God made wine to gladden the heart of man. Jesus made wine in abundance to celebrate a marriage. Yet, some of us have the attitude “I’d like to insist drinking is a sin, but I’m forced to admit that Jesus drank wine. Therefore drinking isn’t a sin. But, still don’t don't because you might cause an alcoholic brother to stumble.” Don’t hold a begrudging attitude about our liberty and of what really is a blessing from God.
Paul’s comments about drinking and eating meat are specifically about avoiding non-kosher wine and meat in front of Christians of weak faith. They have nothing to do with whether someone who sees you might be an alcoholic The New Testament was written in a region that observed the old covenant of God, where foods were to be kosher to be consumed. Jews were raised this way. Jews rightly spent their lives this way. The early church was overwhelmingly converts from this Judaism. It was a huge deal to tell early Christians that it didn’t matter if your meat and wine was provided by gentiles. But, Paul still drank wine. He just kept it kosher (Paul continued to practice Judaism for evangelical reasons). Jesus(!) still drank wine. He just kept it kosher (it wasn’t until after the cross that kosher laws no longer applied).
The “stumble card” is way over-played by Baptists. I’m having a hard time even imagining a situation where you’re drinking might cause a brother to stumble. Maybe if you have a recovering alcoholic living in your home it might be best not to have alcohol in the house.
I don’t think it wins anyone to Christ do teach as the Pharisees, Muslims, and Mormons that drinking is wrong. Your witness isn’t tarnished by responsible behavior, but by abusive or hypocritical behavior.
