Let us not reveal our own foolishness through alcohol.

[Proverbs 20:1]

Everyone, why do you think people drink to get drunk? I came across an article online that explained why people drink from Monday to Sunday, and it said this: "Monday: The day you typically drink; Tuesday: The day you drink intensely; Wednesday: The day you drink intermittently; Thursday: The day you drink recklessly; Friday: The day you drink quickly and drink again; Saturday: The day you drink until you're intoxicated; Sunday: The day you drink until you can't wake up." I also saw this line in the article: "One drink is for health, but if you drink too much, it becomes for pleasure; if you get drunk, you act recklessly; if you get completely wasted, you become insane."

One of the reasons people drink is to feel good. Why does drinking make people feel better? The reason is that when you consume a small amount of alcohol, initially it excites the central and peripheral nervous systems, stimulates stomach acid production, and causes the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which in turn makes you feel good. However, when alcohol is consumed in excess or abused over a long period, it unfortunately promotes the destruction of brain cells, inhibiting the function of the brain. Normally, around 100,000 brain cells die each day automatically, but if you consume large amounts of alcohol, more brain cells will die. Academic performance, memory, and cognitive abilities all decrease, and these declines occur in direct proportion to the concentration of alcohol in the blood. When you drink excessively, you can’t remember what you said or did while intoxicated. This is called the "blackout" phenomenon (internet).

Another person explained why they drink in this way: "I drink when something good happens. I drink when something bad happens. I drink to celebrate. I drink to make friends. I drink to confess something. I drink to forget someone I miss. I drink when I feel hurt. I drink when I want to see someone. I drink when I feel down. I drink when it rains. I drink when I'm tired. I drink to unite. I drink out of curiosity. I drink when I'm lonely" (internet).

What do you think about drinking? As a Christian, do you think it’s okay to drink or do you think it’s something we shouldn’t do? Why? I visited an anti-Christian club website and saw that the fourth reason for not wanting to go to church was written like this: "Fourth, the pastor said you shouldn’t drink, so in a difficult situation, I refused the drink. The people of the world understood, but the self-proclaimed Christians actually pointed fingers at me... 'A few drinks are fine... take it...' I was completely stunned... Moreover, people who were the sons of deacons and elders said this... I was completely deceived. I naïvely listened to the pastor’s words and ruined myself. Now, I drink. I like it... Now, I live according to the Bible and die by it. Why? Because Christians insult me" (internet).

As I read this fourth reason, I felt that at least the person who wrote this believed that drinking was wrong according to the pastor’s teachings, and they considered it living according to the Bible. But the problem is, just like the writer said, there are people—sons of church elders and deacons—who think drinking is fine. So, it seems they started drinking to avoid being criticized by other Christians. In fact, I’ve heard that not only do the sons of church elders and deacons drink, but nowadays there are quite a few pastors who also drink. Specifically, I’ve heard that some second-generation pastors even drink, even though they graduated from conservative seminaries in the United States. One time, a brother who visited our church’s conservative seminary came to me and said he was disappointed to see some students drinking. I once saw a book title in a Christian bookstore titled “77 Reasons to Not Go to Church.” The author, Man Jae-ran, accepted Jesus in his late 40s and became one of the best-selling Christian authors, writing books like “Freshly Baked Steamed Bread” and “Bread in the World.” Through his broadcasting career, he gained a lot of information about the church, particularly from the late 1980s, and he observed a general slowdown in church growth due to a decline in new converts and the increasing departure of younger generations from churches. After much prayer and reflection, he wrote “77 Reasons to Not Go to Church.” One of those reasons, the sixth, was "The church that doesn’t understand alcohol and tobacco, I don’t get it!" He said, "I don’t fully endorse alcohol or tobacco, but I believe that every matter has two sides that must be understood. However, if I absolutely have to go to church, I’ll consider it after quitting alcohol and tobacco" (internet).

