Many Christians and unbelievers alike today are under the
illusion that some alcoholic beverages are beneficial as a tonic
for various ailments. Today there are so many “remedies” for all
kinds of sicknesses, from fevers to colds. Many people believe
them even though medically, there is no grounds for such action.
The real fact is that man is so sinful that he likes to believe that
the sinful things that bring him “pleasure” can cure him of his
physical and mental problems.
Consequently, tradition has produced all sorts of “tonics” and
old wives “remedies” which have included rum, whiskey, brandy,
and others. These are nothing more than folklore which have
been passed around for generations doing more harm than good.
God’s Word is clear concerning this:
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. (1 Timothy 4:7)
Our Lord was well aware of man’s lack of appreciation of the
things God has provided both for his physical and spiritual well
being. In Luke 5:39, He says:
No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. (Luke 5:39)
In this parable Christ likens new wine (non-alcoholic grape
juice) to salvation, or His powerful Kingdom, and old wine (alco-
holic) to legalism or pharisaic tradition. Christ’s analogy is
perfect as usual. We know that Jesus’ offer of salvation meant
eternal life and blessings to man. Something which legalism
could never bring, because without Christ, man could never live
up to the standards of the law.
Those who were unwilling to accept Christ would die in their
sins (John 8:21). Thus we can see how Christ knowing of the ill
effects of alcoholic wine, was able to effectively show the great
contrast between legalism and grace.
Salvation or the blessings of the Kingdom, is like new wine
being healthy and beneficial to man. And legalism or pharisaic
tradition, like old wine is harmful and would bring spiritual
death.
It is clear from the context of the parable that not only is new
wine superior to old wine, but that also old wine just like legal-
ism is useless. And as the Master said, those who are used to
drinking old wine prefer it to the new.
Today there are many other misconceptions concerning the so-
called benefits of alcohol. Including the common notion that it
keeps the cold out. Those who give credence to such an idea
should consider these facts from Black’s Medical Dictionary:
The popular habit of taking spirits ‘to keep the cold out’
is a delusion. Alcohol gives a sense of warmth to the skin
by bringing the blood there; but, as the blood is rapidly
cooled in cold air, the risk of frostbite and even death by
freezing is increased, so that experienced hunters and
mountaineers will on no account touch spirits on biting
cold days or at high altitudes.
In health, there is no necessity for alcohol, and, as so
many persons contract the alcohol habit, it would be well
for everyone to consider the question carefully before
embarking on its habitual use.
Here we can see one of the many examples of the lack of
understanding concerning the effects of this deadly substance.
This now is being realized, because during the past fifty or so
years the use of alcohol as a medicine has rapidly declined.
Dr. William Patton writing long ago on this subject quoted
Dr. J.W. Beaumont, Lecturer on Materia Medica in Sheffield
Medical School, England, as saying:
Alcoholic liquors are not nutritious, they are not a tonic,
they are not beneficial in any sense of the word.
The recent claims today that red wine is beneficial because it
reduces the chances of our contracting heart disease is mislead-
ing and contradictory to the message of the Scriptures. The
French are often cited as an example of this because they eat a lot
of fatty foods, consume a high amount of red wine, yet have a
considerable reduced rate of heart disease when compared with
other countries. However, these claims are really inconclusive.
Let us consider the following from BBC’s web site
(
www.bbc.co.uk/health/nutrition/drinks_alcohol.shtml) under the
heading of ,
Alcohol – the benefits and the risks:
Alcohol consumed in moderation is thought to be ben-
eficial in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
Indeed, alcohol consumption, in conjunction with high
intakes of fruits and vegetables, or red wine, may well
explain the so-called ‘French paradox.’ The French
diet is considered to be very high in fat, especially sat-
urated fat, and yet the death rate from coronary heart
disease is apparently lower than that of any other
So what are we saying? Reach for your wine glass? The
key word here is moderation. The World Health
Organization in 1997 concluded that the reduced risk
from coronary heart disease was found at the level of one
drink, consumed every second day.
Alcohol, even when consumed in moderation, has
Been linked to a very wide range of other ailments and
Diseases, such as increased risk of mouth, pharyngeal
And oesophageal cancers (this risk being greatly
increased if combined with smoking). Furthermore,
alcohol probably increases the risk of colorectal and
The list doesn’t stop there: high blood pressure; gas-
trointestinal complications, such as gastritis, ulcers, and
liver disease; and a depletion of certain vitamins and
minerals are all caused by alcohol consumption. Of
course, excessive alcohol can also have detrimental
social and psychological consequences.
This clearly shows that any so-called benefits derived from
drinking alcoholic wine are massively outweighed by the risks.
You might not die of alcohol induced heart disease, but you will
probably die of cirrhosis of the liver or some other alcohol
related disease!
In proclaiming the fact that the French suffer a low rate of
heart disease, it is not mentioned in the same degree that they
have a high rate of deaths from cirrhosis of the liver as com-
pared to other countries! The question that must be asked is
what is it in the red wine that is beneficial? It is certainly not the
alcohol! Any benefit derived is clearly from the fruit used to
make the wine!
