The Bible does not teach total abstinence from alcohol. In fact, there are verses that seem to be very pro-alcohol.
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7 ESV
14You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
- Psalm 104:14-15 ESV
He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.
- Deuteronomy 7:13 ESV
All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the firstfruits of what they give to the LORD, I give to you.
- Numbers 18:12 ESV
9Honor the LORD with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
- Proverbs 3:9-10 ESV
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
- Matthew 11:19 ESV
1Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
- 1 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV
23And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
26and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.
- Deuteronomy 14:23, 26 ESV
17And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?" ( Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7 ESV
14You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
- Psalm 104:14-15 ESV
He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.
- Deuteronomy 7:13 ESV
All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the firstfruits of what they give to the LORD, I give to you.
- Numbers 18:12 ESV
9Honor the LORD with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
- Proverbs 3:9-10 ESV
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
- Matthew 11:19 ESV
1Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
- 1 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV
23And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
26and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.
- Deuteronomy 14:23, 26 ESV
17And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?" ( Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
- Mark 7:17-23 ESV
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
- 1 Timothy 5:23 ESV
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
1On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4And Jesus said to her, "Woman,what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it. 9When 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 10and 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."
- John 2:1-10 ESV
Is God against light beer? (Just a Joke)
21How the faithful city
has become a whore,
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.
has become a whore,
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.
- Isaiah 1:21-22 ESV
In the New Testament the Apostle Paul doesn't speak against drinking, but he does spainst getting drunk or being a drunkard.
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 Corinthians 5:11 ESV
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
- 1 Corinthians 6:10 ESV
envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Galatians 5:21 ESV
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
- Ephesians 5:18 ESV
In the following verses (too many to lay out) we find examples where someone being drunk led to immorality. Also included are warnings against becoming drunk by drinking alcohol.
Genesis 9:20-26
Genesis 19:30-38
Leviticus 10:9-11
Numbers 6:3
Deuteronomy 21:20
Deuteronomy 29:5-6
Deuteronomy 32:33
Judges 13:4, 7, 14
1 Samuel 1:14-15,
1 Samuel 25:32-38
1 Samuel 25:32-38
2 Samuel 11:13
2 Samuel 13:28-29
1 Kings 16:8-10
1 Kings 20:12-21
Esther 1:5-12
Psalm 75:8
Proverbs 4:17
Proverbs 20:1
Proverbs 23:19-20
Proverbs 23:21
Proverbs 23:29-30
Proverbs 23:31
Proverbs 23:32
Proverbs 23:33
Proverbs 23:34
Proverbs 23:35
Proverb 31:4-5
Proverbs 31:6-7
Ecclesiastes 2:3
Ecclesiastes 12:8
Ecclesiastes 10:17
Isaiah 5:11-12
Isaiah 5:22
Isaiah 19:14
Isaiah 22:12-13
Isaiah 24:9
Isaiah 28:1
Isaiah 28:3
Isaiah 28:7
Isaiah 28:8
Isaiah 56:9-12
Jeremiah 35:2-14
Ezekiel 44:21
Ezekiel 44:21
Daniel 1:5-17
Daniel 5:1
Daniel 5:2-3
Daniel 5:4
Daniel 5:23
Hosea 4:11
Hosea 4:11
Hosea 7:5
Joel 1:5
Joel 3:3
Amos 2:8
Amos 2:12
Micah 2:11
Nahum 1:10
Habakkuk 2:5
Habakkuk 2:15
Habakkuk 2:16
Matthew 24:48-51
Luke 1:15
Luke 12:45
Luke 21:34
Romans 13:13
Romans 14:21
1 Corinthians 5:11
1 Corinthians 6:10
Galatians 5:21
Galatians 5:21
Ephesians 5:18
1 Thessalonians 5:6-7
1 Timothy 3:2-3
1 Timothy 3:8
1 Timothy 3:11
1 Timothy 3:11
Titus 1:7-8,
Titus 2:2-3
1 Peter 4:3-4
