Is Social Drinking Condemned?
 

by Thomas G. O'Neal

   

Many understand that drunkenness is condemned by both the Old and New Testaments. However, there are some that feel "social drinking" is not.  Some make arguments in favor of "social drinking," not because they drink, but because they do not know any better.  Others defend "social drinking" because they practice such. Yes, there are those claiming to be members of the Lord's body that try to defend such. Some otherwise good churches have had their influence hindered because of those that were regarded as being somewhat known "social drinkers" if not outright drunkards.

Peter said, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings and abomi­nable idolatries" (1 Peter 4:3). Peter uses three expressions I want to notice in this article.

(1) "Excess of wine" is the way the King James Version translates the Greek, oinophlugia. The International Version, Today's English Ver­sion and the New American Standard all translate it "drunkenness."  The American Standard Version translates it "winebibbings." Liddell and Scott define it on page 479 as "a love of drinking, drunkenness."  Of "excess" W. E. Vine says "lit. a pouring out, overflowing," is used metaphorically in 1 Pet. 4:4, "excess," said of the riotous conduct described in ver. 3 . . . In 1 Pet. 4:3, oinophugia -  drunkenness,  debauchery  (oinos, wine; phluo, to bubble up, overflow) is rendered "excess of wine," A.V.  (R.V.  "winebibbing")  (page 397).  Thayer defines it as "an overflowing, a poring out . . . 1 Pet. 4:4 . . . the excess (flood) of riot in which a dissolute life pours itself forth" (page 43).  By translation and definition the  expression denotes a dissolute life which bubbles up and overflows wine and strong drink resulting in one being a drunkard.

(2) "Revellings" is the way the King James Version translates the Greek, kosmos. The American Standard Version translates it "revellings" also. The New American Standard Version translates it "carousals."  The Living New Testament translates it "wild parties."  Both the International Version and Today's English Version translates it "orgies." On this passage, Dr. A. T. Robinson says "Revellings (komois). Old word (from Keimai, to lie down) rioting, drinking parties, in New Testament here and Gal. 5:21; Rom. 13:13" (Vol. 6, page 122). Thayer defines it as "a revel, carousal, i. e. in the Greek. writings a nocturnal and riotous procession of half-drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Baachus or some other deity, and sing and play before the houses of their male and female friends, hence used generally, of feast and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry" (page 367). Vine defines it as "a revel, carousal, the concomitant and con­sequences of drunkenness . . . translated by "revellings"
(page 975). This describes the wild, night parties or orgies where among other things drinking is done.

(3) "Banqueting" is the way the King James Version translates the Greek, potos.  The New American Standard Version and Today's English Version both translate it "drinking parties." The American Standard Version translates it "carousing."  The New  English  Bible  translates  it "tippling."  The Amplified New Testament and the Living New Testament translates it "drinking bouts."  Webster defines "bouts" as "a going and returning" (page 100).  MacKnight says of it "drinking matches" (page 622).  Trench says 'not of necessity excessive . . . but giving opportunity for excess" (page 211).  Green's Lexicon defines it as "a drinking together" (page 153).  Vine says "lit. a drinking signifies not a banquet but a drinking bout, a carousal, 1 Pet. 4:3" (page 172).  Thayer defines it as "a drinking, carousing, 1 Pet. 4:3)" (page 533).  Webster says of "carouse" as "from .. garaus all out, …to empty the cup" and then defines it as "1. A draining of the cup in drinking; also, a drained cup, a toast.  2. A drinking bout, a carousal. . . . To drink deeply or freely; to take part in a carousal" (page 126). Thus, "banqueting" is drinking parties where there is tippling, a going and returning to drink, it is not necessarily excessive but one has the opportunity to be excessive, one is drinking together with others, one empties or drains the cup and offers a toast. Webster defines "tippling" as "to drink, as liquor, often or in small quanti­ties . . . to indulge in intoxicating drinks habitually and often" (page 891).  That describes the "social drink" exactly.  Yes, the Bible does condemn "social drinking."  This passage forbids the Christian engaging in drunkenness all the way back to the "social drinker."

In Eph. 5:18, Paul by the Holy Spirit said, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess of the word "drunk" Vine says "signifies to make drunk, or to grow drunk (an inceptive verb, marking the progress of the state expressed in No. 1), to become intoxicated" (page 343). Observe Vine says this is "an inceptive verb, marking the progress of the state."  From the inception the state is forbidden.  For example, a mother forbids her son from going to the store to buy candy before supper.  Does she just forbid him from placing the money in the store clerk's hand and eating the candy or is she forbidding him from even leaving the house and going in the direction of the store?  Does he disobey his mother if he leaves and goes to the store? God had forbidden the Christians to start down the road that produces drunkenness and the start is drink number one.

This article does not propose to discuss all the uses of alcohol. Such is often used in some medicine. However, such medicine is not used to get drunk but to get well. If one were to take some medicine with alcohol content in an amount for the purpose of getting the drunk feeling, such would be as sinful as drinking whiskey for the same purpose.

 

 

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