One and a half ounces is the amount of alcohol in three one-ounce drinks of 100-proof whiskey, four eight-ounce glasses of beer or half a bottle of natural table wine.
That's a statistical average for a healthy 150-pound person. But please note! This amount cannot be applied to all individuals. Some persons have a much lower tolerance for alcohol.
Individuals in every country will vary. One's occupation may affect the amount one can drink. Those engaged in hard manual labor may be able to use a little more during a day than those in sedentary occupations.
God holds each of us responsible for what we drink. He also holds us responsible for staying well back from levels that produce ill effects in our lives. How we handle alcohol is a test of our character!
Jesus' first miracle provided high-quality wine for a big wedding feast. This affair was big enough that a governor of the feast was appointed. In Jesus' day, a wedding for important people often was a week-long celebration involving a whole community. The amount of wine Jesus miraculously produced was not excessive at all.
The Bible says "wine . . maketh glad the heart of man" (Ps. 104:15). It is not wrong to experience this beneficial state of mind. But you also need to be aware of the dangers of passing the alcohol level that produces it.
Moderation in God's Church means not drinking to one's limit, and never all at once. Moderation means if more than one drink is taken, the drinks should be spread out over a long period of time. God's way is not always pushing to the edge of some "upper limit."
Unfortunately, the problem with discussing any kind of limit is that those who abuse alcohol nearly always kid themselves that they can handle much more than others, when they can't.
Abusers are usually the last to admit they drink too much. They think they drink in moderation. The problem is they define moderation based on their past habits or on the standards and practices of others in society around them.
But it is excess for them! They kid themselves they can handle their drinking, but they don't kid others who witness the stuporous effects of their drinking.
"Never envy a heavy drinker who does not seem to get tipsy," warns one expert on alcohol abuse. "Alcoholism may be the next station on his train ride."
Scripture warns us about comparing ourselves with others or measuring ourselves by others' standards (II Cor. 10:12).
Research shows that the problems of alcohol abusers can be traced to one or two basic weaknesses: 1) wrong early environment or emotional upbringing, which have ill-prepared them to handle alcohol properly — often from the beginning of its use, or 2) immature handling of personal problems, which leads a person to abuse alcohol as a solution to his difficulties.
Beneficial in small amounts
How many of us learned to use alcohol in small amounts in wholesome surroundings, with right attitudes and with good associates?
Scientific research has proven that our reactions to alcohol are greatly affected by the circumstances, surroundings, attitudes and associates in which or with whom we drink. Our mental and physical environment is as important as alcohol itself.
Ethyl alcohol is an anesthetic, a depressant, not a stimulant. But we may experience a beneficial and stimulating effect from a small amount of alcohol — an amount that can add happiness to right social occasions.
How does a small amount of alcohol (again, in those persons who can metabolize it satisfactorily) do this?
Different levels of alcohol in the bloodstream produce different responses in the brain and body. In most persons, a small amount of alcohol seems to act as a stimulant because it slows down the tense, driven part of our brain that deals with new learning or making judgments. It also dulls the centers that make us aware of exhaustion and discomfort.
The edge is taken off self-criticism and self-doubt. We feel emotionally freer, more communicative, yet we are in control of our actions. This can be an adjunct to good social occasions.
(But please remember that alcohol is an anesthetizing drug. It should never be taken, even in small amounts, before making critical judgments, evaluations or decisions affecting your own or someone else's life.)
But what happens if we drink more than this proper amount? Drink then becomes excessive. Alcohol starts anesthetizing deeper areas of the brain that control attitudes, perceptions and bodily movements. Loss of social restraints, loss of control over body movements and loss of emotional control start to occur. Harmful aspects of the human personality — defects of character normally controlled — often then come out. A person may manifest a Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde personality.
Those persons whose personalities are essentially shy or timid often become even more quiet and retiring. That is not beneficial to themselves or others. Those persons struggling with deep anger or strong emotional problems may become belligerent, abusive, destructive or immodest.
Still higher alcohol levels in the bloodstream depress areas of the brain controlling vital organ functions — breathing, heartbeat and central nervous system responses dangerously weaken. Further use leads to coma or death.
Make alcohol a blessing
Alcohol can be either a blessing or a curse. Everyone's response to alcohol is not exactly the same. If we use alcohol, how we use it is a measure of our character. God is judging all of us in this matter — our eternal life is at stake.
Moderate drinking should rarely entail more than a couple of drinks a day, or at any social occasion. And if more than one drink is taken a day, our drinking should be spread out over a period of several hours, not all at once. The higher the alcoholic content of a drink, the more careful we must be. God's way is not walking along or anywhere near a precipice or danger point.
If we cannot drink this way then we should not drink alcohol at all — except at the Passover.
The way we drink, what we mix alcohol with, what we have in our stomach, what our surroundings, feelings and attitudes are — and, not the least important, who we drink with — all have significant effects on the way alcohol will affect us.
Only if we are living God's ways can alcohol be the blessing God intended it to be!