In May 2003, in a report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, under "Key Facts," the second bullet point reads: "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) position on the relationship between blood alcohol concentration and driving is that driving performance degrades after just one drink."
Just one drink. Some foolishly reason, "Surely just one drink won't be bad for me." "Just one drink won't harm me." And yet, NHTSA clearly states from their thorough research "that driving performance degrades after just one drink."
Many Christians through the years have ardently defended the consumption of "just one drink," or "just one beer." "That surely one drink of alcohol would not be wrong." "How could one drink be sinful?" "Yes, drunkenness is certainly wrong, but not just an occasional drink."
The child of God is commanded to be sober and alert (1 Thess. 5:6-8). But just one drink negatively impacts our soberness and alertness. The child of God is commanded to add self-control to their faith (2 Peter 1:6). It's a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). However, we begin to lose our ability to practice self-control after just one drink.
In fact, the wise man warns us to not even "look on the wine" because of the negative ways it will affect us (Prov. 23:29-35). In the New Testament, the apostle Peter wrote: "For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in...drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties..." (1 Peter 4:3). Drinking parties (or "banquetings") comes from the Greek word potos. The emphasis of "potos" is simply drinking in general, whether a little or a lot. And the Holy Spirit declares that Christians are not to act that way anymore.
Stop defending it and arguing in favor of it. Just one drink is wrong for the Christian. Those who truly reverence God & His all-sufficient Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17) will whole-heartedly agree.
I commend the above article to you for your thoughtful consideration. It does not teach anything that hasn't already been taught in this bulletin and in the pulpit here at Knollwood in the past.
We are entering into the Holiday Party season in which some Christians can find themselves in situations where social drinking is taking place. We need to stand by our convictions and remember the value of our influence. What will we do if our social "sip" encourages someone to take that first drink that leads to their life-long struggle with alcoholism? We know what the Lord taught about stumbling blocks. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6).
Alcohol commercials on TV look fun and entertaining. However, they never show the ugly side of their poisonous product. The Bible's "alcohol commercial" is found in Proverbs 23:29-35) referenced in the above article. Read the passage and gain wisdom. Serve God with a sober mind. Leave alcohol alone (Heath Rogers).