Confessions of an Ex-Teetotaler

—PJ King

The following is one article in a series on dealing with alcohol Biblically. You can read the rest of the series here.

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This is my story. It is not meant as a judgment on anyone, and should not be taken as one. I share it because I thought it might offer some helpful perspective on how I got to where I am and provoke some helpful discussion. In this article, I use the word “teetotaler” to mean those who believe everyone should always abstain from alcohol. As Chris noted in his articles, there is plenty of room for abstention on personal grounds.

I was born and bred a teetotaler, just like some of you. If I reported finding alcohol in a friend's house, my parents never allowed me to go back. Any Christians who drank were serious sinners and probably weren't Christian at all. This belief didn't cause much friction in my social life, however, because I was too young to drink legally and accordingly wouldn't have imbibed (illegally) no matter what I thought about the nature of alcohol. Additionally, at least when I was younger, most of my friends’ parents’ hid their alcohol because they had children in the house.

Even going to college did not initially bring this issue into conflict. I had just turned 18 and the only people I knew who drank were still underage and therefore drinking illegally. However, by my junior year, I was starting to encounter Christian friends who shared with me privately that they were not teetotalers (I was in Baptist crowds, so this was hush-hush). I had a very difficult time reconciling this with my own beliefs.

For a long time, I searched the Scriptures to find a resolution to this conflict: can Christians—in good nature—engage in moderate alcohol consumption? I mean, these friends really loved Jesus: surely they weren’t acting in rebellion.

After a year, or two, I came to the conclusion that alcohol itself is not condemned by Scripture—at times, it is even celebrated. Because of my upbringing, this was very difficult to accept. I still thought that those who abstained were holier than those who drank.

I began to compare the Christians I knew who were teetotalers against those who weren’t. Outside the issue of alcohol, I did not find any difference in their outward appearances of holiness. However, I did notice one important pattern: those who were teetotalers were raised as teetotalers—I did not know anyone who had become convinced that God hates alcohol solely by reading the Bible. That helped me realize that the vilification of all alcohol by some Christians is inherently a cultural issue: the only students I knew who condemned alcohol flat-out came from a Christian culture which did so—me included.

All this helped me realize that I could not judge others for partaking in alcohol. I knew drunkenness was still to be condemned, but I could no longer affirm alcohol itself to be evil.

However, I was unable to convince myself that it was okay for me to drink alcohol. After a year, or so, of soul searching, however, I finally discovered the holdup. It was pride.

You see, because I was raised a teetotaler, I had never had even a sip of alcohol. If I ever had a glass of anything, I would break my life-long streak. I would never again be able to say “I’ve never drank alcohol.” Even though I believed that I shouldn’t judge others for drinking, I still secretly enjoyed comparing myself to them: “They seem holy, but they’ve had alcohol before. I’m so much holier than they are, because I’ve never imbibed.” By having a drink, I would no longer have that pedestal to put myself on; I would not be able to elevate myself in that way any longer.

Once I realized the pride that was in my heart, and how it was that pride which was actually maintaining my conviction to not drink alcohol, I relented. I repented of my pride and had (half of) a glass of champagne. I could no longer lift myself up with regards to alcohol. I destroyed my pedestal.

Again, this is not a judgment on anyone, and should not be taken as one. This is my story, which I share in the hope that it provokes those of you who are teetotalers to ask why you are opposed to alcohol. Some of you may, like me, have ungodly reasons for abstaining—pride, or fear, etc.—in which case you should think through your decision again. Others of you may have entirely Christ-honoring reasons to abstain, in which case you should continue to refrain from drinking.