Can You Drink Alcohol According To The Bible?

Can You Drink Alcohol According To The Bible
I used to drink too much. To be honest, I was a drunk. The Lord saved me from unbelief and addiction at the age of 21. I am now 37 and have been sober for almost 16 years. The Lord is good. For many years, my position on alcohol was simple: alcohol is not always bad, but it is never good.

However, I realize now that my thinking was not entirely based on Scripture. I knew the Bible’s warnings against alcohol, but I didn’t see any value in drinking. Since then, I’ve had to adjust my thinking on alcohol to align with Scripture. Here is a biblical framework for thinking through this topic. Drinking Alcohol is Not a Sin Contrary to what many Christians have grown up hearing, it is not a sin to drink alcohol.

Scripture nowhere condemns or prohibits consuming moderate levels of alcohol. Case in point—Jesus drank wine. The religious leaders accused our Lord of being a drunkard. “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'” (Luke 7:34).

Of course, Jesus never got drunk, but he did drink wine. We all know he made water into wine at a party, and it would have been customary for him to enjoy a drink with his friends (John 2:1-11). It was also tradition for Jews to drink wine at the yearly Passover meal, in which Jesus routinely participated.

He also instituted the Lord’s Supper with bread and wine (Luke 22:14-20). It’s clear that drinking is not a sin; otherwise, Jesus would not have done it. Drinking Alcohol Can be a Blessing The Bible doesn’t present drinking in moderation as merely neutral; it is also depicted as a blessing.

The Psalmist says that in addition to the many earthly blessings God bestows, the Lord gives “wine to gladden the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15). Friends enjoying a meal together may choose to enhance their gathering by sharing drinks. Alcohol can encourage relaxation, happiness, and laughter. These are all blessings from God (see also Eccl.9:7, Isaiah 55:1-3, Amos 9:14).

Alcohol can also be used for medicinal purposes. “Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress.” (Proverbs 31:61, 1 Tim.5:23). Today, we use even stronger medications, but in the past, it was alcohol that provided relief from pain.

This, too, is a blessing from God.
In a broken world full of pain, the Lord has provided help in our times of suffering.
Finally, the Lord promised that in the New Heavens and New Earth, there will be wine when we feast with God Himself.
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.” (Isaiah 25:6).

The Lord will share a drink with us in heaven. Drunkenness is a Sin Drinking is not a sin, and it is often a God-given blessing. However, Scripture’s overwhelming testimony is that drinking alcohol can be spiritually dangerous. Christians are allowed by God to drink alcohol, but we are forbidden to get drunk.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18; also see Proverbs 20:1, 23:20, Isaiah 5:22). This is a command from the Spirit-inspired apostle. Christians, “do not get drunk.” To get drunk, then, is a sin. Christians who drink alcohol may raise a question here.

“What does it mean to be drunk?” It’s a fair question. In most states, the blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for driving a vehicle is,08 (at this point, you are considered legally impaired). Body weight, how much one drinks, and the amount of time between drinks will determine your BAC.

For example, according to some research, a male weighing 200 lbs.
Can consume one 12 oz beer and only reach a level of,02 BAC.
Our bodies metabolize alcohol over time, and our BAC will drop,015% every hour from our last drink.
Source ) Additionally, many would argue that even though,08 is the legal standard for intoxication, that doesn’t necessarily meet the Bible’s definition of drunkenness.

The positive command Paul gives to believers in contrast to drunkenness is that we should be “filled with the Spirit” (Eph.5:18). The issue, then, is about control. We must be controlled by the Spirit and not alcohol. So then, drunkenness, in Paul’s mind, at least means we have lost control.

I suspect most believers would say that 1-2 drinks would not cause them to lose control. All this to say, what qualifies as being drunk varies from person to person. The command is easy: do not get drunk. Defining drunkenness, on the other hand, is not as simple. My pastoral counsel would be to err on the side of caution.

Use discretion and be wise with alcohol. Like sex, it can be wonderful, but if it is not contained and appropriately used, it can also be deadly. The measurements above are a helpful guide. Suppose we define drunkenness according to the dictionary, In that case, it means “having the faculties impaired by alcohol” and reaching “a level of alcohol in the blood that exceeds a maximum prescribed by law.” Paul’s counsel here is helpful.

‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful.
All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.” (1 Cor.6:12).
The Dangers of Alcohol I’d be willing to bet my last dollar that everyone reading this article has been impacted by addiction in one way or another.
Either you have struggled with substance abuse, or someone you know (and probably love) has struggled.

It’s an epidemic in our country, and alcohol is at the heart of it. This is why Scripture warns against the dangers of drunkenness. Several categories must be established here.

Drunkenness ruins lives. “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” (Proverbs 23:20-21). God’s judgment is on the drunkard. “Woe (a pronouncement of judgment) 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!” (Isaiah 5:11, 22) Drunkards cannot serve in church leadership. Elders must be “sober mindedand not a drunkard.” Likewise, deacons cannot be “addicted to much wine” (1 Tim.3:2-3, 8, also see Prov.31:4-5). Drunkards are considered unbelievers in the Bible. “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry” (1 Peter 4:3; also see Romans 13:13, Luke 21:34, Isaiah 28:1). Godliness is characterized by sober-mindedness. “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.” (Titus 2:3). Drunkards will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor.6:9-10, also see Gal.5:19-21).

