We as Christian teetotalers deny that any alcohol “a mocker” is something God created for man to drink. I cannot suppose Catherine and William Booth of the Salvation Army are supposedly guilty of teaching “doctrines of demons”! But Greg Price makes a nasty claim against our teaching: “to teach that it is sinful to use alcoholic beverages is to teach what Paul classifies as ‘doctrines of demons,’ for it is to teach that evil resides in what God has created, rather than in the evil hearts of men.” (Greg Price, The Bible And Alcoholic Beverages)
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 1:1-5)
Paul told Timothy to always be sober! (2 Tim. 4:5)
Concerning alcohol, Paul greatly encouraged Timothy to continue to ‘always be {nepho} sober’ NRSV, ‘be sober in all things’ NASB, ‘keep your head in all situations’ NIV (2 Tim. 4:5). It is used likewise in 1 Thess. 5:6,8, etc. Nepho means ‘to be free from the influence of intoxicants’ (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). Therefore Paul cannot be denouncing the rule of teetotalism (nephalism) in 1 Tim 4:1-5 because he would not be accusing HIMSELF of teaching doctrines of demons!
John the Baptist never had either wine or fermented wine, nor either type of cider (Num. 6:3; Luke 1:15) and Paul never denounced him as a heretic (Acts 13:25-26; 19:4). It was certainly not Paul who ever falsely or nastily claimed John had a demon (Luke 7:33).
Gnostic heretics wanted to split God apart
The Apostle Paul does NOT say “doctrines of demons” merely to be nasty against ascetics.
Rather the so-called Gnostic teachers would themselves admit that Paul, by saying “doctrines of demons” had accurately represented the rejected Gnostic doctrine of demonic archons. The Gnostics supposed a demon-god Yaldabaoth had created the physical world and marriage. These heretics contrasted this god from a greater deity who did not create what is physical. (This Gnostic heresy – splitting God apart – is very unlike orthodox Christian doctrine as taught consistently throughout the Old and New Testaments.)
Paul rejected the empty chatter: the “so-called knowledge” of Gnostics (1 Tim. 6:20).
Unlike the liars teaching Gnostic Dualism, Paul insists that Christ is creator of BOTH “things visible and things invisible” (Col. 1:16).
Unlike the liars teaching Gnostic Dualism, Paul says plainly: “… May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23).
The Gnostic heretics should have accepted that the “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4).
Marcion neglected the Old Testament
Marcion borrowed some of the New Testament’s admonitions against drink, citing Ephesians 5. But on the other hand, Marcion foolishly undermined the reinforcement of Paul’s message by neglecting the Old Testament’s similar admonitions against it. Marcion used his scissors against Paul’s writings. Tertullian (a Christian, unlike Marcion) affirmed marriage as ‘an honourable estate’ with the Creator’s blessing (Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book 1, Ch. 29). Meanwhile, Tertullian reminded his opponent Marcion that the Apostle Paul belonged to the same God who strictly prohibited Aaron and his sons from drinking in the holy place. (Tertullian, ‘Against Marcion’, Book 5, Ch. 18, citing Eph. 5:18-19; Amos 2:12; Lev. 10:9; Isa. 5:11-12)
Gregory of Nyssa (not a Marcionite) said the wine in Ps. 104:15 was not a type of wine that “produces drunkenness, plots against the senses, and destroys the body.” (Gregory of Nyssa, ‘Funeral Oration on Meletius’) “wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.” (Psalm 104:15)
Encratites on marriage
The ancient Encratism and Encratites were named from the word engkrateia ἐγκράτεια (Acts 24:25; Gal. 5:22; Gal. 5:23; 2 Pet. 1:6). Their critic (Hippolytus) admitted their doctrines were more-or-less orthodox Christian doctrines. However they should have given due attention to this verse: “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). Just as “wine” in the Bible does not exclusively mean alcoholic wine, the “bed” does not exclusively mean fornication and adultery. Engkrateuomai: ἐγκρατεύομαι v., 1 Cor. 7:9; 1 Cor. 9:25.
William Booth and his wife Catherine denied God created alcohol for people to drink
“Make the children understand that the thing is an evil in itself. Show them that it is manufactured by man—that God never made a drop of alcohol. To say that alcohol is a good creature of God is one of the devil’s own lies fathered on foolish and ignorant people. It is a man-manufactured article. The earth nowhere produces a drop of it. The good creatures of God have to be tortured and perverted before any of it can be obtained. There is not a drop in all creation made by God or that owes its existence to purely natural causes.” (General William Booth, 1888, The Training of Children: How to Make the Children into Saints and Soldiers of Jesus Christ, 2nd edn, Ch. 27: ‘Strong Drink’.)
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (Prov. 20:1) Nobody is denying at least SOME of the wines in the Bible were alcoholic (some of the yayin/oinos). Catherine Booth did not deny Proverbs 20:1 is about alcoholic wine, as she refers to this verse. “… the drink, not the abuse of it, but the drink itself, is an evil thing, in very truth a “mocker,” the product of Satanic art and malice, to be rejected and eschewed by all who have any regard for their own or their neighbour’s well-being.” (Catherine Booth, 1879, Papers on Practical Religion, Ch. 2: ‘Strong Drink Versus Christianity’)