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What does the Bible have to say about alcohol? Should Christians ever drink? Is getting drunk okay? Does the Bible ever mention alcohol in a favorable way?

Let’s dig into God’s Word today and see for ourselves what the Bible has to say about alcohol!

 

My Personal Background With Alcohol

First, let’s get this on the table. I lived a sheltered childhood.

Growing up in the middle of nowhere on my family’s farm/ranch operation, we didn’t have hired hands so we never really got away for trips or vacations like most people do. (Trips were all based on traveling to a bull sale or to purchase a new piece of equipment-no Disneyland excursions here!)

On top of all this, I was home schooled, attended a small conservative country church, and was not involved in sports due to the fact that I have zero hand-eye coordination.

I was a nerd. There, I said it. 🙂

And I don’t regret a moment of it!!

Looking back on my childhood, I really have no recollection of any reference to alcoholic beverages of any kind. My parents and grandparents didn’t drink and we rarely attended gatherings where alcohol was served. At most, I might have seen it at some wedding receptions but I really don’t recall alcoholic beverages of any sort being in my presence until I was almost a teenager.

Around that time, I became far more aware of the alcohol being served at family gatherings on my dad’s side. And I started to see it show up more as my family made wider circles to local dances, charity events, county fairs, etc as I grew older.

 

My First Drink

The first time I ever actually drank wine was totally by accident!

We were having communion at the Lutheran church down the road from our church. They had both wine and grape juice to choose from when you took Communion there. Being the daydreaming teenager that I was, I failed to listen closely to which tray contained which so I grabbed a glass of wine.

My mom still laughs uncontrollably about the look on my face when I tasted the wine. I seriously starting choking on it in front of the entire congregation. My dad still says that I sounded like a cat with a fur ball that it couldn’t get up. That stuff was disgusting!!

Definitely one of my more embarrassing moments growing up. (And one that few people have let me live down either!)

 

Other Encounters With Alcohol

My dad actually made me drink a hot toddy one time when I was sick for a long time with a cold. Considering I was almost 16 or 17, he probably figured I could handle it. I could not.

It made me so sick that I was thankful to just have a head cold after the effects of it wore off. That was pretty much the worse tasting stuff I could imagine.

As I got older, I tried wine several times as my mom stated how much she enjoyed a nice glass of wine when she was in college. After several attempts to make myself enjoy the stuff, I gave up. I did not care for wine.

Around this same time, I tried champagne at several weddings. Let’s just say, I toast the bride and groom at weddings with my punch glass now. Seriously, champagne was disgusting!!! *green vomit face*

There, now you have my history with alcohol. To be honest, a lot of people are surprised to find that I have even tried alcohol of any sort. And I will be the first to admit that I am pretty naive towards the stuff having never developed the taste for it.

 

Figuring Out My Relationship With Alcohol As A Christian

As a Christian who lives in a world where alcohol plays a prominent role in the lives of those around me, I knew I needed to take the time to work through what my own thoughts and reactions to alcohol were going to be.

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul commands, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Therefore, I have been on a journey to look at what all the Bible does and does NOT say about alcohol.

At the end, I do a round up of the reasons (both Biblical and personal) that play into my stance on alcohol.

 

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What The Bible Has To Say About Alcohol

First let’s clarify some specific things the Bible does state about alcoholic drinks.

Drunkenness Is Sin

There are several specific verses that highlight the fact that being drunk is an actual sin against God. As Christians, we should be seeking to avoid letting sin into our lives as that creates a rift in the beauty of our relationship with God. Therefore, since God considers drunkenness a sin, we also need to take God’s view on the matter.

To check out the exact passages where these verses are located you can click on the links below:

Ephesians 5:15-21

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Galatians 5:16-24

Alcohol Does Not Make One Wise

Drinking alcohol rarely leads to stories of people making the best decisions of their lives. In light of that fact, the next two passages highlight some specific Proverbs that state the fact that alcohol does not lead to wise living. You can read the verses here:

Proverbs 20:1

Proverbs 31:4-5

Alcohol Can Be A Stumbling Block To Others

No Christian wants to cause another Christian to fall into temptation. Seriously, we can find temptations easy enough all on our own-we don’t need help! 🙂

And, we definitely do not want to taint unbelievers view of God by partaking of habits that make the unbeliever question God’s Truth!

Thus, Paul commands  Christians, “Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.” (Romans 14:20-21)

Another passage you can check out is 1 Corinthians 8.

Alcohol Does Not Encourage Good Leadership

Leadership can be greatly affected by the influence of alcohol.

Considering the fact that leaders of the church should be setting an example for their flock, Paul even mentions their drinking habits in his list of qualifications for leaders of the church here in Titus 1:5-9.

Remember, if  God thinks the leader of a church should (or shouldn’t) be doing it, you probably should be considering that example as well!