What’s Our Motive for Drinking? Christians are called to live every part of their lives to the glory of God, and that includes both eating and drinking: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor.10:31). If our drinking alcohol helps us in appreciating a pleasure God created, especially in fellowship with others, it can be a blessing.

Yet, if our reason for drinking is to become drunk, seek temporary escape from difficulties, or conform to the practice of others against our conscience, we are drinking to our own peril.
Some Christians may also have been guilty of flaunting their freedom in defiance of the convictions of other believers or with no regard for the temptations of others to drunkenness (1 Cor.8:8-13).

As with any action we take, we must ensure it demonstrates both our love for the Lord and for others. God created alcohol, and in many places, the Bible describes it a God-given gift and blessing. But like all things the Lord has given, we must use it with wisdom and caution.

Unfortunately, because we are sinners, we tend to turn God’s good gifts into idolatry and sin. Alcohol is no exception. In fact, it stands out as one of Scripture’s major themes regarding warnings and judgment against a particular kind of sin. Drunkenness, therefore, is forbidden, and for good reason. The drunkard’s life is dishonoring to God and destructive to oneself, family, and friends.

Worst of all, a drunkard is a slave to alcohol and demonstrates a heart where the Holy Spirit does not reside. As Scripture says, such a person will not go to heaven. Note: This article and our many resources are made available for free through the generous support of others. Brandon is the Associate Pastor of The Journey Church in Lebanon, TN and leads the TJC RE:GENERATION ministry for the church. Brandon is married to Sherrie and has a daugher, Emma. Recent Articles:

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What does the Bible say about drinking alcohol?

Should Christians Drink Alcohol? “Here are your keys,” muttered the secretary when I arrived to pick up the keys to my office at Aberdeen University, where I would be studying for my doctorate in theology. “It looks like you’re in The Old Brewery.” Intrigued by the name, I later found out that it reflected the building’s original function.

Aberdeen was founded in the 15th century and used to train monks for ministry. In the brewery, monks brewed vast quantities of Scottish ale, which was served by the liter at mealtimes. And here I was, a post-fundamentalist Ph.D. student studying the Scriptures in a malted sanctuary where late medieval Bible college students once clapped mugs together in an act of worship.

Throughout Christian history, alcohol was rarely a taboo as it is in some circles today. John Calvin had a stipend of 250 gallons of wine per year written into his church contract. Martin Luther’s wife was a famed brewer of beer, which certainly won Martin’s heart.

And the Guinness family created their renowned Irish Stout as an act of worship to Jesus. From Bordeaux to Berlin, wine and beer have always been part of church tradition. But what was once considered the nectar of heaven was later condemned as the devil’s libation. Moderation not Abstinence Even though some Christians advocate for the total abstinence of alcohol as a moral mandate for all believers, the Bible never requires all believers to abstain from alcohol.

It condemns drunkenness and being enslaved to wine (Ephesians 5:18; Titus 2:3), but it never says that tee-totaling is the better way to obey God. In fact, the Bible never says that abstaining from alcohol is the wisest way to avoid getting drunk. Think about it.

Alcoholism has been rampant through every age, but the Bible never says that all believers should therefore refrain from drinking. If Christians want to forbid all alcohol consumption to avoid drunkenness, then to be consistent, they should also avoid making a lot of money to guard against the crushing sin of materialism and the misuse of wealth.

What About our Testimony? I sometimes hear that when Christians drink, it ruins their testimony. But quite honestly, I’ve never understood this line of thinking. It’s one thing if you’ve struggled with alcoholism or are ministering in a Muslim country, but for the most part, most non-Christians I know are turned off by the arbitrary dos and don’ts created by modern Christians.

I’m not convinced that if my unbelieving neighbor sees me slipping into a pub, I will lose much traction to my Gospel witness.
In many cases, the Gospel will shine brighter when you break down wrong assumptions about Christianity by having a beer with your neighbor.
When we strip away all the man-made clutter that dims the Gospel, the full glory of Jesus shines much brighter.

A good chunk of the dying world that’s rejected Christianity hasn’t said no to Jesus, but no to a pharisaical version of Him. Some people have been turned off by the Gospel because they’ve thought that becoming a Christ-follower meant giving up having a beer with your friends after work.

If this is the “good news” we preach, then the true beauty of a crucified and risen King will become covered in the fog of a man-made, pharisaical “don’t drink” gospel.
AA didn’t hang on a cross for your sins and abstaining from alcohol won’t give you resurrection life.
Any Christianese, man-made, unbiblical footnotes to the gospel are actually a distraction and offense to the Gospel.

Lower Alcohol Content? Now, some say that wine in the Bible was nothing more than grape juice and therefore neither Jesus nor the Biblical writers advocated drinking alcohol. Others say that wine was so diluted that it hardly contained any alcohol. But neither of these views can be substantiated by what the Scriptures actually say.

