Where in the Bible might there be mention about drug use?
This is a good question, and one that is very relevant in this world we live in. I think the distinction needs to be made between medication prescribed by a doctor (one of the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament addresses this) and illegal drugs that often cause hurtful and destructive behaviour, such as marijuana, cocaine, etc. Clearly, there is a difference. Drugs that are mind-altering should be avoided by Christians for several reasons. Just a couple of Scriptural reasons:
1. ) “Everything is permissible for me-but not everything is beneficial.”- 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NIV) While God is the Creator of all things, not all things are necessarily good. “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; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body”- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV) Since we were bought at the price of Christ’s death on the cross, why should we dishonor God by intentionally harming ourselves? We were made to glorify God, not to satisfy our own selfish desires. Also, the negative effects these substances have on the body need to be considered.
2. ) People who abuse drugs and/or alcohol often become violent or otherwise abuse towards others. This is a violation of the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself”-Matthew 22:39 (NIV) The most important thing a Christian considering drug use should ask themselves is: is a few minutes of being “high” really worth the risk of losing friends, loved ones, or eternity spent with God? A relationship with Jesus Christ is worth more than all the false pleasure that drugs can give. If you’re looking for happiness that’s not fulfilled by substance use, please give Him a try. Your sister in Christ,
AJ
______________________________________________________
I think that these scriptures pretty much spell out the fact that one shouldn’t use drugs or ANYTHING that would hurt our bodies. We should cherish them, as they are temples of the Lord.
1Corinthians 3:16-17 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”
1Corinthians 6:19-20 says…..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; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. MAY ALL BE BLESSED!
DeeDee
______________________________________________________
well, in the Bible times there were no drugs but alcohol, so i think all those scriptures pertaining to drunkenness apply to anything that perverts the body, mind and spirit.
______________________________________________________
WHERE ARE THERE DRUG USE SCRIPTURES IN THE BIBLE? Isa. 47:9—-Isa 47:12 Acts 8:11 Rev.9:21—-Rev. 18:23 I think so.
Porter
______________________________________________________
Dear one, In I Corinthians 6: 11-23 the reasoning is that the person is to take good care of this “house” we are living in while we are here. Although not one person is perfect, and over eats, does not rest enough, still the encouragement is that the person reaches the place of responsibility through God’s sweet grace and the leading of the Holy Spirit, to be as kind and caring of the body as one knows how to. God bless you.
Carolyn J. Welch
______________________________________________________
Alcohol is a drug:
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1
Anything used to dull the senses or induce a state of euphoria is a drug or drug like:
“Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!” Ecc. 10:17
Not only can we put substances in the place of God, some of the substances can be physically debilitating.
Teri in CO
______________________________________________________
There are many references to alcohol–alcohol is a drug, whether we want it to be or not. There are other references to health concerns, even though they don’t mention drugs specifically. Daniel 1:8 Daniel resolves to stand firm in regard to his health habits. You’ll notice in Daniel 1:15, 20 that he and God are honored by his decision. ! Corinthians 3:16, 17 tells us that our bodies are God’s temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul talks about running a race and compares it to the Christian life. 1 Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink…
God’ goal for us, His people, is that we will be healthy and strong. 3Jn. 2 The most overwhelming evidence against drug use is Mark 15:23, when Jesus was on the cross he refused to take the wine that was offered to Him as a pain killer. He is our example!
Ruth
______________________________________________________
You ask where in the Bible does it talk about drug use. I believe it talks about drug use, drinking and any other type of abuse in these verse’s. To me Paul is speaking out against all form’s of abuse to the body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
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; 20.You were at a price. Therefore honor God with your Body.
This pretty much say’s it all. talk to you later,
Donny
______________________________________________________
Question of the week : answer can be Ecclésiaste 12:1
bilanacos@msn.com
______________________________________________________
I will answer this in the sense that we are talking about illegal drugs here and not medicinal drugs. These drugs have a mind altering effect and render a person not in full control of their mental faculties.
Such a drug is alcohol. While the illegal drugs we are familiar with may not have been invented in biblical times, the bible has much to say about the use of alcohol. We can safely relate the cautions regarding alcohol to any other substance abuse.