Within the Proverbs, it even goes so far as to mention leaders of the country, not just leader of church too! Check it out here in Proverbs 31:4-5.

Alcohol Does Not Have Pleasant Side Effects

Honestly, in the moment of drinking alcohol, it can be pleasant, just like in the moment of eating a lot of junk food can taste good.

However, the effects it has on our bodies are not pleasant ones. Check out these less than delightful descriptions from Proverbs 23:29-35.

What The Bible Does Not Say About Alcohol

Okay, here are some misconceptions about what the Bible says about alcohol.

The Bible Does Not Condemn All Consumption of Alcohol

As Christians, we should be extremely careful to neither add nor take away from the Truth that is in God’s Word. Therefore, we must acknowledge the fact that while drunkenness is a sin, the basic act of consuming an alcoholic beverage is not forbidden.

Check out these places where drinking of alcohol was not condemned.

Deuteronomy 14:27-27

John 2:1-11

Here is the challenging spot. There is no set number of how much is too much for everyone. Some people can consume a fair amount of alcohol and remain remarkably sober. Others, can barely handle a few swallows before they become tipsy!

This is where we must bring our drinking before God as a personal matter. Ask Him to guide you in the decisions you make with alcohol just as you need His guidance in every other area of life. 

Remember the goal is to bring honor and glory to God with all the decisions we make. Don’t let your decision to drink or not to drink be a matter of pride to flaunt in front of other Christians. Let it be a private matter between you and the Lord.

The Bible Does Not Deny Some Positive Benefits of Alcohol

Now this is taken in light of moderation, but certain types of alcohol have been shown to provide certain health benefits. This is even backed up by the concept in the first letter of Paul to Timothy where he encourages the young man, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” (1 Timothy 5:23)

Another instance of wine in a positive manner can be found here in Ecclesiastes 9:7.

My Response To Alcohol As A Christian Woman

Love Not Legalism.

First, I do not want my response to alcohol to be some legalistically list of do’s and don’t’s that leaves me filled with pride (or frustration depending on the scenario.)

With everything in me, I want to show my love for God. He is my Heavenly Father and I seek to give Him the best of my life. One of the best ways I know to show my love and devotion to Him is by seeking to obey Him, not out of fear but out of joyful abandon!

Therefore, any decisions I make regarding alcohol in my life, I seek to decide in light of living in His great love.

That love fills me up in ways that no chocolate, no alcohol, no relationship with another human being ever could. God’s love fills up the God-sized void in my life!

 

Wise Not Foolish

Surprisingly enough, I have not stumbled across any stories of people who said, “Man, I have made my best life’s decisions while drinking.”

God calls us as Christians to live wisely among the foolishness of this world. Alcohol tends to lead to lots of foolishness and not much wisdom.

Therefore, I have decided to not partake of alcohol as a matter of seeking to be wise in the wisdom that comes from knowing God and living in His commands.

Sober Not Drunk

Since there is a clear cut command from God to avoid drunkenness, I can safely say that I seek to avoid alcohol for this reason.

I know my weaknesses. I am an obsessive person.

You will never see me eat just once piece of candy or one handful of chips. I can guarantee you will never observe me watching just one episode of my latest favorite show. On top of that you will never see me cleaning my house in small, organized increments over several days.

Everything is all or nothing with me. I know this about myself.

And knowing this about myself has made me realize that if I were to allow alcohol in my life, I would most likely treat it in such a manner as well. Which would in no doubt lead to drunkenness.

Therefore, I avoid alcohol as a matter of personal responsibility to caring for my body in a way that glorifies God.

Stepping Block Not A Stumbling Block

Paul calls Christians to build each other up. Yes, drinking alcohol is not a sin. But causing another Christian to stumble is!

Therefore, I choose not to drink as I do not want to set myself up as a stumbling block to another Christian who might have issues with alcohol. For me, it simply is not worth the chance of causing a fellow believer in Christ the heartache or temptation.

Alien Ambassador Not Camouflaged Christian

As I go through my life as a Christian on this earth, I am called to be an ambassador for Christ.

I am an alien on this planet because I have a Heavenly citizenship.

Therefore, I do not want anything to mess up my ability to be a good representative and ambassador to the spiritually lost. And if that means that I look and act differently by not partaking of alcohol, that is okay.

My hope and prayer is that it will continue to open doors to discuss with others why I choose not to drink. (Cause trust me when I say that I have answered that question way more than just once!)

Your Turn

Alcohol is such a hard topic for Christians to discuss. My prayer is that this post will help guide you to a thoughtful, wise approach to the topic as you journey along in your Christian faith.

Please take time to prayerfully read through Scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to make wise decisions in this delicate area. 

If you feel comfortable, leave a comment below sharing your experiences with alcohol and how your faith has affected your use of the substance. And please remember to be kind to others who may comment as well!

Thank you for stopping by!

 

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