If wine was really unfermented grape juice, then why did Paul warn the Ephesians: “Do not get drunk with grape juice, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit?” This doesn’t make sense.
It is true that wine back then probably had a lower ABV than today’s stuff.
But whatever the alcohol content, people were quite able to get smashed by drinking too much of it (Proverbs 20:1; Isaiah 5:11).

Still, the Bible never says not to drink it. There’s another alcoholic beverage mentioned in the Bible called “strong drink. The Hebrew word for “strong drink,” shakar, refers to fermented barley, which is why some translations call it “beer.” Shakar had an ABV of around 6-12 percent, similar to a Belgium Tripel Ale or a Double IPA.

Like all alcoholic beverages, the Bible prohibits abusing beer (Isaiah 5:11; 28:7; Proverbs 20:1; 31:4). But in moderation, drinking beer was encouraged (Proverbs 31:6). In fact, Deuteronomy 14:26 actually commands Israelites to use some of their tithe money to buy some beers and celebrate before the Lord.

(Ever hear that verse being read as the ushers are passing the plates?) They were also commanded to offer up two liters of beer to God six days a week and even more on the Sabbath (see Numbers 28:7-10). This is why the absence of beer (and wine) was an outcome of God’s judgment on the nation.

Wine as a Blessing But the Bible goes further than admitting that drinking is simply allowed. Throughout Scripture, the production and consumption of beer and wine are often connected to the covenant promises of God. Under the old covenant, wine is a blessing (Deut 7:13; 11:14) and the absence of wine a curse (28:39, 51).

When Israel looked to the future, God promises to flood them wine flowing from the mountaintops (Amos 9:14; Joel 3:18) and vats brimming with fresh wine (Joel 2:19, 24). Jesus signals the beginning of such blessings by creating an over-abundance (150 gallons) of wine at Cana (John 2:1-10).

And on the eve of his death, He sanctified a cup of wine as “the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:14-23).
When Christ comes back, He’ll prepare “well-aged wine” (Isaiah 25:6)—the stuff I only notice on the top shelf but can never afford—and for theological reasons it will be served, as at Cana, in abundance.

Although a good beer and rich wine are blessings from God, they should be consumed with caution. There’s a growing tendency, however, among some younger evangelicals to celebrate their freedom without discipline. These young, restless, and slightly inebriated libertines are doing some great things for the Kingdom.

They’re feeding the poor, living in community and planting authentic churches—or missional communities—all to the glory of God.
Yes, God cares about the poor; He also cares about your sobriety.
Enjoying alcohol in moderation takes discipline, and many beer drinkers, I hate to say it, aren’t known for their discipline.

A good glass of beer can be celebratory; it doesn’t belong in the hands of an undisciplined 16-year-old playing video games in his mom’s basement. Belgium ale is strong and complex. Savor it, sanctify it, and let it meditate on your palate. Give glory to God, not just to your thirst, when enjoying the blessings that flow from Eden.

Drunkenness may not be at the top of God’s list of most heinous sins; neither should it be tossed aside as a relic of American fundamentalism.
Drinking alcohol without celebrating the Cross and Kingdom is theologically anemic.
Abusing alcohol mocks the blood of Christ and scoffs at God’s holiness.
But moderate, intentional, celebratory and reflective drinking of wine and beer, which contemplates the crucified and risen King and anticipates our future glory, is rooted in the grace that poured from Christ’s veins on Calvary.

I originally wrote this post for in 2014. : Should Christians Drink Alcohol?

Why should we not drink alcohol?

Long-Term Health Risks – Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:

High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.6,16
of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.6,17
Weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick.6,16
Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.6,18
Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.6,19
Social problems, including family problems, job-related problems, and unemployment.6,20,21
Alcohol use disorders, or alcohol dependence.5

By not drinking too much, you can reduce the risk of these short- and long-term health risks.

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Leonard KE, Rothbard JC., J Stud Alcohol Suppl 1999;13:139–146.

: Alcohol Use and Your Health

Is it a sin to drink any alcohol?

Drinking Alcohol is Not a Sin Contrary to what many Christians have grown up hearing, it is not a sin to drink alcohol. Scripture nowhere condemns or prohibits consuming moderate levels of alcohol.

Is unfermented wine alcoholic?

Yeast – The bottom line is this: without yeast, there would be no alcohol. Fermentation, when it comes to beverages, anyway, means alcohol. No yeast, no fermentation, no alcohol. Yeast is a single celled eukaryotic living organism that is billions of years old.

It’s true. Yeast is a kind of fungi, and fungi were the first living organisms on earth. And as earth is about four and a half billion years old well, you do the math. Yeast is old. How did it manage to live so long when so many other species have died off? Well, first, it has one function, and it keeps that function super simple.

It seeks out sugar and it converts sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide to stay alive, energetic, and actively reproducing. Further, its eukaryotic nature helps. Its nucleus is enclosed, and it has well defined chromosomes, which means that while it may be single celled and have one simple function, it is actually a complex life form.

Is vodka a spirit?

