Alcoholism

Having been raised in Texas in a conservative Christian home, I (Steve) heard many sermons on alcoholism. The preacher always referred to the alcoholic as a drunkard. A biblical passage on drunkenness would be used to condemn that person, implying that the person had chosen alcoholism and would spend the remainder of his (they were always considered males) days in a drunken stupor.

Receiving this perspective early in life, my acceptance of the facts about alcoholism and drunkenness did not come easily. But eventually I learned the truth about the biblical perspective. It’s been a great help in understanding alcoholics and assisting them in their recovery.

The Bible doesn’t address the condition of alcoholism. It only speaks to us about drinking and drunkenness. Many ministers think of a drunk man on skid row drinking out of a bottle when they think of an alcoholic. But that is the exception rather than the rule. Only about 5 percent of all alcoholics make it to skid row. The other 95 percent are drinking and functioning in jobs, schools, churches, and in families. Many people have no idea these people are alcoholics.

The Sin Issue

Some of you reading this are no doubt eager to know whether we believe drinking is a sin. This is a difficult area; Christians hold varied views. However, from our study of Scripture, our work with thousands of young people, and our own experiences, we have arrived at the following beliefs. We don’t expect everyone to agree, but we hope this list will stimulate the reader to think through his or her stance.

Drunkenness is always a sin. Scripture is clear on this, a fact that can’t be rationalized away. Those who repeatedly become intoxicated need to confess their sin and obtain whatever help is needed to overcome it. Parents should sit down with their children to explain the sinful nature of drunkenness and why God has so clearly forbidden it.

Drinking is definitely a sin for some people. For the general population, no specific Scriptures forbid wine consumption in small amounts. Some Scriptures do, however, forbid alcohol consumption if it causes another person a spiritual problem. Whenever a spouse is bothered by the other spouse’s drinking, for instance, it is the drinker’s responsibility to stop drinking to prevent the mate from stumbling. But the rightness and wrongness of drinking is an even broader issue.

In our society, with so much damage being done by drinking, many who think it is okay to drink need to reexamine the practice. Alcohol is a dangerous chemical. A person may not drive drunk, but we now know that alcohol damages brain cells and other body tissues. And for us parents who have to be concerned about the behaviors we are modeling, abstinence is the best choice.

Alcoholism is an issue separate from sin. This condition develops from years of (often abusive) drinking, so sin occurs long before the onset of alcoholism. When a person develops alcoholism, compassion rather than judgment should be offered. Direction instead of condemnation is needed. The alcoholic—addicted, sick, and irrational—will respond better to the love of a helpful person than to the anger of one who doesn’t understand. Is alcoholism a sin? The more important question is whether you are prepared to help a fellow sinner.