In reality, as Man Jae-ran says, I think many non-believers consider going to church only after quitting alcohol and tobacco. The reason is that they believe that in order to go to church, they must stop drinking and smoking. Of course, not all non-believers think that way. Many others continue to come to church enthusiastically while still drinking and smoking. Among them, there are also people who feel no guilt about it and think that it’s okay for Christians to drink and smoke.

When we discuss the issue of whether it is acceptable for Christians to drink alcohol or not, the most important thing to consider is what the Bible says about it.

One theologian concluded that the Bible clearly teaches that we should not get drunk, and he demonstrated that drunkenness is defined as a serious sin that is prohibited. He then made a distinction between drunkenness and drinking, pointing out that it is true that Jesus and His disciples drank wine, but only within the limits of not becoming drunk. He also stated that drinking alcohol falls under the "adiaphora" issue mentioned in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8, meaning it is a matter that could go either way. He explained that, according to the principle of freedom and knowledge in Christ—since the shadows of the Old Testament have been realized in Christ—there is no need to follow the Old Testament's dietary restrictions. Therefore, we can either eat or not eat foods that were forbidden in the Old Testament. Similarly, we can either smoke or not smoke. Criticizing a believer who doesn't drink for accepting a glass of wine in a formal setting or excessively condemning a theologian or missionary from another country for smoking a cigarette is not a biblical attitude. On the other hand, it is not a biblical attitude for a believer who drinks moderately and smokes within the limits of not becoming drunk to criticize a believer who does not drink and smoke, calling them weak in faith, and to openly drink and smoke in front of them. Furthermore, challenging "weak believers" (those who cannot drink or smoke) by drinking or smoking provocatively to make them stronger in their faith directly conflicts with the attitude of the Apostle Paul. Paul did not say he would eat meat or drink wine to strengthen the faith of "weak believers." Rather, he stated that if wine or meat (meat forbidden in the Old Testament) caused a brother to stumble, he would abstain from drinking wine and eating meat forever, out of consideration for their faith.

In conclusion, this theologian's conclusion is that, in light of the fact that alcohol and tobacco are harmful to both the body and the home, and by applying the principles of love and edification (fundamentally, the principle of tolerance established for the sake of the weak in faith), it is appropriate not to drink alcohol or smoke tobacco.

Today, instead of answering the question of whether we should drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, I want to reflect on the lesson God gives us through the verse from Proverbs 20:1: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” I would like to consider three thoughts based on this verse, seeking to learn the lessons God has for us.

First, what we need to consider is what the "wine" and "strong drink" mentioned in Proverbs 20:1 refer to.

The reason I ask this question is because I wondered whether we can equate the "wine" and "strong drink" in the time of Solomon and in the Old Testament with what we understand as "alcohol" in our modern time. Do you think the "wine" and "strong drink" of the Old Testament can be equated with alcohol today? I believe most of you would agree that they cannot be equated. In fact, "wine" back then was the most intoxicating drink (beverage). At that time, all wine was light wine, meaning it had a low alcohol content by today’s standards. Strong alcoholic drinks were only known after the Middle Ages when the Arabs invented the process of distillation. ("Distillation" is the process of gathering steam and separating the liquid to increase the alcohol content of the original drink.) Additionally, the word "alcohol" itself comes from Arabic. It was from the Middle Ages that "liquor" or strong alcohol ("strong drink") came into being. Therefore, in biblical times, wines with 20% alcohol content were not known (Vine). Consequently, drunkenness in biblical times was not as common or as serious as modern-day alcoholism (Harris). Nonetheless, God prohibited drunkenness even during biblical times. So, what should we do, living in the 21st century?

In today’s passage, Proverbs 20:1, besides "wine," it also mentions "strong drink." What exactly is meant by "strong drink"? Here, "strong drink" refers to alcoholic beverages made from barley, dates, or pomegranates, which were potent enough to cause intoxication (Isaiah 28:7). Therefore, the Bible prohibited both priests (Leviticus 10:9) and Nazirite vows (Numbers 6:1-3) from drinking, as well as others (Isaiah 5:11) (Walvoord). For example, in Isaiah 28:7, the Bible says: “But these also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.”