2.8.2 Steps of vodka production – Vodka is a neutral spirit distilled and treated with charcoal or other materials to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color. Originally, it was made from potatoes. Although some eastern European vodkas are still made from potatoes and corn, most of the high-quality imports and all vodka made in the United States are distilled from cereal grains such as wheat.

In practice, neutral spirit is a purified, odorless, tasteless, and colorless ethanol produced by distillation and rectification techniques that remove any significant amount of congeners.
It is used in the production of beverages such as vodka and gin.
Neutral spirit and brown spirits are two main product types from continuous distillation.

Neutral spirit can be made from any feedstock but is usually made from grain or molasses. This spirit has very low odor and taste, and is used for nonaged products (known as white spirits) such as gin and vodka. It may also be used to blend with a highly flavored product and aged in wood barrels. Can You Drink Alcohol According To The Bible Figure 2.10, Vodka production process. Read full chapter URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128198131000025

Are Christians not allowed to drink alcohol?

Does Christianity condemn alcohol or drunkenness? Can You Drink Alcohol According To The Bible I was at a small home party in the garden of a friend and was seated at the same table with a Roman Catholic priest dressed in his cassock. A bottle of red wine was presented to our table and he took a glass of wine, while we discussed sundry topics. I noticed that some people were casting furtive glances in our direction, making faces and murmuring to one another.

You can guess what they would be saying: “How could a priest be drinking alcohol? He sure doesn’t know God bla bla bla.” The priest didn’t stay for long.
The moment he left, some of those on our table started the story about how the priest did not know God because he drank wine.
I asked them in which part of the bible it is written that drinking alcohol is a sin.

They went into another unbiblical, opinionated and judgemental story about why it is written that alcohol is a mocker that should be given to a fool. At the end of the discussion, nobody could point to the verse in the Bible where it is stated that Christians should not drink alcoholic beverages.

I have decided to ask a wider audience to know if I can get some satisfactory explanation: Please in what verse of the Bible is it stated that drinking alcohol is a sin or reserved for those who don’t know God? The Bible and Christianity clearly condemn drunkenness but not alcohol.
But some people created their own strange, unbiblical and unchristian law that anyone seen with alcohol automatically becomes a sinner, while the prerequisite for being a born again Christian is abstinence from alcohol or even touching alcohol.

Meanwhile, the first miracle of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, is turning water into wine. And the Last Supper of Jesus Christ was sharing bread and wine with His apostles and directing them to do so as a group regularly in remembrance of Him.

Consequently, the original wine used by churches for Holy Communion contains alcohol. Some new churches have decided to be using fruit juices for their Holy Communion because of that same false belief that tasting alcohol is a sin. Another false argument presented by many is that what Jesus Christ and the Bible support is “non-alcoholic wine.” That is an argument born out of ignorance.

“Non-alcoholic wine” does not exist in the Bible. Oxford Dictionary defines wine as “an alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice.” Because there are wines made from other plants, the Oxford Dictionary has a second definition of wine as “an alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of specified other fruits or plants.

Example: a glass of elderflower wine.” Therefore, for anything to be called “wine,” the first condition it has to meet is that it must contain alcohol.
All the drinks that are packaged in bottles that some people ignorantly call “non-alcoholic wines” are “fruit juices.” The argument of those who changed the injunction of the Bible on alcohol is that taking a little alcohol leads to taking more and more until drunkenness sets it.

That is possible. But that does not always happen. There are people who have never been drunk since they began taking alcohol 30 to 50 years ago. There are people who don’t take more than a glass of wine or a bottle of beer in a month. It is like criminalising cars, aeroplanes, swimming pools or guns because they can lead to the deaths of people.

Besides the fact that Jesus Christ never condemned alcohol, there are instances in the Bible where the people are expressly directed to take wine. One is Deuteronomy 14 where the law on tithes is given and explained:
“22 You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.
23 And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.
24 But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the Lord your God has blessed you,
25 then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses.
26 And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.
27 You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.”

Similarly, in 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul tells Timothy: “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” By recommending wine to his adopted son, Timothy, Paul shows that the wine of their time had medicinal value.

The wine or beer of today also has some health benefits.
According to Mayo Clinic, moderate use of alcohol may reduce one’s risk of developing and dying of heart disease as well as the risk of ischemic stroke.
Mayo Clinic breaks it down thus: “Moderate alcohol use for healthy adults generally means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.

Examples of one drink include Beer – 12 fluid ounces (355 millilitres). Wine – 5 fluid ounces (148 millilitres). Distilled spirits (80 proof) – 1.5 fluid ounces (44 millilitres).” Thirdly, in Psalm 23: 5, David says: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.” When someone’s cup is full with wine and runs over in biblical times, it is a sign of plenty.

“9 Honour the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.”
This message of linking overflow of wine to wealth is restated in Joel 2: 23 and 24:
23 Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.
24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

Note that it is the same wine that signifies abundance in the Bible that made Noah and Lot drunk, leading to some negative consequences. It is like a gun that can be used to protect oneself and a country from being wiped out or taken as prisoners being the same gun that can be used to commit genocide, murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, etc.