Please bear in mind that the bible also has some good things to say about wine, however, it was common practice for Jewish people to refer to unfermented grape juice also as ‘wine’. Grape juice was boiled down into a syrup in which form it would keep a long time. This was then mixed with water as required to be consumed as a beverage. Being naturally sweet it was pleasant to the taste and as fruit juice it had some wholesome properties. People did not have access to cordial or soft drink in those days and look at how popular they are today.
For the purposes of this short study, I will simply say that alcoholic wine and non alcoholic wine are both referred to in the bible as ‘wine’. Once you understand that it becomes easier to figure how the bible can have both good and bad things to say about the use of ‘wine’. The bad things it says are all concerning alcoholic wine or ‘strong drink’, which is a term used to describe an alcoholic beverage made from other than grape juice. Both honey and dates were commonly used to make ‘strong drink’.
Here are just a few of the warnings about alcohol.
Ge 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
Ge 19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
Ge 19:34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
Ge 19:35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose
The use of alcohol enabled the sin of incest to take place between Lot and his daughters.
Le 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
Priests were forbidden the use of alcohol.
Pr 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Pr 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Pr 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pr 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup *, when it moveth itself aright.
Pr 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for * princes strong drink:
Some advice from King Solomon concerning the use of alcohol.
1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat
Paul advised us to have nothing to do with drunkards.
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit * the kingdom of God.
Ga 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Drunkards are among those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Now if you want to argue that perhaps a little alcohol will not make you a drunkard and that it is all right, I will not get into a discussion with you. I support the view that we have freedom in Christ to eat and drink. However I also support the view that the health laws of the Old Testament should be taken as good advice because there are very good medical reasons for following them. Likewise with alcohol. It is dangerous stuff and many are caught by it. It is addictive as are the other mind altering drugs common in our society. I do not deny the value of alcohol used for medicinal purposes, but should one self medicate?
Here is some more biblical advice.
Ro 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby * * thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
The use of drugs, even alcohol, is one of those things by which people stumble and are made weak. It would be difficult to reconcile their use therefore as being to the glory of God.
Dear reader, if anyone is caught up with drug or alcohol abuse or if you are not sure if you are using too much alcohol, I urge you to answer ‘The Savior’s Call’ in this newsletter.
Lance Wearmouth
______________________________________________________
* I use to smoke “marijuana”- which I do not believe God approves of…1 COR. 3:17…as the enemy had a “veil of deception”- over my mind, then! Wasn’t a daily smoker of this tool of the enemy; and was not a crack, heroin, etc. smoker/ user. The enemy had tricked me into believing that it was ok to smoke marijuana-as I wasn’t as sincere about the Lord, then either.
* That devil had me thinking that: since I would only use marijuana, and drink a few beers mostly on the weekends-an didn’t use harder more damaging drugs mentioned previously-IT WAS OK! -(Titus 3:3) In turn, I was VERY DECIEVED & yielded to that temptation, then! Wasn’t aware of God’s principles on this issue as revealed to us in: JAMES 2:10…For whosoever shall keep the whole law, yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Got to READING & MEDITATING on the Word of God one day…was reading in:
PROVERBS 28:13…He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
* Thought to myself, “now the Lord is not going to bless me if I continue to try to hide my “marijuana smoking,”- as this wasn’t something I advertised, nor made known to certain people…wasn’t thinking about the fact that I couldn’t hide it from the one,, in which it should have mattered the most-our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ.
After reading, meditating, and being steadily CONVICTED of this sin-by the Holy Spirit- finally made up my mind to NOT SMOKE MARIJUANA again- Asked the Lord’s forgiveness and His help thru prayer-“submitted to God, and resisted the devil”….James 4:7. Received that forgiveness, then The Lord kept helping me by strengthening my faith-(James 2:17, 26).
The Lord has kept the desires of this substance from me since June 12,
1999. Though, I didn’t have to check into drug rehabilitation or anything like that…God will, and does care for His obedient children! THANK YOU JESUS!
* Sometimes we may have to break a Bad Habit – one day-at-a-time. There may even be a grieving period over loosing a bad habit. But loosing a bad habit brings JOY in knowing that we are doing what’s pleasing unto the Lord! And isn’t that what really counts the most? HOSEA7@webtv.net