Can Christians Drink Alcohol?
THE ANSWER IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS YOU THINK
If you wonder if you can drink alcohol as a Christian, the answer isn’t simple. Some people say that drinking is a sin, some people think they can have as much as they like, and some churches offer wine during communion. It’s confusing, but what does the Bible really say about drinking?
First, let’s make something clear right away. Romans 13:1 clearly instructs us to obey the laws of the land: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (ESV). So, if the legal drinking age is 21, then there’s your answer. But even if you are legally allowed to drink, should you as a Christian? As you page through the Bible, you will find passages where people are specifically told not to drink. In Leviticus 10:9, God instructed Aaron: “You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. If you do, you will die.” In Numbers 6, God told people who take the Nazarite vow to give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. They can’t even eat or drink anything that comes from a grapevine. God also directed Zechariah that his son, John the Baptist, is never to touch alcohol. If you read these verses alone, you might conclude that to please God, it is probably safest to stay away from it. I mean, He told Aaron and his descendants that they would die.
Drinking alcohol is just one of many things God doesn’t explicitly give us a yes or no to in the Bible.
But if you look a little further, you’ll find passages where people are encouraged to drink. Paul instructs Timothy not to “…drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.” (1 Timothy 5:23). Jesus, at the last supper, passes a cup of wine to His disciples and says, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” (1 Corinthians 11:25). And don’t forget that Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). If you read these verses alone, you might conclude that God does not oppose drinking, so let’s go out and party!
Not so fast. God instructs all of us not to be drunk and even warns us why. Ephesians 5:18-19 warns us not to be”…drunk with wine because that will ruin your life.” Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.”
So, what’s my point? In some situations, God clarifies when to drink, and for some people, God instructs them never to drink, period. In some cases, it is okay to drink, but in moderation. Here are some other Bible verses that might help you decide what God wants you to follow:
•Paul states, “I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything.” (1 Cor. 6:12)
•”But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble….And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.” (1 Cor. 8:9-12)
•”And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matt. 5:30)
Drinking alcohol is just one of many things God doesn’t explicitly give us a yes or no to in the Bible. God gave us the Bible for instruction, but He also wants us to have a relationship with Him. Being a good student of the Word (the Bible), being willing to dig into what God says about Himself, and how we are to live out our faith in Him is how we can begin to answer these questions.