GOD AND DRUGS

GOD AND DRUGS

Does God Condone Drug Use?

     What does the Lord have to say about drug use, not only the illegal ones, but perhaps some of the legal ones as well? Please read this prayerfully and let the spirit of the Savior guide you into truth and deliverance [John 16:13, Hebrews 12:5-11].

     I will try not to sound vindictive towards those who use drugs, but rather towards the negative and destructive effects of many of the drugs in use today. Man cannot actually reprove someone spiritually anyway, because it is the Almighty who does the reproving in that manner [Romans 2:1, Ephesians 5:11, John 16:7,8].

     I understand many of the reasons why people turn to drugs for fulfillment. People who use drugs are seeking to obtain the very same spiritual things that spirit filled believers have, and which unbelievers, and even many Christian believers, often do not have: peace, contentment, motivation, spiritual knowledge and discernment, to name a few [Galatians 5:22-26].

     We're all trying to cross the same canyon, but instead of taking the bridge which Yahweh has provided, which can be trying at times [Matthew 7:13, 14], to get to the other side, the way we sometimes choose to cross that "canyon" is like trying to cross on a tightwire while wearing ice skates not realizing for awhile that God's way is the best way [Matthew 11:30, John 6:65]. If you are reading this, then you are undoubtedly seeking to find God's way.

     There are both believers and unbelievers who have a drug problem. Every one of us on earth have problems of one kind or another, and we deceive ourselves if we let ourselves be condemned because we're not as devout as some other person [II Corinthians 10:12]. Not a one of us has it made until we draw our last breath believing and trusting in Jesus Christ [Philippians 3:11-16], because all of us have sinned at one time or another [Romans 3:23].

     Note that though law enforcement is not a church entity nor a replacement or substitute for church, they print pamphlets to educate the public about drugs, which thing is good and can help users to get off of the drugs [Mark 9:40]. Remember that there are very few accounts in the Bible where people were considered so wicked that they had no hope of redemption. And if you are reading this, then it is because the Lord is calling upon you to let Him help you [Proverbs 1:23].

     Both believers and unbelievers alike, even the mightiest preachers, prophets, teachers, healers and other devout believers [I Corinthians 12:28] have many, if not all, of the same human problems. The biggest difference is, that where human effort fails, believers who desire to stay in tune with Jesus Christ, rely upon Him as the solution [Ecclesiastes 9:2, I Corinthians 2:3, Joshua 24:14-16].

     To deal with the obvious first, if the law says that something is illegal and it doesn't hinder us from obeying the Lord, then we are to obey the law, as honoring God who ordains the powers that be, ALLOWING [not condoning as such] even the unjust to be in authority at times [Romans 13:1-7, Acts 4:17-20, Titus 3:1,2, Acts 5:27-29]. We should pay extra attention to the fact, by his own admission, that the Apostle Peter, before turning to follow Christ, was a sinful, loud, obnoxious and boisterous man, also having a vile temper [Luke 5:1-8, 22:31-34, 45-51, John 18:26, Matthew 26:69-75], even denying having known Jesus at one time, before being truly converted and filled with the Holy Ghost [Acts 2:1-4, 14]. Peter and some of the other Apostles had problems with suppressing some of their natural inclinations even after conversion, being filled with the Holy Ghost and having ministered for years [Galatians 2:11-21]. Back to the main point of this paragraph, Peter the former "rebel" mentioned in both of the books he wrote that we are to honor rightful authority, even when it is abused [II Peter 2:10-12, I Peter 2:13-23], as also the Apostle Paul mentioned [Romans 13:1-7, 12:18]. Suffering wrongfully is one of the hardest things to do, but by the grace of God we can do so, knowing that "what goes around will come around", eventually [Galatians 6:7, Obadiah 15, Hosea 10:12,13]. That goes for all mankind. We each reap what we sow.

