Is it a sin to drink alcohol?
1 Timothy 5:23
23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
New International Version (NIV)
The answer
No. Drinking alcohol is not inherently sinful; drunkenness is. Scripture permits moderate, self-controlled use of wine, while strictly forbidding intoxication and requiring believers to surrender their freedom when love or conscience demands it.
Wine can be received as a gift
Psalm 104:15 speaks approvingly of “wine that maketh glad the heart of man.” Likewise, Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23 to “use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.” Scripture therefore does not command every believer to abstain completely. Even so, restraint is essential: deacons must be “not given to much wine,” according to 1 Timothy 3:8.
Drunkenness is always sin
Ephesians 5:18 commands, “Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” Drinking with the intention of becoming drunk is sinful, even when nobody else is harmed. The warning is severe: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 names “drunkards” among those who “will not inherit God’s Kingdom.”
Proverbs 23:29-35 vividly describes wine’s power to deceive and enslave: it “bites like a snake,” confuses the mind, deadens pain and finally leaves its victim saying, “I will look for more.” This is a serious warning to flee intoxicating, compulsive drinking rather than seeing how close to its dangers one can go.
Freedom must yield to love and conscience
A permitted practice can become sinful in particular circumstances:
- When it harms another believer: Romans 14:21 says, “It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.” Love may therefore require abstaining rather than pressuring or spiritually endangering someone.
- When it violates the drinker’s conscience: Romans 14:23 concludes that “whatever is not of faith is sin.” Someone convinced before God that drinking is wrong must not drink.
- When judgment becomes condemnation: Romans 14:13 warns believers not to judge one another over these freedoms. Those who abstain must not turn abstinence into a universal law; those who drink must not despise or pressure those who do not.
The practical verdict is that sober, moderate drinking can be legitimate, while drunkenness is sin and abstinence is sometimes the loving or wise course. Anyone guilty of drunkenness should repent and turn to Christ, not despair. Immediately after warning about drunkards, Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 6:11: “Some of you were such, but you were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.” Christ gives both forgiveness and new life.
Answered from Scripture · reviewed November 11, 2026
Scripture nowhere names the drinking of alcohol in itself as a sin; rather, it names wine as a gift of God's common grace that gladdens the human heart. Yet the Bible draws an absolute, unbending line against drunkenness, enslavement, and any careless use of Christian liberty that destroys a weaker brother. Walking faithfully requires knowing both the genuine goodness of God's creation and the solemn warnings His Word attaches to strong drink.
A Gift of Creation
Scripture Receives Wine with Thanksgiving as God's Blessing
wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
Psalms 104:15 (NIV)
This verse presents wine as part of God's deliberate provision for human gladness alongside bread and oil.
The psalmist explicitly celebrates God's sovereign kindness in providing wine to gladden the heart of man, pairing it alongside oil that makes his face shine and bread that sustains human strength (Psalms 104:14-15). From the earliest pages of Scripture, wine appears as a recognized token of hospitality and divine favor: Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to refresh Abram after his rescue of Lot (Genesis 14:18), and Isaac's patriarchal blessing promised Jacob an abundance of grain and new wine (Genesis 27:28). Under the Mosaic law, God even commanded His worshippers that if the sanctuary was too far to carry their tithes, they could convert their produce into money and purchase oxen, sheep, wine, or strong drink to rejoice before the Lord in holy celebration (Deuteronomy 14:26). Jotham's parable notes that wine cheers both God and men (Judges 9:13), while Solomon declares that honoring the Lord with the firstfruits of one's wealth results in vats bursting with new wine (Proverbs 3:9-10).
