What's the difference?

[n david]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I find it interesting that most don't seem to realize how much of their doctrine regarding alcohol was developed as part of the mid 1800's Temperance movement, not specifically in response to the Bible. This anti-alcohol social movement eventually succeeded in gaining enough political influence to pass and implement the bloody and crime ridden nightmare of Prohibition in 1920. Prohibition was eventually ended in 1933 to help stabilize society by using the free market to put the black market for alcohol out of business.

It was during the Temperance movement that preachers began condemning all alcohol as sin and ignoring all texts indicating otherwise. However, their understanding of wine doesn't agree with Scripture or even the interpretations of most Christians down through history, including the Greek speaking Greek Orthodox churches. These fundamentalists argued that "oinos" (wine) strictly applied only to unfermented grape juice. However, this is far from reality. The Greek term "oinos" is actually a general term for wine (fermented or unfermented). For example, in Ephesians it is used by Paul for fermented wine:

"Be not drunk with wine [oinos]" (Ephesians 5:18)

Those who oppose the drinking of alcohol, in any quantity, argue that Jesus would not have turned the water into wine, as He would have been promoting the consumption of a substance that is tainted by sin. In this understanding, alcohol itself is inherently sinful, and consumption of alcohol in any quantity is sin. That is not a biblical understanding, however. Some Scriptures discuss alcohol in positive terms. Ecclesiastes 9:7 instructs, “Drink your wine with a merry heart.” Psalm 104:14-15 states that God gives wine “that makes glad the heart of men.” Amos 9:14 discusses drinking wine from your own vineyard as a sign of God’s blessing. Isaiah 55:1 encourages, “Yes, come buy wine and milk…” From these and other Scriptures, it is clear that alcohol itself is not inherently sinful. Rather, it is the abuse of alcohol, drunkenness and/or addiction, that is sinful (Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 23:29-35; 1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19). Therefore, it would not have been a sin for Jesus to create a drink that contained alcohol.

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