     What about the people who use drugs in moderation? That may not be harmful to the body. But what about the profits from the sale of illegal drugs, perhaps some of the legal drugs? Does not some of it end up in the hands of those who keep people in slavery and bondage? [James 5:1-6]. We read about the people in South America and other places who are forced to work in the fields for the plantation owners who grow and sell illegal drugs, ship those drugs into the United States, and murder those who refuse to work for them or who stand up against them. And many of those people maim and murder people who do good, including Christian missionaries. By supporting the illegal drug trade, and again, perhaps certain legal ones, would not that make us partakers of other men's transgressions against God? [I Timothy 5:22].

     II Timothy 3:1-7 describes characteristics that we should not have, but which are part of the sinful, human nature with which we are born. We do not have to be taught how to do evil; we have to be taught how to do good. Evil doings come naturally to the human being, but the Almighty will work with us to take away bad desires, inclinations, characteristics and the like, if we let Him. Some of the bad human nature includes selfishness, desiring what others have just because of jealousy, bragging, cursing God and man, disrespectful to parents, unthankful, disliking others for no real reason [keeping in mind that we can't get along with everybody], picking fights with and aggravating those who are at peace with us, false accusations, raging anger, hatefulness, being willful, and betraying our trust.

     Many drug dealers are charismatic, which a lot of people mistakenly assume is Godliness in itself, but the dealers deny that God is all powerful, by their actions mostly. Drugs and/or money and power is their god, or idol, rather than the Almighty. They slyly get people hooked on drugs, and more or less control them, creating virtual slaves. They are continually expanding their knowledge about earthly things, especially concerning ways with which to keep from getting caught, but never come to the belief that God should be worshipped and obeyed, not earthly objects [Titus 1:16].

     Drugs and dealers fool people into believing that the drugs give peace, freedom, power and Godly knowledge and discernment, often professing a belief in God and Christ [Romans 1:19-23, James 2:18,19]. Dealers and users often believe the lie themselves, not realizing that they are in bondage [II Peter 2:19].

     How can drugs give real freedom and peace, when there's always the chance that Johnny Law is going to be knocking on the door? What about health implications from drug use? There are many dealers and users who were once close followers of the Lord, but walked away for one or more of a number of reasons [Ephesians 4:18,19]. Maybe the modern day Pharisee cast them down or caused them to be ostracized. So what? Jesus told us that things like that would happen, and when it does, we should jump for joy [Matthew 24:4-13, Mark 13:9,12,13]. God will render judgement, justice and holy vengeance upon those who do such things [Hebrews 10:30, I Corinthians 5:12,13]. Our salvation is primarily between each of us, as an individual, and God through Jesus Christ [Philippians 2:12]. If they say that a person's soul is beyond hope, then they have, in most cases, condemned themselves [Romans 2:1]. They said the same things about King David and Job, as well as many other upright men and prophets [Psalm 3:2, Job 1:1]. Sometimes it seems as though, when we really get down, that there is no hope for us in God [Job 17:15, 19:10, Matthew 27:46]. Whatever the circumstances are, we need to remember that Christ suffered more than any other person ever has or will, yet he remained faithful to the Father, who never changes [Malachi 3:6, James 1:17], until and beyond the day that He took Him back to heaven, where He sits at the right hand of the Father, being our mediator and propitiation for our sins [Hebrews 12:1-4, 2:9, 4:15, I Peter 2:19-25, 4:1,2, 3:9,14-18, I John 2:1,2, I Timothy 2:5,6].

