Alcohol

What Does The Bible Say About Alcohol?

Negatives

What are some passages that talk negatively about alcohol?

Proverbs 4:17 “17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.”

Proverbs 20:1 “1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”

Proverbs 23:19-21 “19 Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. 20 Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, 21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.”

Proverbs 23:29-35 “29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30 Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. 31 Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. 32 In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. 33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. 34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. 35 “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.””

Isaiah 5:11-12 “11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them! 12 They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the Lord, or see the work of his hands.”

Isaiah 19:14 “14 The Lord has mingled within her a spirit of confusion, and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.”

Romans 13:13-14 “13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

1 Corinthians 5:11 “11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”

1 Tim 3:2-3 “2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”

1 Tim 3:8 “8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.”

1 Tim 3:11 “11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.”

Positives

What are some passage that talk positively about alcohol?

Ecclesiastes 9:7 “7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.”

Psalm 104:14-15 “14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth 15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart.”

Amos 9:14 “14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.”

Isaiah 55:1 “1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

John 2:1-11 Jesus turned water into wine

Matthew 26:29 “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.””

1 Timothy 5:23 “23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)”

The Contents

Was alcohol in the Bible just grape juice?

1 Corinthians 11:20-21 “20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.”

John 2:9-10 “9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.””

Self-Control

What role does self-control play in this topic?

Prov 23:22-25 “22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23 Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. 25 Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.”

1 Corinthians 6:12 “12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.”

2 Peter 2:19 “19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”

Eph 5:18 “18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”

Conscience

What role does conscience (both yours and others) play in this topic?

1 Corinthians 8:7-13 “7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

1 Corinthians 10:28-30 “28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?”

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

1 Timothy 1:5 “5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

1 Timothy 1:19 “19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,”

Hebrews 13:18 “18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.”

Romans 14:21 “21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.”