Title: Alcohol According To The Bible
Text: Various

Drinking alcohol is socially acceptable for many people. Yet besides the commonly heard mantra “you can drink, just don’t get drunk,” what are some principles we can consider from the Bible that can guide our decisions about drinking?

General Questions:

1. What are your experiences with alcohol? Would you say you have a positive or negative impression of it? Why?

Perspective Questions:

1. The Bible neither prohibits nor encourages drinking. How does knowing this fact help us to relate with people who may disagree with us on the issue of drinking?

2. Just because the Bible does not condemn or commend drinking (for purposes other than medical) does not mean that it does not have principles that can guide us in deciding whether to drink or not. For example, consider passages such as 1 Cor 10:23-11:1. What is the key principle in this passage? How does this principle affect our approach to drinking? 

3. Some may ask, how about drinking when no one else is around? Many turn to alcohol to “drown their sorrows” or to take the edge off the stressful situations they are going through. What are principles from the Bible that can help us to better handle the pressures of life?

Application Questions:

1. Instead of turning to alcohol (or other forms of escapism), how can we cope with the pressures of life in a healthier manner?

2. In ethical issues such as drinking, asking the right questions can help us to arrive at wise, God-honouring decisions. Instead of asking, “Can I drink?” or “How much is too much?” what are wiser questions to ask?