This positive witness stretches unbroken through the wisdom literature and the prophets. Ecclesiastes commends eating bread with joy and drinking wine with a merry heart as part of receiving life from God's hand (Ecclesiastes 9:7). Looking forward to the consummation of the ages, Isaiah describes the ultimate messianic banquet as a feast of rich food and well-aged, refined wine prepared by the Lord of hosts for all peoples (Isaiah 25:6), while Amos envisions the final restoration of Israel under the imagery of mountains dripping with sweet wine (Amos 9:13-14). In the New Testament, Paul confirms that every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused if received with thanksgiving and consecrated by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5), even giving pastoral counsel to Timothy to drink a little wine for the sake of his stomach and frequent physical ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). Scripture consistently affirms that alcohol in itself is not evil, but a good gift of God's common grace.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Genesis 14:18 | Melchizedek king of Salem brings out bread and wine to refresh Abram after battle. |
| Deuteronomy 14:26 | Israelites could spend tithe redemption money on wine or strong drink to rejoice before the Lord. |
| Psalms 104:14-15 | God causes plants to grow, including wine that makes glad the heart of man. |
| Ecclesiastes 9:7 | The Teacher commends eating bread with joy and drinking wine with a merry heart. |
| 1 Timothy 4:4-5 | Every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused when received with thanksgiving. |
| 1 Timothy 5:23 | Paul counsels Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach's sake and frequent ailments. |
| Genesis 27:28 | Isaac blesses Jacob with God's abundance, including plentiful grain and new wine. |
| Judges 9:13 | The vine asks whether it should leave its wine, which cheers God and men. |
| Proverbs 3:9-10 | Honoring God with the firstfruits promises barns filled with plenty and vats bursting with new wine. |
| Isaiah 25:6 | The Lord of hosts prepares a future feast of rich food and well-aged wine for all peoples. |
| Amos 9:13-14 | The restoration of God's people is depicted with mountains dripping sweet wine and flourishing vineyards. |
The Lord's Table
Jesus Created Wine and Instituted His Memorial Cup
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the…
John 2:1-11 (NIV)
Jesus begins His public signs by miraculously creating abundant, excellent wine at a wedding feast.
The messianic ministry of Jesus Christ permanently dismantles any claim that the presence of alcohol is inherently sinful, beginning when Jesus manifested His glory by turning water into wine at a village wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11). Confronted with an embarrassing social shortage, the Lord did not rebuke the festivities or provide unfermented grape juice; rather, He transformed six massive stone jars into abundant, exquisite wine that earned the praise of the master of the feast. This miraculous inaugural sign revealed His divine power and inaugurated His public work with an unmistakable symbol of kingdom joy and abundance.
Furthermore, Christ's personal conduct stood in deliberate contrast to the ascetic regimen of John the Baptist. While John came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, Jesus came eating and drinking ordinary table fare with sinners, leading self-righteous religious leaders to falsely slander Him as a glutton and a drunkard (Matthew 11:18-19). Their slander demonstrated that our Lord drank wine as a routine part of Jewish life without ever partaking in its abuse. Finally, on the solemn night of His betrayal, Jesus took the cup containing the fruit of the vine and consecrated it as the permanent memorial of the New Covenant in His blood (Matthew 26:26-29). In doing so, He tied the drinking of this cup not only to His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, but also to the promise that He will drink it new with His disciples in His Father's coming kingdom.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| John 2:1-11 | Jesus turns water into wine at Cana, manifesting His glory to His disciples. |
| Matthew 11:18-19 | Jesus came eating and drinking, unlike John the Baptist, facing false accusations of gluttony and drunkenness. |
| Matthew 26:26-29 | Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper with the fruit of the vine representing His blood of the covenant. |
The Peril of Excess
God Condemns Drunkenness as Dangerous Deception and Sin
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 (NIV)
Solomon defines the mocking, brawling nature of intoxicating drink and warns that those led astray are not wise.
While Scripture commends wine as a blessing, it sounds an unyielding alarm against its abuse: wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise (Proverbs 20:1). The tragic historical narratives of the Old Testament demonstrate how intoxicating drink strips away modesty, judgment, and self-restraint. Noah's excessive drinking led to shameful nakedness inside his tent and family fracture (Genesis 9:20-23); Lot was incapacitated by wine when his daughters conceived incestuous unions without his conscious awareness (Genesis 19:31-36); and David attempted to use alcohol to compromise Uriah's integrity and mask adultery (2 Samuel 11:13). In royal palaces, drunkenness brought sudden destruction: Nabal's drunken revelry ended in a paralyzed heart and death (1 Samuel 25:36-38), King Elah was assassinated while drinking himself senseless (1 Kings 16:9-10), and King Belshazzar's blasphemous drinking feast directly preceded the fall of Babylon (Daniel 5:1-4).