Can you imagine this? Can you picture God's servants, the priests and the prophets, stumbling from wine and strong drink, making mistakes in their visions and judgments? What would you think if pastors preached while drunk during Sunday worship? That’s why God told Aaron in Leviticus 10:9: “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.”

Today, we live in a time when there are many drinks with high alcohol content, and there are many alcoholics due to drinking them. Do you know what the strongest alcohol in the world is? It’s a vodka called Spirytus from Poland, with an alcohol content of 96%, which is almost pure alcohol. Just one sip is said to feel like your whole body is on fire. Now, do you know what the lowest alcohol beverage in the world is? Many people think it’s the new product "HI-CHU" from Lotte Chilsung in Korea, which contains 5-6% alcohol and 1% fruit juice. The alcohol content is similar to that of beer. However, there are also beers with a lower alcohol content of 4%, which is the lowest known (Internet). In the United States alone, there are an estimated 15 million alcoholics (Internet). In Korea, there are about 2.2 million alcoholics, and one out of every five adults has alcohol dependence. Furthermore, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Korea ranks second in the world for alcohol consumption per capita, just after Slovenia (Internet).

So, should we not pay more attention to the words of Ephesians 5:18, which say, "Do not be drunk with wine, in which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit"?

Secondly, what we need to consider is the negative influence that the "wine" and "strong drink" mentioned in today’s passage, Proverbs 20:1, have on us.

Look at the first half of Proverbs 20:1: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging…” When this is translated from the Hebrew, it would read, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is the one that causes strife…” (Park Yun-sun). Here, we are taught two negative effects that wine and strong drink have on us. That is, wine and strong drink make us arrogant and also cause us to fight. Do you think that alcohol makes people arrogant? Have you ever seen someone who is drunk act as if they are superior and look down on others? When I think of this question, I recall the feast thrown by King Ahasuerus in Esther 1. In the third year of his reign, he held a feast for all his governors and officials (verse 3), and for 180 days, King Ahasuerus displayed the riches and glory of his kingdom (verse 4). Eventually, for 180 days, he boasted of his glory in front of all his officials, nobles, military commanders, and governors (verse 3). Afterward, he hosted another seven-day feast in the palace garden (verse 5), where the guests drank from golden cups and the wine was abundant (verse 7), with no restrictions on how much they could drink (verse 8). On the seventh day, when King Ahasuerus was in high spirits, he commanded his seven eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti before him so that he could show her beauty to the people and nobles (verses 10-11). But when the queen refused to obey, the king became enraged and his anger burned within him (verse 12), and ultimately he deposed the queen. In the end, didn’t King Ahasuerus throw a wine feast to show off his beautiful wife, only to get angry and divorce her when she did not comply? When a person gets drunk, they are led away by the devil (Hosea 4:11), revealing their arrogance and pride, and not only boasting of themselves but also exposing their anger (see Isaiah 16:6). This is why arguments and fights happen at drinking parties (Proverbs 20:1). That is why King Solomon, the author of Proverbs, said in Proverbs 22:10: “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.” In reality, when an arrogant person is cast out of a drinking party, disputes and fights stop.

If we were to summarize the negative influence that wine and strong drink have on us, as mentioned in Proverbs 20:1, it would be that they lead us astray. They lead us in the wrong direction, but wine and strong drink specifically lead us into foolish paths. These foolish paths lead us to quickly express our anger (Proverbs 12:16), provoke strife (Proverbs 20:3), and trivialize sin (Proverbs 14:9). Ultimately, wine and strong drink reveal our own foolishness. In addition to this, the Bible also teaches that wine and strong drink have the negative effect of making us poor. Look at Proverbs 23:21: “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” Another negative effect is that they expose our shame. A good example of this is Noah, who became drunk in Genesis 9. Look at Genesis 9:21: “And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.”

So, what should we do?

Finally, the third thing we need to consider is what we should do to avoid being deceived by wine, which makes us arrogant, and strong drink, which causes us to fight. What should we do to avoid falling into this temptation?

Look at the second half of Proverbs 20:1 from today’s passage: "Whoever is led astray by it is not wise."

