What does the bible say about drinking booze? Is drinking alcohol a sin for Christians? Why do some denominations green light it while others condemn the practice?
Let’s get into it!
Drinking alcohol is not a sin. Drunkenness, however, is considered unrighteous behavior and sinful. Wine and other adult beverages were used for celebratory purposes in the Old Testament and in the Gospels. Paul encouraged the drinking of wine for medicinal purposes. Regrettably, booze has been the root cause of poor behavior. The drinking of it should only be done where self-control is in full force.
If you’re currently abstaining from alcohol I encourage you to stay on that course. Lawfulness and helpfulness are not the same things.
If you’ve struggled with alcoholism don’t fall off the wagon. Alcoholism often impacts many generations (my article on generational curses).
I Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.
My goal is simple for this article. I only want to provide bible verses that directly point to the drinking of alcohol. What does the bible say about drinking booze?
We often build up rules around personal convictions and that can be dangerous. Teetotalers often twist Scripture to fit their narrative. That’s a dangerous place.
What Does The Bible Say About Drinking Booze — Warnings
Drunkenness has been a problem since Noah. For some, it’s easier to totally abstain. Others are able to discipline their intake.
Here are six crystal clear biblical warnings pertaining to booze.
Proverbs 23:20-21 Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine or with those who gorge themselves on meat. For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess will clothe them in rags.
Nahum 1:10 For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
New Testament Booze Warnings
Luke 21:34 But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
Romans 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
This particular verse is rarely viewed accurately. Christians conveniently skip over the portion of eating meat. How many vegan church picnics have you attended?
I Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Titus 2:3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,
Drunkenness is serious business!
What Does The Bible Say About Drinking Booze — Positive
Drinking alcohol is often reflected as a positive event in the Bible.
Numbers 28:7 Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord.
Deuteronomy 14:24-26 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.
The tithe was always consumable and not money. That’s a tough pill for many believers to swallow.
Ezra 6:9 And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail,
Proverbs 31:6-7 Give intoxicating drink to one who is perishing, and wine to one whose life is bitter. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his trouble no more.
New Testament
John 4:46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum, there was an official whose son was ill.
I Timothy 5:23 Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
Denominational Positions on Drinking Alcohol
| Denomination | Position | Doctrinal Statement |
| Christian Reformed Church | Allowed | Abstinence is not demanded by Scripture |
| Luthern (Missouri Synod) | Allowed | The Bible nowhere condemns consumption |
| Presbyterian Church of America | Allowed | Abstinence requirement goes beyond Scripture |
| Assemblies of God | Prohibited | Avoid the satanic tool of alcohol which damns souls |
| Southern Baptist | Prohibited | We express total opposition to consuming alcohol |
| United Methodist | Discouraged | We affirm our long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol as a faithful witness |
Bible interpretations vary across denominational lines. My alma mater, Cornerstone University, conducted a study on the consumption of alcohol. Abstinence was required for professors. Professors pushed back on the interpretation.
The university determined that the bible did not prohibit the consumption of alcohol but forbade drunkenness.
Many well-known and solid ministers uphold abstinence as a virtue or biblical mandate.
What Is Strong Drink In The Bible
Strong drink is distilled not fermented.
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Isaiah 5:22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink
Isaiah 28:7 These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment.
What Does The Bible Say About Drinking Booze — Nazarite Vow
Drinking alcohol is not sinful. Some heroes of the faith took what could be termed as a Nazarite Vow. One of the marks of the Nazarite Vow was to abstain from drinking wine and other alcoholic drinks.
The term Nazarite comes from the word nazir which means consecrated or separated.
Numbers 6:2-3 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried.
Samson And John The Baptist Were Nazarites From Birth
Judges 13:7 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
Luke 1:15 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
Jesus The Nazarene Was Not A Nazarite
Jesus, apparently, drank alcohol. Here He’s accused of drinking and even being labeled a drunkard. We know for certain that He was not a drunkard. Jesus discusses drinking wine “again” with His disciples which indicates that He did so in the past.
Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
Matthew 26:29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Wine And The Wrath Of God
Revelation 14:19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Revelation 16:19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.
What Does The Bible Say About Drinking Booze — Yes or No?
Drinking alcohol is not prohibited, scripturally. Drunkenness is sinful. Leverage God’s grace and the fruit of self-control if you have the habit of overindulgence.
Drinking alcohol does not prove that you’re walking in freedom. Don’t be that oddball believer who feels that they must post pictures of their adult beverages on social media. This doesn’t prove freedom. It actually makes you appear immature and foolish.
Don’t expect a special anointing or grace if you abstain from alcohol. The Nazarite Vow can be awesome and God-directed. Take that vow with the proper motive.
If you’re convicted to abstain from alcohol don’t project that on others. Sometimes God is simply working in our hearts.
Here is a comprehensive teaching about this subject. Mike abstains from alcohol yet still allows the Scripture to inform his view.