We must be careful as Christians not to turn our views into biblical laws. The Christian standard does not change even when men change it. Those who say that the Bible condemns alcohol do so out of ignorance or a desire to create their own laws and force them upon the Bible and Christianity. Many people also engage in the argument because they don’t know what “wine” is and how it is produced.

According to the World Health Organisation, three million deaths occur annually from harmful use of alcohol, which represents 5.3 per cent of all deaths globally. The Church should focus on what the Bible orders, which is: That drunkenness is bad. It messes up a human being.

It destroys vital organs. It leads to terrible consequences. Twitter @BrandAzuka Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: : Does Christianity condemn alcohol or drunkenness?

Is it ever OK to drink alcohol?

No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health The risks and harms associated with drinking alcohol have been systematically evaluated over the years and are well documented. The World Health Organization has now published a statement in The Lancet Public Health: when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.

What happens if you never drink alcohol?

There are several health benefits of not drinking alcohol. And we’re not just talking about no more hangovers on the next day — though that’s definitely an added bonus. Some of these health benefits apply to those struggling with alcohol use disorder and alcohol withdrawal, but let’s focus on the positive changes you can experience by reducing the amount of alcohol you drink or cutting it out completely.

Is it healthier not to drink alcohol? Yes, not drinking alcohol is healthier than drinking, even in moderation.
In fact, a massive global 2018 study suggests that no amount of alcohol actually improves your health.
Here’s the good news: While there may be some positive health effects of certain compounds in wine, you don’t actually need to drink alcohol to get those benefits! Even if you live more sober curious, rather than practicing total sobriety, you’ll enjoy many of the health benefits of not drinking alcohol,

What are some benefits of quitting for even just a month? When you don’t drink alcohol for a month, you might lose weight, reverse liver damage, improve the look of your skin, get better sleep, and so much more! Dry January is looking like a great choice now, huh? Not ready to say goodbye to wine? Surely’s non-alcoholic wine selection offers genuine taste and benefits of wine without the drawbacks of alcohol.1.

Improved Liver Function You can expect improved liver function almost immediately after you stop drinking alcohol. Experts predict that most drinkers’ livers can return to completely normal function after 4-8 weeks of no alcohol. Your liver will breathe a sigh of relief when it no longer has to process all that alcohol and can focus on its other functions, like regulating chemical levels in your blood and efficiently excreting bile.

Heavy drinkers often have an overworked liver. Cirrhosis of the liver and fatty liver disease are more common in people with very heavy drinking habits. Sobriety will let your liver rest after all that work of constantly processing alcohol out of your blood.

But alcoholic beverages also trigger oxidative stress in the liver since alcohol diminishes the liver’s antioxidants. Beyond that, once damage is done to the liver, a prolonged immune response increases inflammation in your liver. Not drinking alcohol fixes these problems in the liver, too.2. Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease When you stop excessive drinking, your risk of heart disease goes down.

Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, it would be a wise idea to lower your risk if possible. Heavy drinking seems to increase cholesterol levels, a predictor of heart disease. Examples of cardiovascular diseases:

Heart attack
Stroke
High blood pressure
Peripheral arterial disease
Coronary artery disease
Deep vein thrombosis
Vascular disease
Marfan syndrome
Cardiomyopathy
Atrial fibrillation

Important: When you drink wine moderately (one drink a day for women, 2 drinks a day for men), this actually decreases your risk of heart disease – likely because of the resveratrol in wine. Anything beyond that moderate amount significantly increases your risk of heart disease, including deadly events.

A mountain of evidence shows that heavy drinking, binge drinking, or alcohol use disorder can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Quitting the sauce is a great way to lengthen your life.3.
Reduced Risk of Cancer Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.
So it’s good news that not drinking alcohol is a great way to reduce your risk of cancer.

Thanks to a powerful alcohol industry — and our society’s love of drinking — few people realize that drinking alcohol increases your risk of cancer. In a survey of 2100 English adults, only 13% were aware of the link between alcohol and cancer without being prompted.

Liver cancer
Oral cancer
Breast cancer
Pharynx cancer
Larynx cancer
Esophagus cancer
Stomach cancer
Colorectal cancer
Ovarian cancer

Even light drinking (having one drink or fewer per day) has been associated with a slightly higher risk of breast cancer in women and colorectal cancer in men. The health benefits of not drinking include reducing your risk for cancer. Awareness of this alcohol-cancer link is low, so feel free to bring it up at your next social gathering (just don’t forget to add how great your alcohol-free wine options are!).4.

Weight Loss Losing weight is a fun benefit of not drinking alcohol.
Having more than one drink of beer or booze a day is linked to being overweight or obese,
Giving up alcohol lowers that risk, and may even help you lose that belly fat.
Cutting the empty calories found in alcohol is the most obvious way that not drinking helps you lose weight.

A can of beer contains 154 calories. Mixed drinks are worse, once you add in all those sugars and other carbs. A single mojito can contain 250 calories. That alcohol intake adds a lot of extra calories in addition to your normal daily diet. Also, when you drink alcohol, your ability to make smart dietary choices gets weaker and weaker.