Solomon paints a devastating portrait of chronic alcohol dependence in Proverbs 23:29-35, cataloguing sorrow, needless wounds, bloodshot eyes, strange visions, and the harrowing reality of an addict who awakens from intoxication only to seek another drink. He warns elsewhere that a love for wine leads directly to financial ruin and poverty (Proverbs 21:17; Proverbs 23:20-21). God's prophets echo this severe warning: Hosea laments that wine robs people of their understanding (Hosea 4:11), and Isaiah exposes priests and prophets who reel with strong drink, erring in spiritual vision and stumbling in judgment (Isaiah 28:7-8). God pronounces solemn woes upon those who run after strong drink from dawn until nightfall (Isaiah 5:11-12) and upon anyone who plies a neighbor with drink to gaze on their naked shame (Habakkuk 2:15-16). Drunkenness is never treated as a harmless slip, but as a destructive sin under God's severe censure.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Genesis 9:20-23 | Noah drinks wine from his vineyard and becomes drunk, leading to shame in his tent. |
| Genesis 19:31-36 | Lot's daughters ply him with wine to commit incestuous acts while he is unaware. |
| Proverbs 20:1 | Wine is a mocker and strong drink a brawler; whoever is led astray by them lacks wisdom. |
| Proverbs 23:29-35 | Graphic portrait of the sorrow, wounds, delusions, and addictive bondage of lingering long over wine. |
| Isaiah 5:11-12 | Woe is pronounced upon those who rise early and stay late pursuing intoxicating drink. |
| Habakkuk 2:15-16 | Woe to whoever gives his neighbor drink to make him drunk and gaze upon his shame. |
| 1 Samuel 25:36-38 | Nabal holds a feast, becomes very drunk, and his heart dies within him after sobering up. |
| 2 Samuel 11:13 | David makes Uriah drunk in an unsuccessful attempt to cover up his sin with Bathsheba. |
| 1 Kings 16:9-10 | King Elah is assassinated by Zimri while drinking himself drunk in Tirzah. |
| Proverbs 21:17 | Whoever loves pleasure will become poor, and whoever loves wine and oil will not grow rich. |
| Proverbs 23:20-21 | A warning not to associate with drunkards or gluttons, because drunkenness leads to poverty. |
| Isaiah 28:7-8 | Priests and prophets reel with wine and stagger with strong drink, erring in vision and judgment. |
| Daniel 5:1-4 | Belshazzar drinks wine from the Jerusalem temple vessels and praises idols before his kingdom falls. |
| Hosea 4:11 | Whoredom, wine, and new wine take away the heart and understanding of the people. |
Walking in the Spirit
The New Testament Demands Sober-Mindedness and Self-Control
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
Ephesians 5:18 (NIV)
A direct command contrasting drunkenness with the ongoing filling and control of the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament draws an absolute contrast between worldly indulgence and holy living, commanding believers: do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Drunkenness places a believer under the control of an intoxicant, producing reckless behavior, whereas the Holy Spirit produces self-control, clarity, and genuine worship. Jesus Himself warned His followers to stay alert, guarding their hearts lest they become weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of this life, causing the day of His return to catch them suddenly like a trap (Luke 21:34). Paul emphasizes that believers must cast off the works of darkness and walk properly as in broad daylight, not in wild parties and drunkenness, but putting on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:13-14).
Habitual drunkenness reveals a heart outside the reign of grace: Paul explicitly lists drunkards among those who will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), numbering drunkenness among the deadly works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Peter likewise reminds the church that the time past suffices for living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, and drinking parties (1 Peter 4:3-4). Instead, the apostolic letters continually summon believers to rigorous sober-mindedness. We belong to the day, not to the night when men get drunk; therefore, we must be sober and put on faith and love as a breastplate (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8). With minds prepared for action, we must remain thoroughly sober (1 Peter 1:13), keeping our faculties sharp and alert because our adversary the devil prowls like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Luke 21:34 | Jesus warns believers not to let their hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness. |
| Romans 13:13-14 | Believers must walk properly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness. |
| 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 | Drunkards are listed among the unrighteous who will not inherit the kingdom of God. |
| Galatians 5:19-21 | Drunkenness and carousing are classified as works of the flesh excluding one from God's kingdom. |
| Ephesians 5:18 | Believers are commanded not to be drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, but Spirit-filled. |
| 1 Peter 4:3-4 | Peter urges that enough time has been spent living in drinking parties, carousing, and wild dissipation. |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 | Believers are urged to stay awake and sober, as those who get drunk do so at night. |
| 1 Peter 1:13 | Believers are instructed to prepare their minds for action and remain entirely sober-minded. |
| 1 Peter 5:8 | The call to be sober-minded and watchful because the devil prowls like a roaring lion. |
Sobriety for Servants
Leaders Bear a Heightened Obligation of Restraint
Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
1 Timothy 3:2-3 (NIV)
Paul sets sober-mindedness and complete freedom from addiction to wine as non-negotiable elder qualifications.
