When does drinking become a sin?

Question

Please don't tell me drinking alcohol is a sin. Enjoying alcohol in reasonable amounts is no sin at all--in fact, the Bible does not condemn alcohol comsumption when used responsibly, only when it intoxicates you to the point of drunkensess. How do you distinguish a mild alcohol buzz from intoxication?

Answer 1

It's a sin when drinkin' takes up most of your life and you're drunk a lot of the time. If you drink, that's fine. Just don't over do it.

Answer 2

I believe that when that mild buzz one gets from alcohol becomes full on intoxication to where a person is not acting like themself, and is not fully cognizant later as to what they said or did, the drinking has become a sin. The Bible doesn't say not to drink. It says "don't be drunk with wine", meaning, don't get drunk. When people get drunk, they are capable of altering their personality and doing things they would not ordinarily do. Some people become violent or hot-tempered. Some become overtly amorous or free-spirited and uninhibited. Others become quite embarrassed and full of shame and self-loathing. Others think they are perfectly sober and drive a car and hurt someone. Still others don't exercise good judgment and go off to a hotel somewhere and sleep with someone and have regrets later on.

Any time a person's drinking has reached the point from a buzz to drunkenness, it is a sin. Now, if a person is in a controlled situation where they among people who are safe and they will not be driving or will be in any situation where they could hurt someone, then it becomes a little more sticky. Still, the Bible says that drunkenness is a sin, probably because there IS that potential for harm to be done, whether by something stupid that is said, someone operating a car, someone getting violent, or someone having sex without thinking.

You asked how to distinguish a mild buzz from intoxication. That warm, dizzy feeling where the legs feel heavy and it feels like you just got off a treadmill when you are walking (or off a moving sidewalk), is a buzz. When you begin to feel silly, overtly friendly, act in ways you don't normally act, or act in such ways but more so, or are rude, hostile, violent or uninhibited the more you drink, then you are intoxicated.

Answer 3

There are "thousands" of "rationalizations" given by those that drink. Which one you want to hear ? As one who was an alcoholic for 19 years, "now" being sober for the last 22, "how" you distinquish a buzz from intoxication is "THE FIRST DRINK." Only the "immature" and "unstable" minds that can not cope life have a need to drink "alcohol" After being in rehab "4" times over ten years, getting in trouble for my "6" assault with intent to kill, and facing 15 to Life as a repeat offender, ALL because of "rationalizing" my use of Alcohol and Drugs, don't you think this "faithful one of the Lord" KNOWS the road of DOOM. The word SIN only means BEHAVIOR and I have never seen any GOOD behavior come from "drinking," not even in my own past. I will tell you how it was told to me years ago. If you like to drink, DRINK, but when you get tired of the merry - go - round it takes you on, and you get to the place it took me, "can't quit" but HAVE TO since the law orders it or "else" only THEN will you will understand the "sin" behind it.........

Answer 4

Drinking is never a sin, drinking too much is a problem and an addiction. As to distinguishing a mild buzz from intoxication, you figure it out with enough experience, but suffice it to say that if you can walk and talk without difficulty, it is a mild buzz. If not, it is drunk, or just about.

Answer 5

In ancient Israel, a son who was an unrepentant glutton and a drunkard was to be stoned to death. (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) The apostle Paul admonished Christians: “Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man.” Clearly, drinking to the point of drunkenness is condemned in the Scriptures.—1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9, 10.

Answer 6

The point is you should not drink till you get to a point it alters your thought process. If being buzzed alters your mental state, then I wouldn't do it. This becomes a testing game. How much can I do before its a sin. Kind of like, Dad said I couldn't hang out at Bobby's house, so I'll just hang out on his driveway. We can't play games with God. We also can't be unreasonable. Only you can answer the question you ask by searching your soul and finding out what you think it really means. Not what limit you can test it to.

Answer 7

When the alcohol is in more control than you are. I don't mean that simply getting hammered is an automatic sin; more like when the drinking is motivated by more than simple enjoyment of the beverage. Does that make any sense?

Answer 8

A glass of wine now and then or on a special occasion is quite alright but if you drink to get a buzz then it's not. The Bible says not to drink to get intentionally drunk. A buzz is the first stage of drunkenness.

Answer 9

Wow, you have a confusing array of answers. I would say ask the Lord if it is a sin for You. Then if you meditate a bit
(that is listening for God- praying is talking to God)
you will get a feeling of if it is a sin for you.

Somethings are sins for some people and not for others.

Answer 10

Is the intake of alcohol a sin or a transgression?
The answer to that one is in your hands!

I have a question for you!
If you are confronted by one of the ten (10) most poisonous vipers presently on this planet, would the viper have to empty all of its venom into you, to take your life from you, or would it take just one drop of the venom injected into your blood stream?

One drop will probably kill!
Intoxicants will destroy the Wisdom in man!

Wine in biblical times contained no sugar thus it had little or no alcohol content.

Use what Wisdom you have and think on this......................

Answer 11

You have to be the judge of that.No one can get inside your buzz for you.I drink maybe 6 beers a year and a carafe of wine every 6 mos. but to each his own.You can't have someone justify your drinking,that's between you and the Lord.