If you have been to Providence Presbyterian on a Communion Sunday you know that we only serve wine at Communion (no grape juice). This is strange and even off-putting for some people so I wanted to take a moment to explain our practice. The short answer is simple: It is my role as the pastor (and our role as a the session) to administer the sacraments how Jesus told us to in the Bible. In the case of Communion, the scriptures are clear that it was bread and wine, so we use bread and wine.
So when and how did many churches begin to use grape juice? First it’s helpful to understand that God made grapes such that the microbiomes that cause grapes to ferment and form alcohol grow naturally on the skin of grapes. That means that if you crush up grapes and put them in a bottle, they will naturally turn into wine. Grape juice for Communion didn’t begin until the 1800’s during the prohibition era when a methodist dentist named Thomas Welch invented a way to pasteurize grape juice to prevent the fermentation process. So for 1800+ years of church history there was only one option at Communion – wine.
But here is where this conversation takes an odd turn – wine during Jesus time was usually watered down. Naturally fermented wine usually reaches an alcohol content of about 12-14%. But during Jesus’ time wine was watered down to a ratio of 1 part wine to 2-4 parts water (sometimes more). This allowed people to use the alcohol to add flavor and purify water during a time when clean water was hard to come by. So wine in Jesus’ time was almost always watered down. This is why Paul says this to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23 “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” If you have ever wondered how it was wise for Jesus to turn 120 gallons of water into wine for the wedding in John chapter 2, now you understand that it was probably watered down wine of around 4% ABV.
In summary, the practice of grape juice in Communion is a innovation that is about 125 years old and is not the biblical or historical mandate. So we (the temporary session) decided to take this opportunity to get rid of it. Instead we will serve wine that is slightly watered down since all the evidence points to that being served at the last supper.
We understand there are a number of views about the proper use of alcohol. My hope is that whatever you think about alcohol you would search the scriptures and refine your view in accordance with God’s word. Here are some FAQs that you might have after hearing this explanation.
What about alcoholics or former alcoholics?
- The Bible is clear that wine is a gift from God to be received with thanksgiving (Psalm 104:15). The Bible also clear that drunkenness is a sin (Ephesians 5:18). Please do not take any of this to mean it is ok to get drunk, God is not pleased with that. These two truths are the guardrails for Christians to keep in mind as we use wine. The Bible is also clear that Christians should not take on their particular sin as a lifelong identity marker (Romans 7). If you are a christian, you are no longer to identify as an alcoholic because, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (1 Corinthians 5:17) A more biblical way to view your sin would be to say that, “I am a christian who struggles with drunkenness.” If you are a Christian, you should be hopeful that the Lord can break you free from any cycle of sin, including drunkenness. We abuse alcohol because we love to be drunk more than they love to obey Christ, but God can and does transform what we love such that we no longer have the desire to return to our past sins. It’s been said that if a guy goes back to drunkeness because of a thimble full of wine, he was going to go back anyway. If anything, wine at Communion should help a former drunk learn to love Christ more than alcohol and help him to be free of the temptation to over-drink. If someone uses Communion to get drunk then we would need to address that as a serious sin. It wouldn’t be the first time that has happened, since it happened in the Corinthian church! (1 Corinthians 11).
Is it even legal for my 12 year old to drink wine?
- Yes, wine in Communion for children of any age is legal in all 50 states.
What if I feel I cannot in good conscience drink alcohol in Communion?
- I am very sympathetic to those who have seen alcohol abuse and the destruction it brings. I completely understand why that would make you want to stay away from it altogether. However, if your conscience doesn’t allow you to do what Jesus explicitly commands, then your conscience is broken in that area and needs to be reformed in accordance with God’s word. Taking wine in Communion is an opportunity to be healed of a fear of alcohol that God never intended us to have.
What if I feel I cannot in good conscience drink alcohol outside of Communion?
- That is totally fine and even commendable. Know yourself, if you are tempted towards drunkenness you should absolutely feel free to abstain from drinking alcohol in your day-to-day life and we would commend that decision. As Christ says, we are not to trifle with temptation, but to flee from it, “if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.” (Matt 5:30)