(1) We must seek God’s wisdom.

The reason is that when we have God’s wisdom, we fear Him and avoid evil, and we can also hate the pride and arrogance that God hates. Look at Proverbs 8:13: “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” And when we have wisdom, we will not be led astray by things like wine or strong drink, nor will we walk in foolish ways. Therefore, we must long for God’s wisdom and ask Him for it (James 1:5).

(2) We must be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Look at Ephesians 5:18: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." The Apostle Paul carefully advises us not to live like unwise people, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16). Why? Because the times are evil (verse 16). Then Paul says, "Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is" (verse 17), and then he continues, "Do not get drunk on wine... instead, be filled with the Spirit" (verse 18). If we do not receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit but get drunk, we will not even be concerned with the work that God is doing (Isaiah 5:12). That’s why the prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 5:11, "Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine!" The times we live in are evil. How can we know this? Because more and more foolish people are emerging. Who are the foolish ones? Aren’t they those who do not understand the Lord’s will and get drunk? Look at how alcohol addiction is growing. In times like these, we must not get drunk, but rather be filled with the Holy Spirit. When we do so, we will live wisely in these evil days and bring glory to God. I remember a verse I heard from a revival speaker many years ago from Luke 1:15: "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born" (NIV).

(3) We should not associate with those who enjoy drinking alcohol.

Look at Proverbs 23:20: “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.” The writer of Proverbs, King Solomon, advises us not to associate with those who enjoy drinking alcohol, meaning those who lead lives full of indulgence (Park Yun-seon). In Ecclesiastes 2, we see how King Solomon "experimentally" sought pleasure to make himself happy, trying to enjoy pleasure (verses 1-2). One of the things he tried was wine (verse 3). He sought to bring joy to his body through wine, but even in drinking, King Solomon controlled himself with the wisdom of his heart. Just like the ancient Greek Cyrenaic philosophers, he enjoyed wine but did not become a slave to it; instead, he governed it with wisdom. In other words, like the Cyrenaic school of thought, Solomon attempted to enjoy the pleasures of wine while governing it with his wisdom. But his conclusion, as we see in verse 3 of today’s passage, is that "he embraced folly." In short, "seeking pleasure through drunkenness is foolish." Why do you think King Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, tells us not to associate with those who enjoy drinking alcohol? The reason is to prevent us from emulating their foolishness. If you are not influenced by their foolishness and can avoid the negative impact, then your goal in associating with them should be to lead their souls to salvation.

(4) We must not get drunk.

Dr. Park Yun-seon explained why the New Testament forbids all believers from getting drunk. He gave three reasons (Park Yun-seon): (1) A person who is drunk cannot properly discern holy truth. (2) Drunkenness makes a person prone to committing many other sins. (3) A person who is enslaved to alcohol will come to love the pleasures of alcohol more than God (2 Timothy 3:4). Therefore, personally, I believe it is better to completely avoid drinking alcohol rather than drinking it.

I would like to conclude my meditation on the Word. Personally, I know two people who died because of alcohol. Both of them were shot to death in bars. One was shot while working as a security guard in a bar, and the other was shot after an argument at a drinking table. One memory that I can never forget is from the funeral of the friend who was killed as a security guard. After the funeral, while we were eating at a restaurant, his mother was trying to evangelize to us, his friends. Another memory I can’t forget is from the funeral of another friend. His uncle, crying, read a letter in which he spoke about the bad company my friend had kept, and that still resonates with me. Because of this, I am very careful even now when I am with friends I am trying to evangelize, and we are in a setting with alcohol. One of the things I am most concerned about is their safety. I worry about what might happen if they become drunk, especially if they end up driving while intoxicated.

The reason I am sharing these personal memories is that when I think of today's passage, Proverbs 20:1, I believe that alcohol is not beneficial for us. On the contrary, I believe alcohol causes harm to us. One of those harms is that alcohol makes us reveal our own foolishness. This foolishness manifests as our arrogance and leads to arguments. Therefore, we should avoid alcohol and never become drunk.