Should Christians Drink? The Bible’s Clear Warnings on Alcohol’s Perils

Listen to today’s passage – Leviticus 8 – 10 

Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Leviticus 8 

Second Milers also read – John 3 – 4; Proverbs 5; Psalms 26 – 30

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Joshua 1:8

Read the “0205 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by Charles Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from this passage – “Strange Fire“ and “A Downward Spiral.“

The Cause of the Strange Fire?

“8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: 10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” (Lev 10:8–11)

This is the first mention of strong drink (שֵׁכָר – shêkâr) in the Bible, which Strong described as “intensely intoxicating liquor.” This is also the first reference to wine given in reference to priests who ministered for the Lord. The location of this command for priests to abstain from wine within the immediate context of the deaths of Nadab and Abihu is likely an indication that they had been drinking when they offered the “strange fire” which resulted in God’s judgment upon them. Consuming alcohol can make good people do dumb things.

Scriptural Support

“2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;” (1 Tim 3:2–3)

“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;” (Titus 1:7)

“4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.” (Prov 31:4–5)

In the New Testament, Paul also admonished Timothy and Titus to not be “given to wine” (1 Timothy 3:2-3; Titus 1:7). Notice also that kings were admonished to stay away from alcohol as it would cause them to “forget the law” and “pervert judgment” (Proverbs 31:4-5). Paul also warned the Ephesian church about being influenced by alcohol as it would interfere with the influence that the Holy Spirit would have on them:

“18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Eph 5:18)

There are many other places in the Scripture that discourage the consumption of alcohol:

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (Prov 20:1)

“20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. … 29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. 35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.” (Prov 23:20–21, 29–35)

There are around forty references in the Bible that speak about drunkenness. Bad things happen when people get drunk. That does not mean that everyone who has a social drink now and then is a drunk, or is getting drunk, but with all of the warnings presented in Scripture, it ought to cause believers to be very careful about consuming alcoholic beverages. 

Another key New Testament principle is avoiding becoming a “stumbling block” to our brothers and sisters in Christ (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9). Even if moderate alcohol consumption is permissible for some believers, it could tempt or harm a weaker brother or sister if it leads them toward something they struggle with. Reliable data shows that roughly 10% of Americans (including many who drink) experience alcohol use disorder or face significant problems related to alcohol each year, while millions more suffer “secondhand” harms—like family strain, financial issues, or physical threats—from someone else’s drinking. As followers of Christ, do we want to casually promote or model the use of something with such widespread potential for harm? Is the personal benefit truly worth the risk to others’ well-being and our witness?

To be completely fair, the Bible does not always speak of alcohol in a completely negative light. Psalm 104:15 speaks of wine gladdening the heart, but then the Scripture also tells us that sin can be pleasurable for a season (Hebrews 11:25). Paul also recommended the use of wine medicinally for Timothy (1 Timothy 5:23).

The other possible positive reference is the creation of wine by Jesus at the wedding in Cana. Personally, I do not believe the wine that Jesus made in John 2 was fermented as it symbolically connects to the pure blood that He would shed on Calvary. When Mary told Jesus that the hosts had run out of wine, Jesus said his “hour [had] not yet come.” The word “hour” in John’s Gospel is often a reference to Jesus’ suffering on the Cross. Jesus blood was pure and uncorrupted by sin and I believe the wine that he made for the wedding guests at Cana was unfermented, pure grape juice. 

What we do know for sure:

• God gives us far more warnings about the dangers of alcohol than any possible benefit.
• He clearly commands those of us who minister or lead for Him to abstain completely.
• There is no positive reference for “strong drink” with the exception of giving it to those who are “ready to perish,” seemingly to deaden the pain as a narcotic (Proverbs 31:6).
• Drunkenness is always wrong and according to Ephesians 5:18, a person is considered drunk when the influence of alcohol is affecting or hindering the Holy Spirit’s influence.

Staggering Statistics

The Centers for Disease Control and other reputable organizations reference many disturbing statistics regarding alcohol related problems:

• Excessive alcohol use causes about 178,000 deaths each year in the United States (data from 2020–2021, the most recent comprehensive estimate), a 29% increase from 2016–2017. This averages roughly 488 deaths per day, shortening lives by an average of 24 years.
• About two-thirds of these deaths stem from chronic conditions (e.g., liver disease, cancers), while the rest include acute issues like accidents, poisonings, and violence.
• Alcohol remains a leading preventable cause of death, behind only tobacco and poor diet/inactivity. It contributes to roughly 20–25% of traffic fatalities involving impaired drivers.
• Nearly 1 in 10 Americans aged 12+ (about 29–30 million people) have alcohol use disorder (AUD), with binge drinking reported by around 22% of adults in recent surveys.
• Globally, alcohol contributes to over 2.6 million deaths annually (WHO data), with heavy impacts on health, families, productivity, and society—mirroring biblical cautions about forgetting the law, perverting judgment, and excess leading to ruin.

In light of Scripture’s clear warnings and our culture’s alcohol epidemic, many believers choose abstinence to honor God, love others, and maintain a clear witness.

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/facts-stats/index.html;

https://www.cdc.gov/impaired-driving/facts/index.html;

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics-z/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-related-emergencies-and-deaths-united-states