What Does the Bible Say About Drinking Alcohol? Is It a Sin for a Christian to Drink Alcoholic Wine?
Direct answer:
The Bible does not call every drop of alcoholic wine a sin. But it clearly condemns drunkenness, impairment, addiction, and being ruled by drink as sin. The cleanest, safest walk for a Christian is abstinence—to keep a holy testimony, remain sober-minded, and be filled with the Spirit rather than influenced by wine.
Scriptural explanation:
- Real wine in Scripture:
- Jesus turned water into wine, and the ruler said, “when men have well drunk” (John 2:9-10). That is not mere juice.
- In Corinth some were drunken at the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:21). That shows literal wine could intoxicate.
- Sin and strict warnings:
- Drunkenness is a work of the flesh and those who practice it “shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21; see also 1 Corinthians 6:10; Romans 13:13; 1 Peter 4:3).
- “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
- “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging” (Proverbs 20:1). Read the sober warning in Proverbs 23:29-35—its bite, its deceit, its addiction.
- Leaders must be “not given to wine… not given to much wine” (1 Timothy 3:3,8; Titus 1:7). God links spiritual responsibility with strict sobriety.
- Priests were forbidden drink when serving (Leviticus 10:9); kings warned not to drink lest they forget judgment (Proverbs 31:4-5). God ties holy service and clear judgment to abstaining.
- Limited, medicinal allowance:
- “Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake” (1 Timothy 5:23). That is medicinal, not social drinking.
- Stumbling and testimony:
- “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth” (Romans 14:21). Love chooses the higher road.
Simple clarifying logic:
- If wine itself were inherently sinful, Jesus would not have made it, and Paul would not have allowed a little for health. But the same Bible commands constant sobriety. Alcohol’s very design is to influence; how much before your judgment is dulled, your testimony is clouded, or a weaker brother is emboldened to fall?
- You can be filled with the Holy Spirit, or you can be under the influence of drink—you can’t be full of both. The Scripture points to a higher life: stay sober, stay separate, stay Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8; 1 Peter 1:13).
- Ask yourself: Is this necessary for godliness? Does it edify? Could it open a door to bondage or cause another to stumble? If not, lay it aside.
Reinforcement:
- So, is it a sin for a Christian to drink alcoholic wine? The Bible shows wine existed and was used, but condemns drunkenness, impairment, and bondage as sin. The strongest Christian position is abstinence—a clean walk of holiness and a clear testimony. If you are bound by alcohol, repent and ask the Lord Jesus to deliver you; remove the access, seek prayer, and be filled with the Spirit. For Communion, Scripture shows literal wine was used, yet never for indulgence—only in reverence. The safest rule for daily life is simple: leave it alone and stay sober before God.
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What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Questions and Answers
59-0628E §36
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. Now, you see there? Comes right back to the Christian that's trying to take communion, that's not in Christ, not fellowshipping in the Spirit; he isn't worthy of taking it. And when he does take this communion, he's eating and drinking damnation to himself, if he's going out smoking, lying, stealing, committing adultery, or something like that, or not living a Christian life. And people see the kind...
We would see Jesus
61-0409 §40
So don't place sin on smoking, drinking, gambling. That's not sin. That's the attributes of unbelief. Sin is unbelief. You might never've touched a cigarette, drank, or never done anything evil in your life, and if you disbelieve God's Word you're still a sinner. Sin is unbelief. There's only two spirits: one believes, and the other does not believe. No matter... We have based all our thoughts upon some kind of a holy act, something that we want to do, and something that we've done. "I give Joneses some coal when t...
To see Jesus
54-0718E §41
Drinking, smoking, gambling, doing evil things: that isn't sin; that's the attributes of unbelief. You do that because you're an unbeliever. If you was a believer, you would not do those things. It bears the fruits of joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, patience, holiness. That's the fruits of the Spirit. But the fruits of the evil spirit is doubt. "He that believeth not is condemned already." Then if the truth comes to you in such a way that you have a knowledge of it, and then refuse to receive it, there rema...
Seals 2: Breach between the Church Ages and the Seals
63-0317E §44
Now, we say "sin". We just call it sin. Break it down. What is sin? A lot of people say, "Drinking, committing adultery." No, no. That's the attributes of sin. That's what sin causes. But real sin is unbelief. That's where it's named and called out. If you are a believer, you don't do those things. But no matter how holy you try to make yourself and how religious you try to be, if you do those things, you're an unbeliever. That's scriptural.
Life Story
51-0415A §42
Now, I'm not preaching against one thing or the other. He told me not to smoke or drink. If you smoke and drink and say you're a Christian, that's up to you and God. But He told me not to do it (See?), not to do it. And so I didn't. I've heard many people say, "Well, I drink a little bit, a sociable drink. And I... And I use... I smoke, and it don't condemn me." Well, maybe you just ain't went far enough yet. That's right. That's all. You get a little farther on and you'll understand. That's right. That's right. Yo...