What does the Bible say about alcohol? Is drinking a sin?
The Bible does not ban alcohol outright, but it does warn strongly against abuse and losing self control.
The Bible does not ban alcohol outright, but it does warn strongly against abuse and losing self control.
1. The Bible mentions wine in positive contexts
Psalm 104:15 speaks of “wine that maketh glad the heart of man.” Jesus Himself turned water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-11). This shows moderate use is not presented as inherently wrong.
2. Drunkenness is directly condemned
Ephesians 5:18 says, “be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess.” The line Scripture draws is not between drinking or not drinking, it is about losing control of yourself.
3. Self control is the standard, not an external rule
Galatians 5:22-23 includes “temperance,” meaning self control, as part of the fruit of the Spirit. Anything that makes you lose that control, not only alcohol, conflicts with this principle.
4. Consider how it affects others, not just yourself
Romans 14:21 says it is good “neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth.” If how you drink could cause someone else, for example someone in recovery from addiction, to stumble, the Bible asks you to take that into account.
5. For some people, wisdom means avoiding it entirely
Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” If alcohol has become a personal problem or a real temptation toward losing control, choosing not to drink at all is a wise decision, not a sign of weak faith.
The Bible does not call alcohol itself a sin, it calls losing control and the harm that can follow a sin. Each person should honestly assess how this affects them.
Keep reading
Take GodCalm with you
Audio Bible, daily devotional, prayer, and Christian books for the whole family.