After downing a beer, you’re more likely to eat a high-calorie plate of nachos.
Not drinking helps you avoid these extra calories.
When you stop drinking, you also get better sleep, leading to normalized appetite and metabolism.
If your sleep quality is poor, hormonal changes can lead to increased appetite, slower metabolism, and more stress.

Stress hormones make it harder to burn those pesky fat cells. If you think about it, drinking alcohol makes it less likely that you will exercise. Whether you’re spending the time enjoying those glasses of wine instead of exercising, or you’re reeling from a hangover headache, alcohol is more likely to prevent exercise than encourage it.

Fitness and an active life are so important to weight loss and overall health.
Can you lose belly fat by not drinking alcohol? If you’re a heavy drinker or binge drinker, not drinking alcohol can help you lose belly fat.
Not only can not drinking decrease your stress hormones that make fat harder to burn, not drinking cuts carbohydrates and calories and makes you more likely to exercise.5.

Healthier Skin Not drinking alcohol may lead to healthier, better-looking skin — probably because of the havoc drinking wreaks on your hydration. Since alcohol consumption is associated with many skin problems, not drinking may improve your skin health quite a bit.

Some experts claim you will see improvements in your skin in as little as one week after your last drink, and that your skin may completely renew itself within a month, How long before you feel the benefits of not drinking? It may take one week to one month before you feel the benefits of not drinking.

Some experts claim your skin will look better after a week. Your liver will start to heal almost immediately. But most health benefits of not drinking take about a month to fully set in. Even a self-proclaimed Botox guru, Dr. Michael Prager says, “Even the very best Botox will never give you a glow as vibrant as a couple of months off the bottle.” Heavy alcohol use (more than one drink a day) was associated with “upper facial lines, under-eye puffiness, oral commissures, midface volume loss”.

Hives
Flushing
Jaundice
Psoriasis
Itchy skin
Eczema (especially on the scalp)
Rosacea
Porphyria cutanea tarda

Healthier skin is a proven health benefit of not drinking. If you deal with any of the skin conditions mentioned above, sobriety can be your beauty secret.6. Better Sleep Although alcohol is a sedative that slows brain function, triggering feelings of sleepiness and relaxation, drinking alcohol is actually pretty bad for your beauty sleep,

Alcohol may make you drowsy at first. But once you fall asleep, the alcohol can wake you up throughout the night. Drinking right before bed often disrupts REM sleep, the all-important stage of slumber that may be linked to dreaming, restfulness, and memory. It may even interfere with your breathing. According to the Sleep Foundation, “the consumption of alcohol – especially in excess – has been linked to poor sleep quality and duration.” Alcohol disrupts sleep and lowers sleep quality,

Drinking alcohol greatly increases a patient’s risk of developing sleep bruxism (nighttime teeth grinding), which can cause morning headaches, tooth damage, and TMJ disorder. To further complicate things, getting bad sleep tanks your energy levels during the day.7.

Less Frequent Sickness You’ll get sick less often if you don’t drink because excessive alcohol affects your immune system.
Your immune system is what fights off infections and diseases.
Therefore, abstaining from alcohol makes it easier for your body to naturally fight off infection and diseases.
Like heart disease, one drink a day may improve immune system health — namely reduced inflammation and improved responses to vaccinations.

Anything more than one drink per day is very bad for your immune function. Heavy drinking is associated with increased bacterial and viral infections. It is proven that alcohol disrupts your immune system’s ability to fight/recover from bacterial and viral infections, but also liver disease, lung disease, cancer, or simple injuries and wounds.

When you don’t drink, your immune system is stronger, meaning you’ll experience less frequent sickness. However, it’s important to know that immune dysfunction is prevalent in our society, for a variety of reasons. Alcohol is just one element that screws up your immune system. We can probably all agree after a pandemic that improving our immune systems is a good idea.8.

Better Concentration Alcohol messes with your concentration. It has been known for decades that mental functions like concentration and vigilance are impaired when someone is well below the blood alcohol level legal limit. This 2017 study shows a huge portion of undergraduate students drink at a hazardous and harmful rate — which literally everyone in the country could have guessed.

You could probably also guess that it affects their ability to concentrate and perform well academically. It’s a no-brainer that “high levels of alcohol consumption are associated with poor academic performance and mental health outcomes among students.” Alcohol makes it hard to concentrate at work, even the morning after,

Drinking can worsen your job performance. Cut out alcohol from your life, and your concentration will get better, as well as your school and/or job performance.9. Improved Mental Health Not drinking can improve your brain health. Not only can poor mental health lead to drinking, but drinking can also lead to poor mental health.

In the short-term, alcohol can reduce anxiety and release your inhibitions.
But anything beyond a drink a day increases the risk of new or worsening mental health problems.
Alcohol can make depression and anxiety worse, 2 major mental health issues.
Heavy drinking can lead to mood changes, increased aggression, and paranoia.

When it comes to mental health, it’s a chicken-egg question. Which came first? The alcohol, or the mental health issues? In most cases, it’s a mix of both. If your loved one is struggling with mental health concerns and frequent alcohol consumption, encouraging them to seek help for their addiction and mental health may significantly improve their life.

