To the Point

What should I say when people ask why we don’t drink tea or coffee?

The Word of Wisdom is the Lord’s law and commandment regarding what we put into our bodies (see Doctrine and Covenants 89). One thing it tells us is to avoid “hot drinks” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:9). Joseph Smith and other Church leaders have explained that this means tea and coffee.

While the Word of Wisdom has obvious health benefits, this is not the main reason we follow it. We follow the Word of Wisdom because we have made a covenant to obey the Lord’s commandments.

The Lord has promised us great blessings for keeping the Word of Wisdom, including spiritual blessings. For instance, He has said that we will receive health, wisdom, and great treasures of knowledge, as well as His protection (see Doctrine and Covenants 89:18–21).

Many people in the world drink tea and coffee, and the fact that we don’t may seem strange to them. Some people may even tell you why they think tea, coffee, or other things prohibited by the Word of Wisdom are actually healthy. But again, the main reason we live the Word of Wisdom is because we have made covenants to obey the Lord’s commandments, and we will receive blessings for doing so.