Should Christians Drink Water?
How refreshing it can be to satisfy oneself with a cold beverage on a warm day! Many Christians choose to do this after a long day of zealous Kingdom preaching. Some in the past may have chosen life-sustaining water to do this. One brother relates: "I find that nothing restores my vitality more after a long day in the ministry than a cold glass of water! It often makes me feel energized to devote more energy to spiritual matters once I return home."
Though it is not the interest of God's organization to regulate what beverages each Christian may drink, clearly, in the matter of drinking water, certain Bible principles may come into play. We would each do well to consider them and prayerfully make our own personal decisions in this regard.
Some Christians may reason, 'Drinking water is a trivial matter. Surely it has no effect on my relationship with Jehovah, does it?' Consider recent material published on the matter of the medical use of blood.* *See June 15, 2000 Watchtower, 'Questions From Readers'. As true Christians, we are well aware of the Bible command to "abstain from blood." (Acts 15:28, 29) We have considered in depth the nature of blood in previous issues of The Watchtower. For example, we know that whole blood, as well as white blood cells, red blood cells, plasma, and platelets are expressly forbidden by God's Word, the Bible. How does this relate to the drinking of water?
Well, plasma, one of the four primary components of blood, is made up of 90 percent water. Realizing this, we are awakened to the seriousness of drinking it. Though it may seem unreasonable, clearly, the drinking of water would compromise our loyalty to God's Word. How so? A primary component of blood is made up almost entirely of water; therefore, we can reasonably conclude that it would not be proper for a loyal Christian to give up his righteous standing before God by consuming it. Consider, too, water's life-sustaining properties. There can be no doubt in anyone's mind that water sustains life. Given its pervasive presence in plasma, it is obvious, then, that one who wishes to remain in good standing amongst Jehovah's people will avoid the spiritually defiling practice of drinking water.
The Bible gives us a warning example regarding water: the experience of Moses, who with Jehovah's help, brought forth water from the rock for the people of Israel to drink. However, the Israelites' perverse desire for water led Moses to fail to give glory to God! As a result, Moses proved unable to enter the Promised Land. (Num. 20:1-12) Can it be said that water was the reason for Moses' temporary sin? Evidently so. Perhaps the Israelites had fallen under the corrupt influence of the Egyptians, who regularly drank water in idolatrous, immoral religious ceremonies, and thus they desired water to drink. Whatever the case, it is obvious that the Bible condemns the actual drinking of water.
For further scriptural evidence of this, let us examine the example of our Leader, Jesus Christ. As his first miracle, Jesus turned spiritually unclean water into refreshing wine at a wedding feast in Cana. (John 2:1-11) When he was at a well in Sychar, he asked the Samaritan woman to give him a drink of water, but we note that the Bible does not say that she actually did so or that Jesus ever drank any water on that occasion. Rather, he pointed to the life-giving waters of truth, found in God's Word, the Bible. (John 4:4-13) Jesus recognized that the only way to truly sustain life was to "take life's water free", to daily feed on Bible principles and thus be well-nourished in a spiritual sense. (Matt. 4:4)
As he fed the thousands he had been teaching, using just a few fishes and some bread, the Bible never mentions him providing water for the masses. (Matt. 15:29-37) Also, Jesus walked on water, thus keeping it beneath him and recognizing its proper, God-given use, for bathing, agricultural, and travel purposes only. Again, he demonstrates his view of water while instituting the Lord's Evening Meal. Rather than using water, a primary part of blood, he chose to use wine, a product of the vine, to represent his "blood of the covenant." (Matt. 26:27-29)
After his resurrection, Jesus provided a revelation to John, addressing his message to the anointed Christians of the first century. In it, he refers to vomiting out a particularly unfaithful congregation, no doubt making reference to how lackluster their zeal for the truth was. Like lukewarm water, they were not in a favorable position before Jehovah God. (Rev. 3:14-16) At the conclusion of Revelation, we see that water has been restored to a clean state before God, and all are invited to partake of it. Will it not be a joyous time when all can drink of the life-sustaining waters flowing from God's throne? Of course, as joint-heirs with Jesus, the anointed will drink first, and in imitation of the Christ, will lovingly share life-giving waters of truth with the great crowd, who share an earthly hope. What a joyful time it will be! (Rev. 22:1-3, 17)
Until then, may we humbly submit to the counsel provided by Jehovah and his organization. Meditating on these matters will help us to loyally refrain from drinking water until these final days of Satan's system of things come to a climactic end.
