Drunkenness | A Bible Class on the Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit
As Paul discussed the works of the flesh, the Apostle next mentioned drunkenness. “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:19–21).
The Greek term—methé—only occurs three times in the New Testament.
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap” (Lk 21:34). In context, the Lord was speaking of the “great tribulation” of Jerusalem’s destruction. His counsel was to flee Jerusalem. One couldn’t be on guard to flee Jerusalem when the Romans came if he were drunk.
“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy” (Rom 13:13). People often get drunk at night. Paul was making the point that we cannot live as people typically live in the night.
Galatians 5:21.
Why is drunkenness a work of the flesh?
What problems does drunkenness cause in the church?
Does the Bible teach consuming alcohol is a sin?
The Bible teaches two things about alcohol.
Wine is seen as a blessing of God.
God gave wine for his people to enjoy.
- For obedience: Deuteronomy 7:13.
- Psalm 104:14-15.
- Proverbs 3:9-10.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7.
- Ecclesiastes 10:19.
Wine was sacrificed to God.
- Exodus 29:40.
- Numbers 15:4-10.
Wine was used medicinally.
- Luke 10:34.
- 1 Timothy 5:23.
The qualifications of church leaders mention addiction to wine, not the use of wine.
- 1 Timothy 3:3.
- 1 Timothy 3:8.
- Titus 1:7.
Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding (Jn 2:1-12). There has been much debate among our brethren about whether Jesus made alcoholic wine. Notice that the Lord was at a wedding with alcoholic wine (Jn 2:10). Jews did not add anything to wine to make it ferment; however, grape juice left in the Palestine sun is going to ferment.
Jews would mix wine with water at a 3-to-1 ratio. It would be very difficult—if not impossible—to get drunk the way Jews drank wine. “It is possible to become intoxicated from wine mixed with three parts of water, but one’s drinking would probably affect the bladder long before it affected the mind” (Robert H. Stein)
Excess of wine is strongly condemned in Scripture.
Noah acted a fool because he became drunk (Gen 9:20-21).
Leviticus 10:8-11. It seems to me that Nadab and Abihu were drunk when they offered their strange fire to the LORD. Immediately after Nadab and Abihu are buried, Moses told Aaron not to drink wine when he and his descendants went into the Tabernacle “so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean” (Lev 10:10). That’s a strange statement if Nadab and Abihu weren’t drunk.
Proverbs 20:1. Proverbs 23:29-35; verse 35 certainly sounds like alcoholism.
The texts we examined from the New Testament, including drunkenness as a work of the flesh.
While there is no prohibition on consuming alcohol, the Bible teaches to be very, very careful.
This Bible class was originally taught by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.