Health Risks of Drinking Too Much Alcohol Alcohol is more destructive than you know, particularly when you binge. There are innumerable health risks of drinking too much alcohol, Yes, drinking one glass of wine a day may improve heart health. But any more than that, and you’re looking at an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and so much more.

You can’t afford heavy drinking or even just temporary binge drinking. Your health is too important. In general, drinking alcohol significantly impacts your well-being — the more you drink, the worse you feel. Years of research show that alcohol increases your risk of:

Heart disease
Cancer
Obesity
Liver disease
Automobile accidents
Immune dysfunction
Depression
Addiction
Stomach bleeding
Psoriasis
Eczema
Rosacea
Jaundice
Hives
Worsening diabetes symptoms
Erectile dysfunction
Vaginal dryness
Birth defects or other risks to a fetus or infant (if drinking while pregnant or breastfeeding )

And that’s not all. Alcohol plays a role in 1 out of every 3 violent crimes. Alcohol misuse costs about $250 billion a year. Plus, alcohol is a buzzkill (forgive the terrible pun) for many medications. Alcohol reacts poorly with various prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including antidepressants, painkillers, and acetaminophen.

What happens to your body when you don’t drink alcohol? If you’re a heavy drinker, you’ll probably experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking alcohol. These symptoms may include anxiety, cold sweats, shakiness, nausea, and vomiting. If you experience these symptoms after quitting alcohol, you may be struggling with alcohol addiction.

Should you quit drinking? We think there are a lot of reasons to quit drinking, Although one glass of wine a day can improve your heart health, there are a lot of health risks when it comes to alcohol. Benefits of a permanent alcohol detox will impact your health in so many ways — your weight, your sleep, your risk of major diseases, your immune system, your skin health, etc.

For many people, life is just better without alcohol. Living a sober lifestyle can be difficult but for those of us who still want to answer cravings for boozy beverages, there are plenty of alcohol alternatives to choose from that make it easier. Try Surely’s unique alcohol-removed sauvignon blanc or one of the fun mocktails you can make.

🍹 Going sober is right for you if you are a heavy drinker, a binge drinker, or if you suffer from any of the many diseases that alcohol has been linked to. Plus, even without a disorder, your health can still benefit from living sober. If you struggle with alcohol use disorder, please contact one of these support groups:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 800-662-4357
Alcoholics Anonymous
Various local wellness centers that may work with your insurance

There are people out there eager to support those who need it. The current National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) guidelines for alcoholism treatment include therapy, medication, and management of related diseases There is no shame in seeking help.

Can Christians drink a beer?

You can guess what they would be saying: “How could a priest be drinking alcohol? He sure doesn’t know God bla bla bla.” The priest didn’t stay for long.
The moment he left, some of those on our table started the story about how the priest did not know God because he drank wine.
I asked them in which part of the bible it is written that drinking alcohol is a sin.

I have decided to ask a wider audience to know if I can get some satisfactory explanation: Please in what verse of the Bible is it stated that drinking alcohol is a sin or reserved for those who don’t know God? The Bible and Christianity clearly condemn drunkenness but not alcohol. But some people created their own strange, unbiblical and unchristian law that anyone seen with alcohol automatically becomes a sinner, while the prerequisite for being a born again Christian is abstinence from alcohol or even touching alcohol.

Consequently, the original wine used by churches for Holy Communion contains alcohol.
Some new churches have decided to be using fruit juices for their Holy Communion because of that same false belief that tasting alcohol is a sin.
Another false argument presented by many is that what Jesus Christ and the Bible support is “non-alcoholic wine.” That is an argument born out of ignorance.

Where in the Bible does it say a little alcohol is good for you?

There is a blessing in the juice of the grape. Many Christian advocates of drinking alcoholic wine point to a verse in 1 Timothy. Paul says, ” Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities ” (1 Tim 5:23).

What did Paul mean when he instructed Timothy to take “a little wine” for thy stomach’s sake? It’s obvious that Paul was not advocating social drinking in this passage. He clearly states, “Drink no longer water, ” (Anyone who has traveled in the Middle East knows the difficulty of getting pure, unpolluted water), but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

Whatever kind of wine Paul was talking about (fermented or unfermented), it is exceedingly plain that the purpose of his counsel to Timothy was due to his stomach ailments. Paul’s counsel related to a medicinal use, not a social enjoyment. What kind of wine was Paul recommending? Would the apostle encourage the moderate us of a drink which Proverbs 23:31 says “Look not upon the wine when it is red, ” a drink which brings “woe sorrow, babbling, and wounds” (Proverbs 23:29).

A drink which is deceptive (Proverbs 20:1), a drink which perverts the judgment causing tine eyes to behold strange women and thine heart to utter strange things (Proverbs 23:32-33). Certainly not! The Bible uses the word wine to refer to both an alcoholic fermented beverage as well as unfermented grape juice.

According to Isaiah 65:8, the new wine is found in a cluster and there is blessing in it. This is obviously the unfermented, freshly squeezed juice of the grape. Referring to the communion wine served, Jesus told His disciples that He would not participate in the service again until He “drank it new with them in the Father’s kingdom” (Matt.26:29).

