Why I don't drink alcohol

To me it is not an issue of “thou shall not”

The New Testament teachings are clear:

We are not under the law, food & drink don't make us unholy or unclean & we are not saved by works.

But there are several reasons why I choose not to for the following reasons:

1) When I see the Day approaching I want to be in a good state of readiness & alert

2) An ambulance officer, fireman, Medical Doctor, Policemen should not drink on duty; even more so we as Christians, are we not all on duty? How much more important is our heavenly call, than even those honourable vocations.

3) To many weird additives & chemicals, specially in wine these days. It is not the same pure drink as in the time of the Lord Jesus.

4) What if by accident you drank a little to much & you get stopped & found driving over the limit ? You were not drunk, but still, you broke the law. What kind of testimony is that?

5) So many Christians & people in general struggling with alcohol abuse & trying to overcome or just have overcome. And so many have seen & experienced the violence & damage it has done to families. For those reasons I will abstain, so I am not a stumbling block to anybody.

Some more practical & medical reasons:

• Better Sleep & More Energy: Alcohol disrupts REM sleep, often leaving you groggy. Without it, you wake up with more sustained energy.

• Mental Clarity: Alcohol is a depressant, which can trigger or worsen feelings of anxiety and sadness. Sobriety helps regulate moods and clear "brain fog". 

• Physical Well-being: Quitting or avoiding alcohol drastically reduces daily calorie intake, lowers the risk of chronic health conditions (including certain cancers), and improves digestion. 

• Financial Savings: Even just cutting back socially can save significant money over the course of a year. 

• Safety & Control: Avoiding hangovers means you can retain full control of your actions and drive safely at all times.

• Mental Health and Sleep: As a depressant, alcohol can disrupt normal sleeping patterns and exacerbate feelings of sadness, anxiety, and stress. 

• Next-Day Productivity: The dreaded "hangxiety," hangovers, and lack of focus make getting through the following day much harder, which clashes with early routines or career goals. 

• Medication Interactions: Many prescription and over-the-counter medications are unsafe to mix with alcohol, requiring total abstinence.