In 1 Timothy 3:2-3, the Apostle Paul specifies that an overseer in Christ's church must be sober-minded, self-controlled, and not addicted to wine. Where Scripture entrusts spiritual authority or solemn responsibility, it consistently demands heightened vigilance and personal restraint. This principle stretches across the entirety of redemptive history. In Leviticus 10:8-11, immediately following the judgment upon Nadab and Abihu, the Lord commanded Aaron and his sons to abstain entirely from wine and strong drink whenever entering the tent of meeting, so that they might distinguish between the holy and the common, teaching Israel all of God's statutes. Similarly, under the voluntary consecration of the Nazirite vow described in Numbers 6:1-4, a believer separated unto God renounced all fermented drink and every product of the grapevine as an outward sign of absolute dedication. This same lifelong consecration was mandated for Samson before his birth in Judges 13:4-5, for the Rechabites who earned God's commendation through strict obedience in Jeremiah 35:5-6, and for John the Baptist, who was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb while drinking neither wine nor liquor in Luke 1:15.
Civil authority carries the same sober requirement. In Proverbs 31:4-7, King Lemuel's mother warns that it is not for kings to drink wine, lest they forget what is decreed and pervert justice. When judgment is impaired, the defenseless suffer. Within the New Covenant church, this standard rests firmly upon all spiritual leaders. Not only must elders remain free from drunkenness as stewards of God's household according to 1 Timothy 3:2-3 and Titus 1:7, but deacons are likewise forbidden from lingering over much wine in 1 Timothy 3:8. Older women who disciple younger believers must exhibit reverent behavior and remain free from enslavement to drink in Titus 2:3. Those who shepherd God's people must possess an unclouded mind.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Leviticus 10:8-11 | Priests were forbidden wine and strong drink when entering the tabernacle to discern between holy and unholy. |
| Numbers 6:1-4 | The Nazirite vow required total abstinence from wine, grapes, and all fermented drink during consecration. |
| Proverbs 31:4-7 | Kings and rulers must avoid wine lest they forget the decree and pervert justice for the oppressed. |
| 1 Timothy 3:2-3 | An overseer must be sober-minded, temperate, self-controlled, and not given to drunkenness. |
| 1 Timothy 3:8 | Deacons must likewise be reverent, sincere, and not addicted to much wine. |
| Titus 1:7 | An overseer, as God's steward, must not be arrogant, quick-tempered, or addicted to wine. |
| Titus 2:3 | Older women are instructed to be reverent in behavior and not enslaved to much wine. |
| Judges 13:4-5 | Samson's mother is commanded to drink no wine or strong drink during her pregnancy. |
| Jeremiah 35:5-6 | The Rechabites obey their ancestor Jonadab's command never to drink wine. |
| Luke 1:15 | John the Baptist is set apart from birth and will drink no wine or strong drink. |
The Law of Love
Christian Liberty Must Always Yield to Brotherly Love
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
Romans 14:21 (NIV)
Paul establishes that voluntary abstinence is honorable whenever exercising freedom causes another believer to stumble.
In Romans 14:21, Paul lays down the crowning ethical principle governing Christian freedom: it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. Scripture grants genuine liberty regarding food and drink, but it never permits a believer to elevate personal freedom above the eternal welfare of a brother or sister in Christ. In Romans 14:13-17, the apostle insists that we decide never to put a hindrance in the way of a fellow believer, reminding the church that the kingdom of God does not consist in food and drink, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. If another Christian is grieved, injured, or led into spiritual shipwreck by what we consume, we are no longer walking in genuine love. Romans 14:20-23 warns that destroying the work of God for the sake of food or beverage is fundamentally wrong, for whatever does not proceed from settled faith is sin.