The communion wine representing Christ’s pure, undefiled Blood must be unfermented since fermentation is a sign of sin. In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul encourages Timothy to use a little wine or grape products for his stomach’s sake. Unfermented grape juice has healthful properties for the body. Indeed there is blessing in the freshly squeezed juice of the grape.

The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8, ” Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” The advice is to be SOBER. When you are not sharp and have all your wits about you Satan can tempt and deceive you.

A recent health article on CNN.com states in part, The latest studies show you can get all the same benefits from grape juice as you can from wine. The reason purple grape juice contains the same powerful disease-fighting antioxidants, called flavonoids, that are believed to give wine many of its heart-friendly benefits.

The flavonoids in grape juice, like those in wine, have been shown to prevent the oxidation of so called bad cholesterol LDLs, or low density lipoproteins that leads to formation of plaque in artery walls. It goes to tell us that the alcohol found in wine is actually harmful to you, University of Wisconsin researcher John Folts, Ph.D.

Says, “with grape juice, you can drink enough to get the benefit without worrying about becoming intoxicated.” What’s more, alcoholic drinks don’t seem to improve the function of cells in blood vessel linings the way grape juice does.
And alcohol generates free radicals unstable oxygen molecules that can actually cause damage to blood vessel tissues dampening any of the benefits that red wines antioxidants may offer.

The word ‘grape juice’ first appeared in Webster’s Dictionary in 1896. In ancient literature wine had the dual meaning of fermented or unfermented grape juice. Aristotle wrote of a sweet grape beverage he called wine: “It has not the effect of wine, for it does not intoxicate like ordinary wine.” Marcus Cato describes “wine still hanging on the grapes.” Since wine could be fermented or unfermented, the translators of the King James Version of the Bible did not always specify which meaning the Hebrew yayin or Greek oinos had in a text.

We can’t assume that just because the Bible says ‘wine’ that it is referring to the fermented type.
As prudent Bible students we must sort out the context.
In John 10:10 in part says, ” I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” God says, In using alcohol we participate in destroying not only our own life but often the lives of others.

We must live for God and seek to honor Him in all that we do. ” Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God ” (1 Corinthians 10:31). It is impossible to drink alcohol to the glory of God. Despite the prevailing view that the Bible supports the moderate use of alcohol, we have seen that God has set a standard of total abstinence for Christians.

Is drinking alcohol wrong?

The Dark Side of Alcohol – Not everyone who likes to drink alcohol stops at just one. While many people drink in moderation, some don’t. Heavy drinking can take a toll on the body. It can cause inflammation of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis) and lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), a potentially fatal disease. It can increase blood pressure and damage heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).

Heavy alcohol use has also been linked with several cancers: The World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research indicate that there is convincing evidence linking alcohol to cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, breast, liver, colon, and rectum.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that both the ethanol in alcohol and acetaldehyde, a chemical formed from the breakdown of ethanol, are carcinogenic to humans in high amounts.

The risk is multiplied for drinkers who also smoke tobacco or have a poor diet. Problem drinking also touches drinkers’ families, friends, and communities. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and others:

In 2014, about 61 million Americans were classified as binge alcohol users (5 or more drinks on the same occasion at least once a month) and 16 million as heavy alcohol users (5 or more drinks on the same occasion on 5 or more days in one month).
Alcohol plays a role in one in three cases of violent crime.
In 2015, more than 10,000 people died in automobile accidents in which alcohol was involved.
Alcohol abuse costs about $249 billion a year.

Even moderate drinking carries some risks. Alcohol can disrupt sleep and one’s better judgment. Alcohol interacts in potentially dangerous ways with a variety of medications, including acetaminophen, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, painkillers, and sedatives. It is also addictive, especially for people with a family history of alcoholism.

What type of wine did they drink in the Bible?

So what did wine taste like? – Here’s my best estimation of what wine would have tasted like in Jesus’s day. Because of no filtration, biblical wine was probably not smooth but a bit harsh from constant exposure to the organic material that we usually filter out today.

The added must would increase the alcohol level a bit and extract an extra layer of tannin, making it a bit rough around the edges.
But because of the must added, the residual sugar levels would be higher, which would add juicy roundness to the harshness.
Red wine would probably be very dark in color, which is probably why in the Bible, Jesus uses it as a symbol for his blood.

And there would be no such thing as white wine, in my opinion. I don’t believe the ancient people were separating white wine skins from the juice and then fermenting separately. Wine made from white grapes would probably be amber in color from oxygen exposure and interaction from the must.

It, too, would be harsh and juicy, with less tannin but enough to really go well with the local foods. So wines at the time of the Bible were big, round, juicy, austere wines, red or amber in color. That austerity was often cut with water. It was basically required in the ancient world to dilute your wine with a little bit of water to round it out, and you were seen as a barbarian if you didn’t do so.

Pliny dedicates some of his writing to different ratios of dilution, depending on the wine, so as not to comprise the bouquet of a wine. If the couple getting hitched in Canaan were wealthy, then Jesus and his Apostles were probably drinking new wine that was diluted just right so that it was round and fruit-driven, with just the right amount of sweetness for the wedding guests to proclaim that it was the best around.