choice vine); he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. The first choice of wording is wine, and the second choice defines the word as the blood of grapes. Deuteronomy 32:14 defines the blood of grapes as grape juice, not fermented alcohol.
In Isaiah 65:8 wine is described as being new and found in the cluster, i.e. it has not had time to ferment and made into old wine. In Acts 2:13 unbelievers are mocking the Christians during Pentecost when they receive the gift of speaking in tongues. They say they are full of new wine, as opposed to old wine. The facetiousness implying that, here are some Christians that only drink grape juice and not the “ol’ good fermented stuff” and yet behold, they are behaving like a bunch of drunkards.
When Jesus performs His second miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee he turns the water into wine (John 2). When Jesus performed this miracle he turned the water into the pure blood of the grape, hence grape juice and not fermented wine. Fermented wine is a type of the spirit found in Sodom and Gomorrah, not with the Saviour of the world. Any group that says fermented wine is Christian is not speaking the truth or has not studied the Bible. The pure blood of the grape is fresh squeezed grape juice and was used at the Last Supper of Jesus to indicate the holiness and purity of His precious blood He was going to shed on the cross. Fermented wine is a picture of the vine of Sodom and Gomorrah used in false religious sacraments to worship devils. I Corinthians 10:21 states there is a cup of the LORD and there is the cup of devils. The LORD’s cup is filled with the pure blood of the grape and the devil’s cup is filled with Blue Nun.
Furthermore, the Bible says God has made Christians kings and a royal priesthood (Rev. 5:10 and I Peter 2:9). Therefore, Proverbs 31:4 says it is not for kings to drink wine, the fermented kind, or strong drink. God is checking a Christian’s heart out. Are you going to seek scriptural “evidence” by taking scripture out of context in order to continue your “wine” and cheese parties or are you going to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit? Are you going to be filled with the new wine of the Spirit and give up the hooch? Or does the wine from the vine of Sodom and Gomorrah still satisfy you? At the last it biteth like a serpent.