How much is too much?

How Much Is Too Much Wine

John Robinson

The Apostle Paul told Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach’s sake, but in other places he warns not to be given to much wine.   So how much is too much wine?   According to the  National Highway Safety Administration, virtually all drivers are impaired at .08 blood alcohol concentration.   For semi drivers and airline pilots, the limit is .04 blood alcohol concentration. The FAA says that some studies have shown decrements in pilot performance with blood alcohol concentration as low as .025%.    A few violations of these rules can land a person in prison.  

But where does the bible say to draw the line?   One verse that comes to mind is Deuteronomy 29:19 which describes the sin of “adding drunkenness to thirst”, which would be similar to adding gluttony to hunger.   Gluttony can impair your cognitive function according to Ecclesiastes 10:16&17.

Keep in mind that the strong drink mentioned in the bible is not a reference to distilled liquors like whiskey, vodka, or tequila.   Distillation of alcohol did not really get started until about the 13^th century and began as a science experiment but when people found out they could get drunk on it, it soon developed into a huge enterprise.  The biblical term “strong drink”refers to wine made from dates.    Most Americans are familiar with John Hancock who is famous for his bold signature on the Declaration of Independence.   What most people do not know is the financial incentive he had to be free from England.  In 1768, British customs officials seized his ship, The Liberty, in Boston Harbor because he was smuggling in about 100,000 gallons of wine and Madeira to avoid taxes.  He ended up being sued by the British government for unpaid taxes in the amount of approximately 7 million dollars in todays currency.

After George Washington finished his term as our first president he retired to his farm where he started a distillery and the year before his death he sold 11,000 gallon of whisky.   The unofficial headquarters of the American Revolution was a tavern called the Green Dragon which is still in business today.   Vast amounts of alcohol were consumed there by our founding fathers.  This flies in the face of Proverbs 31:4&5 which says “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink; lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”     

But what if you are not a king or a prince?     What if you are not operating a motor vehicle or flying an airplane, how much is too much?   What if you are“merely”a housewife with a few children in your care?   How much wine is too much?   How many brain cells do you have to spare?   Some people have to use one liquid drug to help them go to sleep at night then another liquid drug in the morning to help them wake up.  

Yes there was wine at the wedding in John chapter 2 but there was also food there.   Does that prove that people were involved in gluttony and drunkenness?

Paul said in Ephesians 5:18, not to be drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit.     Why did he use that comparison?   This brings to mind the experience in Acts 2 in which people accused the new converts of being drunk.   This is because being under the influence of another spirit will free you of your inhibitions and loosen your tongue.   When people are  drunk they will say and do things they would not normally do, which cause great harm with consequences that can be eternal.  Dont forget that one act of indiscretion leads to another.  On the other hand when people are filled with the Holy Spirit they will say and do things that they would not normally do but the end result is bearing fruit for eternity.  And conversely one act of   obedience leads to another.

If your wine changes your personality then I would say you have crossed the line.    When the disciples received the Holy Spirit on the day of Shavuot, their personalities were different.  They had become new creatures.    Now at the end of that day can you imagine Peter saying, “Come on guys we have a had a long day, lets go down to the pub and relax with a few cold ones.”

What breaks my heart is that lately I have heard a lot of people talking about how much their alcoholic drink means to them, but I hear very little of people sharing their experience with the Holy Spirit.   Which spirit will you choose?