Dear Theophilus: Can Christians Drink or Party? (2024)

FAQs

Dear Theophilus: Can Christians Drink or Party? ›

The fact is that the Bible does not prohibit celebration. Neither does it make a wholesale prohibition of wine or other strong drink (see as examples Deut. 14:26 and John 4). If Jesus' first miracle is to turn water into wine, it is very difficult to call for complete abstinence from alcoholic drink.

Galatians 5:19, 21 “Now the works of the flesh are obvious… drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Ephesians 5:8,11: “For once you were dark-ness, but now in the Lord you are light.

Kings were forbidden to abuse alcohol lest their judgments be unjust. It was forbidden to priests on duty, though the priests were given "the finest new wine" from the first fruits offerings for drinking outside the tabernacle and temple.

A: Apostolic Pentecostals are the strictest of all the Pentecostal groups, according to Synan. Like most Pentecostals, they do not use alcohol or tobacco. They generally don't watch TV or movies either. Women who are Apostolic Pentecostals also wear long dresses, and they don't cut their hair or wear makeup.

This work of the flesh refers to partying in a wild, uncontrolled and immoral manner. The Greek word translated “revelries” in Galatians 5:21 is komos and is defined as “excessive and boisterous intemperance and lustful indulgence.” In other words, this is what we could call hard partying.

The fact is that the Bible does not prohibit celebration.

While alcohol itself is not condemned, the Bible is clear in its condemnation of drunkenness. Ephesians 5:18 explicitly warns against getting drunk, equating it with debauchery. Drunkenness is characterized by the loss of self-control and the impairment of judgment, leading to sinful behavior.

Moderation not Abstinence

It condemns drunkenness and being enslaved to wine (Ephesians 5:18; Titus 2:3), but it never says that tee-totaling is the better way to obey God. In fact, the Bible never says that abstaining from alcohol is the wisest way to avoid getting drunk.

But here's what you should focus on, if you take a look at Ephesians 5:18, it says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Which means don't get drunk where your drunkenness gets you to the point where you lose control of yourself, and it clouds your better judgment.

John the Baptist was a Nazarite and in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is explicitly contrasted with him: “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

Can Christians be cremated? ›

Generally speaking, although there may be an indicated preference for burial in some of the more conservative denominations, Protestant churches as a whole are neutral toward cremation, and neither condemn nor commend it for members of the Protestant tradition.

The Roman Catholic Church does not condemn smoking per se, but considers excessive smoking to be sinful, as described in the Catechism (CCC 2290): The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine.

Coffee has come a long way from its early reputation as intoxicating, dangerous, and Satanic. Perhaps because coffee is not seen as a drug, nor as “intoxicating” in ways that concern most people, it's become the acceptable social beverage of most religious communities.

He had known the fellowship of angels and had heard the harps of Heaven, yet He still went to parties thrown by tax collectors. And upon His shoulders rested the challenge of redeeming creation, but He still took time to walk for miles to go to a wedding in Cana. As a result, people liked Him.

Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice hom*osexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, You are either killing sin and addiction or it is killing.

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.

Now, to clarify, the Bible says nothing specific about how to handle horror films. Nor does Leviticus offer “Thou shalt not” guidelines on risqué R&B or profane video gaming. But the Bible surprisingly has a lot to say, principle-wise, that can help us guard our hearts.

Thessalonians5:6-8. “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”