In Galatians 5:19-21, the apostle Paul lists the various works of the flesh. Of the seventeen sinful works, the final two listed by the apostle are drunkenness and revelries (carousing, NASB) (v. 21). What is drunkenness, or more importantly, how does the Bible define the term? What does God’s word say about social drinking? God’s expectation of His people is very clear – Christians are to be sober. This article will examine Paul’s and Peter’s instructions to the church regarding alcohol.
In 1 Thessalonians 5, the apostle Paul reminds the church at Thessalonica that the Lord’s return will occur at an unexpected time (1 Thes. 5:1-3). In light of this, he proceeds to encourage the brethren to prepare for that great day by watching and being sober (1 Thes. 5:6).
The Greek word for “sober” is nēphō. Greek language authorities define the word as: “to abstain from wine; thus, to be sober” (Wigram and Green), “to be sober, drink no wine” (Lindell and Scott), and “to be free from the influence of intoxicants” (W. E. Vine). One cannot partake of alcohol to any degree and still abstain. One either abstains or partakes, regardless of the quantity consumed.
A similar parallel is found with the Greek word for “fasting.” Just as nē-phō means “to abstain from wine,” nē-steuō means “to abstain from food,” according to Wigram and Green. One either partakes of alcohol or he does not, just as a person either partakes of food or he does not. One cannot be “a little bit” sober any more than he can be “a little bit” fasting.
While the term “sober” is used figurately in some passages, this is not the case in all passages, including 1 Thessalonians 5:6. Notice the important contrast Paul makes between verses 6 and 7. The apostle contrasts the term “sober” in verse 6 with ordinary, literal drunkenness in verse 7. We know that the drunkenness of verse 7 is literal because it is said to occur at night, the time during which ordinary, literal drunkenness typically occurs. Similarly, the apostle uses the term “watch” (awake, NASB) in verse 6, contrasting it with literal sleep that ordinally occurs at night in verse 7. Unless the apostle is contrasting a literal term with a figurative term, we have an immediate contextual case for understanding the term “sober” in verse 6 as physical sobriety.
Paul makes a series of contrasts throughout the passage, which help us define what the Bible means by “drunk.” The opposite of light is darkness. The opposite of day is night. The opposite of watch is sleep. If we continue the parallel, the opposite of sober is drunk. In other words, a person is either sober or drunk. To what degree a person is intoxicated is a separate, irrelevant question. Therefore, all Bible passages that condemn drunkenness, including Galatians 5:21, condemn anything but sobriety. Drunkenness is a matter of degree; sobriety is not.
While encouraging the church to submit to God and resist the devil, the apostle Peter also gives insight into alcohol consumption in 1 Peter 5:5-11. He gives a straightforward exhortation for Christians to be sober (nēphō) (v. 8).
Peter makes an interesting and visual play on words in verse 8. At the start of the verse, he instructs the brethren to “be sober.” At the end of the verse, he explains that the reason for being sober is because the devil is “…seeking whom he may devour.” The Greek word “devour” (katapinō), means “to drink down,” according to W. E. Vine. Peter’s visually brilliant point is that we are to be sober lest we be drunk down by the devil!
There also appears to be a connection between Peter’s exhortation to be sober in verse 8, and the need to cast all of our cares on God in verse 7. This connection only furthers the point that Peter has literal sobriety in mind. How often do men resort to drinking as a form of self-medication to deal with the troubles of life? This should not be so with Christians. Rather than turning to alcohol, we are to turn to our great God and cast all of life’s cares on Him because He cares for us both emotionally and providently.
God’s word is clear – Christians are to be sober, which means to abstain from alcohol. The moment a child of God partakes of alcohol, to any degree, he has ceased to abstain. Christians have no business drinking alcohol. Not only is it Scripturally indefensible, it is shameful to both the individual and the Lord’s church. May we stay away from drinking in all its forms, and live up to the higher standard of living to which our God has called us.
-James Cammock