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Battling Drugs What’s the Bible’s Insight Into the Use or Abuse of Drugs? Here are 6 basic responses to the subject of drugs 1. It’s Already Illegal! A Christian should not buy, sell, condone, use or possess any drug illegally. Maybe you thought that the Bible was silent on the subject. Well, it’s not! God knew well before you were born that these temptations would exist. As a matter of fact, they have always existed! The Biblical principles of Romans 13:1-5 certainly still apply — (Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. God has established the authorities that exist. Consequently, the person who rebels against that authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.) and 1 Peter 2:13-17 (Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.). These Biblical verses are explicit: in such matters a Christian must submit to the laws of the land. Simply as law-abiding citizens Christians may escape many of the problems that plague others who skirt the law. Christian parents, then, by both precept and example must live and emphasize the importance of obedience to God’s authority granted to the state and country and those in authority. 2. It’s Bad For You! No matter how cool others say it is, — a Christian must not use any drug that is harmful to the body (or is likely to be so—cf. Romans 14:23, “But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”) in proportions that may be harmful. The Christian’s body is to be regarded as the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”) and should be used in order to “glorify the Lord” (vss. 13, “‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food’ - but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” 20, “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”; cf. also Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”) God has not given Christians an option about how they may use their bodies; their bodies, like the rest of themselves, belong to God (vs. 19), and must be used as He commands. 3. It Can Really Hook You A Christian is not to become addicted to or dependent upon a drug (1 Corinthians 6:12, “‘Everything is permissible for me’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible for me’—but I will not be mastered by anything.”). The Christian is not to “dabble” in the areas of sin. This is clear. God draws a line around this activity for our own good, and He says to stay away. He said the same thing to Adam and Eve and their disobedience doomed mankind until grace entered the world through Christ. While the controlled use of drugs for medical purposes under some circumstances may be legitimate, habituation and addiction imply a “mastery” of the drug (vs. 12) over the individual. When addiction is likely to occur as the result of medical treatment, the use of other non-addicting medication ought always to be sought, if available. 4. It’s Just Not The Best Choice A Christian shouldn’t be using drugs that distort his perception. They can easily mislead him to make wrong, sinful responses. Erroneous data growing out of intoxication or misperception can lead to false judgments and actions. In 1 Corinthians 12:23, Paul observes that all things do not edify. 5. It’s Not The Responsible Thing To Do A Christian shouldn’t use drugs as a substitute for responsible action in solving life’s problems God’s way. God has many good answers in His Word. Oftentimes the use of drugs is the lazy man’s approach to life. Taking drugs will not cause any of our problems to disappear. Drugs confuse us and cause us to become numb to those around us. Paul, the apostle, speaks against those who “sear” (i.e., make insensible to pain) the conscience (1 Timothy 4:2, “Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”) and characterizes the attitude of those who are “past feeling” as being at opposite an extreme to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:19,20, “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.” 6. It’ll Mess You Up! A Christian is not to rely upon distorted perceptual experiences and mastery by a chemical as a means of discovering truth or entering into a religious experience. That is clearly a “pull” in the wrong direction! That kind of attitude shows rebellion against God, since it substitutes drugs for the study of the Scriptures and the true worship of the triune God. God seeks true worshippers, who “worship in Spirit and truth” (John 4:23,24 — “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”) Truth and true worship are incompatible with the intoxication experience. The principle behind the verse “be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit” also seems to apply (Ephesians 5:18). If you need help, — call out, reach out to us. We will help you and our God will answer that cry. Many of our leaders know all about overcoming drugs from first-hand experience. We are travelers who have found The Way. We are glad to walk along the Way with you. Pastor Jan Paul Sattem |
