Paul on drinking wine

In 1 Tim 5:23 Paul says, "Drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." But in Romans 14:21 he reverses direction and says, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine." Centuries earlier an ancient writer wrote in Prov 20:1, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." So the obvious question becomes: Are we to drink alcoholic beverages or aren't we? Paul provides no consistency. DennisMcKinsey EBE p 389.

Answer:

McKinsey quotes Rom 14:21 out of context by omitting the second half of the verse or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. It may be all right for a person to drink a little wine if it does not lead to drunkeness, however it would be wrong to invite the recovering alcoholic round to your house and offer him some wine.

(Rom 14:20-21 NIV) Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. {21} It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

Paul is quite consistent in his teaching on alcohol for he always calls drunkenness a sin. So drinking a little wine for Timothy's health is not a sin.

Paul on drunkenness:

(Rom 13:13 NIV) Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

(1 Cor 5:11 NIV) But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

(1 Cor 6:10 NIV) nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

(1 Cor 11:21 NIV) for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.

(Gal 5:21 NIV) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(Eph 5:18 NIV) Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

(1 Tim 3:3 NIV) not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

(Titus 1:7 NIV) Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

See Tekton's answer here