In a world where alcohol is glamorized, even expected at celebrations and social gatherings, Christians are often faced with a difficult question: Is drinking really that dangerous? The Bible doesn’t leave us in the dark on this. God’s Word warns, not casually, but strongly and repeatedly, about the dangers of alcohol, and for good reason.

Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” That’s not just poetic language; it’s divine truth. Wine doesn’t just sit silently in a glass. It mocks. It deceives. It leads people to say things they regret, to behave shamefully, and to lose their grip on reality and righteousness. Strong drink doesn’t just stay in the bottle; it causes fighting, neglect, sickness, addiction, and broken lives.

We’ve all seen what alcohol can do. Families torn apart. Promising futures wrecked. Marriages crumbling. And perhaps even more dangerous than the immediate damage is the slow dulling of our spiritual alertness. 1 Peter 5:8 commands us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”Alcohol dulls our senses, and when our senses are dulled, Satan doesn’t rest.

Some argue that Jesus turned water into wine, so it must be acceptable. But the word “wine” in Scripture doesn’t always refer to what we know as wine today. The Greek word oinos could mean anything from freshly squeezed grape juice to fermented drink. The Bible doesn’t celebrate drunkenness, in fact, it condemns it harshly. “Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). That’s not permission to dabble. That’s a contrast, either we are under the influence of the Spirit or under the influence of something else.

For the Christian who truly wants to please God, the question isn’t “How much can I drink and still be okay?” but “What leads me closer to God?” Alcohol clouds judgment, tempers self-control, and often opens the door to sin.

As believers, we are called to be set apart, shining as lights in a dark world, not blending into its behaviors. A sober life is a safe life, a sanctified life, and a surrendered life. Choose the path of purity and holiness. God is calling us to live with clear minds and clean hearts, not with glasses half full, but with lives fully surrendered.

By: Justin Odom