will i be drinking alcohol on my 21st birthday?

I WILL be drinking a ton of coffee, you’d better believe that.

However, here’s the two things you need to know:

1. I will NOT be drinking alcohol either on my 21st birthday or any other day following it.
2. I thoroughly believe you can be a Christian and drink alcohol. I mean, you can be a Christian and covet or lie. The Bible doesn’t say, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and don’t drink and you will be saved.” However, I don’t believe that it’s the wisest course, especially for me. And here’s why.

Hear Me Out

This post is not to shame you. Instead, I want you to consider your position on alcohol regardless of what side you’re on. Why have you decided not to? Why have you decided to? Have you not decided yet?

I’m so grateful for a mom who has taught me from a young age to love Jesus and the Bible above all else; to use the Bible as a Life How-To Manual. She has respectfully shared her opinion on many topics for 20 years of my life without demanding I accept her personal beliefs.

And, after 20 years (well, kinda) of deliberating, I’ve decided that, personally, drinking just isn’t worth it.

Here’s the thing: when I get to Heaven, I can guarantee that God isn’t going to look at me, shake His head, and say, “Amanda, you really should’ve drank some wine. You missed out, you know that, right?”

I’d rather not open the door to doing something He will rebuke me for (“Amanda, you got drunk and said a lot of unwise things and hurt people”). For me, it makes sense to not even crack the door open on something that could hurt me and/or others.

And, on a completely practical note, I have health issues and one of the first things they suggest giving up is alcohol. So why hurt my body in that way? Why add another thing that I’ll just have to subtract?

And get this: I’m admitting this without shame. The Bible never says don’t drink.

It’s not the 11th or 12th or 300th Commandment. The Bible does say that it isn’t wise. Some people get all worked up over this, but here’s how I see it: God doesn’t write out every single thing He expects of us because He wants us to grow in knowledge of what He wants. He wants us to be so spiritually mature that, no, we don’t need every single sin laid out for us.

It’s like when a teacher gives you a study guide but doesn’t come straight out and tell you the exact question on the test. They’re hoping that you’ll apply the knowledge they’ve shared with you in class and come to the answer via critical thinking. 

This demonstrates Hebrews 5:12— “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

A 500-lb. novel with all of God’s rules would be living on milk. God wants us to live on bread and use what we know about Him to live good lives.

So, I hope this post has encouraged you to seriously consider your own stance on alcohol. Chances are that very likely that in some point of your life you will have to make the decision, and that isn’t something you’ll want to take lightly.

Please keep the comments kind! I know this is a controversial topic and I don’t mind talking about any questions or other viewpoints in the comments as long as it’s on a courteous note.