Bible surrounded by college student’s keys, ID, and shot glasses. Photo by Ashley Pierce.
As any college students know drinking and parties are everywhere so what does this mean for the Christian college student? “It’s just a harmless drink right?,” “If I don’t get drunk or do anything bad it’ll be fine,” and my personal favorite, “Jesus hung out with sinners why can’t I?”
People who use Christ’s drinking with sinners as an excuse to party don’t understand the historical context, Pastor Tim Booher of Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, Cal. said.
“A lot of people don’t understand the context of His day and the context of our day, it’s drastically different,” Booher said. “When Jesus would go to celebrations with people typically it was at weddings or get-togethers, not drinking parties like how any college students or people today partake.”
While Jesus may have drank wine at such events He was very clear on one aspect of it, a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Campus Crusade for Christ Bible Study leader Melody Clark said.
“Jesus clearly commands not to be drunk with wine and so the standard accepted practice for Christians is you know if you’re 21, yes you can drink, just don’t get drunk,” Clark said. “The problem with drunkenness is you lose your inhibitions and fall into sin and all sorts of other stuff way more easily so He cautions you on that.”
For Christians under 21 the answer is clear, Clark said.
“Jesus commanded that ‘give to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s,’” Clark said. “There’s a lot of Biblical proof for obeying the law so first and foremost I think that Christians should adhere to the rules that our government has set up.”
For Christians over 21 years of age the morality of drinking becomes harder to define, another Cal Poly CRU Bible Study leader, Makena Piercy said.
“Should they go to parties still? I think that’s fine if they’re going to be lights in a dark area,” Piercy said. “It’s definitely an area where they can easily fall into sin but if they’re going there aware of the risks that they’re taking and yeah just have good support of being able to take that risk and still come out with the ultimate purpose of bringing God into that area. Everyone needs to hear the good news of the gospel.”
Many Christians over 21 years old attend parties but their reasons for doing so must be morally correct, Clark said.
“I know plenty of people who have gone to a party for social reasons to support their friends to care for their friends,” Clark said. “A question of should you I think you should look at your heart and examine your heart and your motivations behind that.”
Getting together with friends over 21 with a drink and encouraging one another in the Lord while not overindulging is one thing, but parties in which there are drugs and hooking up are not for Christians, Booher said.
“Anything that’s not going to be a group of friends that are really caring about each other and trying to develop those things, a Christian college student should avoid and stay away from and not have anything to do with,” Booher said.
Background image of Avila Beach, Cal. at sunrise. Verse from Ephesians 5:18. Photo and editing by Ashley Pierce.
"keep in mind, the world hated Me first" 
Ashley. I think our culture emphasizes that college students are supposed to get really drunk and act crazy. The greatest cause of death in college students are alcohol poisoning and suicide. I think the Biblical perspective was wise back then and is relevant and wise today. Thank you for bringing this topic to light
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