Alcohol was a part of the social world of the people of Jesus's time and Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine. He did not tell people not to drink but he counseled them not to get drunk. The scripture says to be sober and it does not discourage the use of alcohol in a moderate way, but it always counseled us not to drink to the point that we can't function and cannot do what we need to do to take care of our families, to take care of our personal business, to worship God. So alcohol can be both bad and good. Alcohol in a societal sense has been abused to the point that it is the #1 drug that people consume in America. They don't do it to bring joy and peace into their lives. They do it from an addicted position. And to be addicted to alcohol is not what Christians are supposed to do. But they can use it to stimulate their body functions, to help them have peace and relax without becoming intoxicated, and then alcohol use can be justified. For me, I abstain. I have not had a drink of alcohol for over 30 years and I don't recommend that anybody drink but I don't persecute people who do drink. I recommend that they don't get drunk because then it's hindering their body functions, hindering them from thinking right. If someone is drinking to the point of hindering their body functions, their thinking, then they need to ask God, "Should I drink or not?" Alcohol can be good. Some people drink wine to build up and combat anemia, which is low blood, and doctors recommend it. They say that the French are more healthy and have healthier hearts than Americans because they drink wine with every meal and wine helps to break down the fat from the foods that they eat.