This call to deliberate self-renunciation is reinforced in 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, where Paul warns that careless exercise of personal liberty can ruin a weaker believer for whom Christ died. Sinning against a brother by wounding his tender conscience is sinning against Christ Himself. While all things within the bounds of God's moral law may be lawful, 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 declares that not all things build up; every believer must actively seek the good of his neighbor rather than his own indulgence. Therefore, whether we eat, drink, or whatever we do, 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 directs us to do all things to the glory of God, giving no offense to the church and sacrificing our own comfort so that others may be saved.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Romans 14:13-17 | The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. |
| Romans 14:20-23 | It is good not to drink wine if it causes a brother to stumble; whatever is not of faith is sin. |
| 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 | Liberty must not become a stumbling block to the weak, lest a brother for whom Christ died be ruined. |
| 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 | All things may be lawful, but not all build up; no one should seek his own good, but another's. |
| 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 | Whether eating, drinking, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God without causing offense. |
Where in the Bible
| Book | Passages |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 4 · Genesis 14:18, Genesis 27:28, Genesis 9:20-23, Genesis 19:31-36 |
| Leviticus | 1 · Leviticus 10:8-11 |
| Numbers | 1 · Numbers 6:1-4 |
| Deuteronomy | 1 · Deuteronomy 14:26 |
| Judges | 2 · Judges 9:13, Judges 13:4-5 |
| 1 Samuel | 1 · 1 Samuel 25:36-38 |
| 2 Samuel | 1 · 2 Samuel 11:13 |
| 1 Kings | 1 · 1 Kings 16:9-10 |
| Psalms | 1 · Psalms 104:14-15 |
| Proverbs | 6 · Proverbs 3:9-10, Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:29-35, Proverbs 21:17, Proverbs 23:20-21, Proverbs 31:4-7 |
| Ecclesiastes | 1 · Ecclesiastes 9:7 |
| Isaiah | 3 · Isaiah 25:6, Isaiah 5:11-12, Isaiah 28:7-8 |
| Jeremiah | 1 · Jeremiah 35:5-6 |
| Daniel | 1 · Daniel 5:1-4 |
| Hosea | 1 · Hosea 4:11 |
| Amos | 1 · Amos 9:13-14 |
| Habakkuk | 1 · Habakkuk 2:15-16 |
| Matthew | 2 · Matthew 11:18-19, Matthew 26:26-29 |
| Luke | 2 · Luke 21:34, Luke 1:15 |
| John | 1 · John 2:1-11 |
| Romans | 3 · Romans 13:13-14, Romans 14:13-17, Romans 14:20-23 |
| 1 Corinthians | 4 · 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, 1 Corinthians 10:23-24, 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 |
| Galatians | 1 · Galatians 5:19-21 |
| Ephesians | 1 · Ephesians 5:18 |
| 1 Thessalonians | 1 · 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 |
| 1 Timothy | 4 · 1 Timothy 4:4-5, 1 Timothy 5:23, 1 Timothy 3:2-3, 1 Timothy 3:8 |
| Titus | 2 · Titus 1:7, Titus 2:3 |
| 1 Peter | 3 · 1 Peter 4:3-4, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 5:8 |
The story in order
- Noah's drunkenness (c. 2300 BC) · Genesis 9:20-23 · Early example of wine's destructive power.
- Melchizedek blesses Abram with bread and wine (c. 2000 BC) · Genesis 14:18 · Wine presented as a blessing from God.
- Israelites rejoice with wine (c. 1400 BC) · Deuteronomy 14:26 · Wine used in worship and celebration.
- Samson's mother abstains from wine (c. 1100 BC) · Judges 13:4-5 · Abstinence commanded for a special purpose.
- Proverbs warns against drunkenness (c. 900 BC) · Proverbs 20:1 · Wisdom literature condemns wine's deceptive power.
- Isaiah pronounces woe on drunkards (c. 700 BC) · Isaiah 5:11-12 · Prophetic warning against pursuing intoxication.
- Rechabites abstain from wine (c. 600 BC) · Jeremiah 35:5-6 · A people committed to total abstinence.
- Belshazzar's drunken desecration (c. 540 BC) · Daniel 5:1-4 · Drunkenness leads to blasphemy and judgment.
- Jesus turns water into wine (c. AD 28) · John 2:1-11 · Jesus' first miracle, using wine.
- Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper (AD 30) · Matthew 26:26-29 · The fruit of the vine represents Christ's blood.
- Paul advises Timothy to use wine (c. AD 65) · 1 Timothy 5:23 · Wine has medicinal uses.
- Paul warns against drunkenness (c. AD 55) · 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 · Drunkards will not inherit God's kingdom.
- Paul commands sobriety (c. AD 60) · Ephesians 5:18 · Be filled with the Spirit, not wine.
