Some Church members have no conscience about drinking intoxicating liquor. Is total abstinence Biblical or is social drinking permissible?

Our rule of conduct must be the Word of God alone, and Scripture is abundantly clear that alcoholic drinks should have no part in our lives. Strong drink intoxicates, and God says: “Be not deceived…neither fornicators…nor drunkards…shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

1.  Noah and Lot were led into shameful situations through strong drink (Genesis 9:21-25; 19:32-36).
2. God told Aaron: “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee” (Leviticus 10:8-9).
3. Wine inflames and deceives: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging (enraging): and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).
4. It leads to poverty: “He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich” (Proverbs 21:17).
5. It brings sorrow: “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine” (Proverbs 23:29-30).
6. Social drinking of alcoholic beverages is forbidden: “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder” (Proverbs 23:31).
7. Wine reduces moral resistance: “Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things” (Proverbs 23:33).
8. It impairs judgment: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment” (Proverbs 31:4-5).
9. Alcohol is a drug and medicinal: “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts” (Proverbs .1:6; 1 Timothy 5:23).
10. Alcoholic drinks are addictive:“Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant” (Isaiah 56:12 and Proverbs 23:35).

Drinking wine can stumble weak Christians, and God says: “It is good neither to eat flesh (offered to idols), nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak” (Romans 14:21).