Key words
- Wine (Hebrew: yayin (יין))
- Fermented juice of grapes, used as a beverage and in worship. · Genesis 14:18
- Drunkenness (Hebrew: shakar (שָׁכַר))
- Being overcome by strong drink, leading to loss of self-control and sin. · Genesis 9:21
- Sober-minded (Greek: nephalios (νήφαλιος))
- Having a clear, self-controlled mind, free from the influence of intoxicants. · 1 Peter 1:13
- Dissipation (Greek: kome (κώμῳ))
- Wild living, excessive indulgence, and wasteful extravagance. · Luke 21:34
- Stumble (Greek: skandalizo (σκανδαλίζω))
- To cause another believer to sin or lose faith. · Romans 14:21
Believers are free to receive God's good gifts with thanksgiving or to abstain entirely for the sake of conscience and love. What no believer is ever free to do is surrender self-control to drunkenness or prioritize personal liberty over the spiritual welfare of a brother. In all things, whether you drink or abstain, let it be done sober-mindedly, to the glory of God and the building up of His church.
52 passages, each cited once.
How the major Christian traditions read this
All major Christian traditions confess that drunkenness is an explicit sin against God that leads to ruin and spiritual loss, while recognizing that Scripture speaks of wine in both blessing and solemn warning (Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Catholic
We teach that creation is inherently good and that wine, received with thanksgiving, is a gift from God (Psalm 104:15; 1 Timothy 4:4). Our Lord Himself turned water into wine at Cana (John 2:1-11) and instituted the Holy Eucharist with bread and wine (Matthew 26:27-29). The sin does not lie in the drink itself, but in the abuse of it. Total loss of reason and self-control through drunkenness violates the virtue of temperance and offends God (Galatians 5:21). Moderate consumption is lawful, though voluntary abstinence is praiseworthy for penance or to avoid causing a brother to stumble (Romans 14:21).
Scripture: Psalms 104:15, John 2:1-11, Matthew 26:27-29, Galatians 5:21, Romans 14:21
Orthodox
We hold that God created all material things good, including wine, which gladdens man's heart (Psalm 104:15) and serves as the matter consecrated into the precious Blood of Christ in the Divine Liturgy (Confession of Dositheus 17; Matthew 26:27-29). Drinking alcohol in moderation is not sinful. The sin is the passion of drunkenness and lack of sobriety (nepsis), which darkens the mind and grieves the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Fasting periods call us to abstain from wine to cultivate spiritual vigilance, demonstrating that while wine is a blessing, mastery over the flesh remains paramount.
Scripture: Psalms 104:15, Matthew 26:27-29, Ephesians 5:18
Lutheran
We confess Christian freedom regarding things God has neither commanded nor forbidden in themselves. Wine is part of God's good bodily provision (Psalm 104:15) and was used by Christ in the Holy Supper (Matthew 26:27-29). Paul even counseled Timothy to take wine for his ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). Drinking becomes sinful when moderation is cast off into drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18; Luke 21:34) or when exercising our liberty destroys the faith of a weaker neighbor (Romans 14:15-21). Apart from such abuse, the conscience remains free before God.
Scripture: Psalms 104:15, Matthew 26:27-29, 1 Timothy 5:23, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 14:15-21
Reformed & Presbyterian
We hold to Christian liberty regarding matters indifferent, recognizing that wine is a gift of common grace to be received with prayer and thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4-5; Psalm 104:15). Drunkenness is strictly condemned as a work of the flesh that bars one from the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:18). Believers are bound to exercise self-restraint and to avoid causing scandal or stumbling to weaker brethren (Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 10:31-32). Moderate drinking is permissible, but must always be governed by the glory of God and mutual edification.
Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:4-5, Psalms 104:15, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 14:21
Anglican & Episcopal
We maintain that Scripture nowhere condemns the moderate use of alcohol, but consistently condemns excess and dissipation (Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 20:1). Christ Himself sanctified festive joy at Cana by providing wine (John 2:1-11) and appointed fermented wine for the Holy Communion. Believers are called to holy sobriety, self-governance, and pastoral care for the vulnerable (Romans 14:21). Total abstinence is an honorable personal discipline or act of charity, but moderation remains the historic standard grounded in the goodness of God's creation (1 Timothy 4:4).
Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1, John 2:1-11, Romans 14:21, 1 Timothy 4:4
Baptist
While acknowledging that drunkenness is unequivocally sinful (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:18), we have historically held a strong standard of total abstinence from beverage alcohol. Scripture warns that wine is a mocker and strong drink a brawler (Proverbs 20:1), bringing devastation, addiction, and sorrow (Proverbs 23:29-35). Because alcohol presents a persistent snare and a frequent stumbling block to others, love and Christian witness urge believers to refrain entirely rather than indulge personal liberty (Romans 14:21). For these reasons, many of our congregations use unfermented grape juice for the Lord's Supper.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:29-35, Romans 14:21
Methodist & Wesleyan
We emphasize practical holiness, stewardship, and love for our neighbor. John Wesley strongly warned against the manufacture, sale, and consumption of spirituous liquors because of their destructive power over individuals, families, and society. Scripture warns that strong drink leads astray and clouds judgment (Proverbs 20:1; Isaiah 5:11). Drunkenness is explicitly condemned (Ephesians 5:18). Out of brotherly love, solidarity with those struggling with addiction, and a desire to avoid causing any brother to stumble (Romans 14:21), our tradition vigorously promotes total abstinence and uses unfermented grape juice in Holy Communion.
Scripture: Proverbs 20:1, Isaiah 5:11, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 14:21
Pentecostal & Charismatic
We believe that the believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, purchased by the blood of Christ to be kept holy and undefiled (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Rather than being drunk with wine, which brings debauchery, Scripture commands us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Because alcohol impairs spiritual vigilance, opens the door to moral compromise, and causes others to stumble (Proverbs 23:29-35; Romans 14:21), our assemblies generally require or strongly advocate total abstinence for members and leaders, using unfermented fruit of the vine for the Lord's Supper (Fundamental Truths 10).
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 23:29-35, Romans 14:21
Non-denominational & Evangelical
We look directly to the authority of Scripture: alcohol in itself is not sin, but drunkenness is absolutely forbidden (Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 6:10). Jesus drank wine and performed His first miracle turning water to wine (John 2:1-11; Luke 7:34). However, our freedom must always be checked by love, wisdom, and personal conscience (Romans 14:21-23; 1 Corinthians 10:23-24). Many believers exercise Christian liberty in moderation, while many others choose total abstinence to protect their testimony, avoid addiction, or prevent causing another to stumble.
Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, 1 Corinthians 6:10, John 2:1-11, Luke 7:34, Romans 14:21-23
Where they differ
Permissibility of moderate alcohol consumption
- Catholic
- Lawful and good when governed by temperance without intoxication.
- Orthodox
- Permitted in moderation, keeping spiritual vigilance over bodily appetites.
- Lutheran
- A matter of Christian liberty received thankfully without drunkenness.
- Reformed & Presbyterian
- Permissible under Christian freedom provided it causes no scandal.
- Anglican & Episcopal
- Lawful in moderation as a good creature of God.
- Baptist
- Generally discouraged or opposed; total abstinence is strongly urged.
- Methodist & Wesleyan
- Abstinence is urged as an act of love and holiness.
- Pentecostal & Charismatic
- Total abstinence is expected to preserve holiness and spiritual power.
- Non-denominational & Evangelical
- Permitted in moderation, though individual believers may choose total abstinence.
Scripture: Psalms 104:15, Proverbs 20:1, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 14:21
The element used in the Lord's Supper
- Catholic
- Fermented wine made from grapes is strictly required by canon law.
- Orthodox
- Fermented red grape wine mixed with warm water is required.
- Lutheran
- Fermented wine is the standard and historic biblical element used.
- Reformed & Presbyterian
- Wine is standard, though some congregations permit grape juice.
- Anglican & Episcopal
- Fermented wine from grapes is the prescribed sacramental element.
- Baptist
- Unfermented grape juice is standard to avoid alcoholic beverage use.
- Methodist & Wesleyan
- Unfermented grape juice is explicitly preferred and widely used.
- Pentecostal & Charismatic
- Unfermented fruit of the vine is almost universally utilized.
- Non-denominational & Evangelical
- Grape juice is most common, though practices vary by local church.
Scripture: Matthew 26:27-29, 1 Corinthians 11:25-26
Your pastor can tell you where your church stands.
Scripture cited
- 1 Timothy 5:23
- Psalms 104:15
- 1 Timothy 3:8
- Ephesians 5:18
- Romans 14:13-23
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
- Proverbs 23:29-35