     We only get truly converted once, and if we trample on Christ, we deservedly get severely punished [Hebrews 6:4-10, 10:26-29]. But these verses do not mean that we cannot come back to Christ and God, provided that we haven't gone too far. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and He will if we truly have a penitent heart [I John 1:8,10]. What may remain is the memory of past sins, at least for a time, and probably always, but the Holy Ghost will tell us when we are right with the Maker [Romans 8:16]. The fifteenth chapter of Luke plainly shows that a backslider can be, will be, and is accepted back by the maker through Christ, once we return to Him, and it has always been so: "Return, O backslidden Israel" [Jeremiah 4:1, Romans 2:28,29]. A person is not a sheep unless they are or have been a believer. Why would a shepherd go out and hunt for a sheep that didn't belong to Him? The younger son wasted his inheritance, yet was received back by his Father, once he came to his senses and repented of his riotous living. Some will say that the two sons represent Israel, the chosen people, and the Gentiles, but that would be a contradiction, because the Gentiles [anyone who is not a Jew] never had the promises of God under the old testament, only the Jews, the Israelites. You cannot have the inheritance unless you are one of the Father's, one of the household [Ephesians 2:19]. Therefore, the younger son cannot represent a never before converted person. What the two sons represent spiritually, is two people who have bcome children of God, and one of them walked away from the relationship [II Timothy 4:10], as some have done. How could an unbeliever have received part of God's inheritance, much less misused it? [I Peter 4:10].

     Those who say that backsliders, or most other people, including drug users, are unredeemable do not understand the grace of God [Matthew 23:13], having forgotten or failed to acknowledge that all humans except Jesus Christ, are of a sinful nature, having inherited it from our parents, who inherited from theirs, and so on, all the way back to Adam, the sinful nature being the ability and willingness to sin [Romans 5:12-21, 7:11-25]. [Note that even though we are born with the sinful nature, a person is not accountable until reaching a point in their life at which they realize right from wrong in their heart: Deuteronomy 1:39, II Chronicles 36:9]. The sinful nature is something that God takes away through obedience to Him, often little by little [Romans 8:1-25]. If someone tells you to get clean and then go to church, or seek God somewhere, then they are misunderstanding the way of Christ, who came to help those of us who are sick and acknowledge it. Do you get well before going to the doctor's office? Of course not. And the Great Physician wants to let Him help us [Matthew 23:2-4,15,16,23,24,25-34,38, Matthew 11:28-30, 18:11, Mark 2:17, Romans 10:9].

     I have heard people say, that if you have ever used drugs, that you can never be as spiritually sound as people who have never used drugs. That is simply not so. How can something that is of the earth hurt anything except what is natural? [John 3:1-8]. The physical and spiritual worlds are two different, separate and distinct worlds, just as the body, soul and spirit are three different, separate and distinct things [Genesis 2:7, Ecclesiastes 3:18-21, Hebrews 4:12, Deuteronomy 6:5]. The physical part of us, and the spirit [might], or life giving force, cannot perceive the things of God as such [I Corinthians 13:12], as only the Holy Ghost can reveal the spiritual things of God to our soul [I Corinthians 2:8-16], and then the soul can control our spirit and thus, the body [Proverbs 16:32, James 3:2-17].

     No product on earth is unclean of itself [Romans 14:14]. What is unclean is the activity which we allow drugs, or anything else, to cause us to do or refrain from doing [Mark 7:15-23]. Anything we put before the Almighty is an idol, whether it be relying upon that item for what only God can provide, or neglecting God and His things due to that item, which can be anything [Luke 16:13, Luke 6:31].

     It is true that some of the harder drugs, and household products, can cause hallucinations and brain damage, and hallucinations are spiritually hazardous [Colossians 2:18,19, Ephesians 6:12], which is of the darkness [Colossians 1:13, John 12:35]. All darkness is darkness, and all light is light [John 8:12, James 1:17]. Human beings are by nature the children of darkness [Ephesians 2:2,3, Romans 3:23, Ezra 9:15], and fall short of deserving God's grace, even when we are at our best [Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8,9, Psalm 119:96, Matthew 23, Psalm 33:16, 147:10, Amos 2:12-16]. Since natural products and strength do not give us spiritual strength nor knowledge, they also cannot damage the soul of themselves. What damages the soul is any disobedience to God and His bidding [Revelation 14:12]. Therefore, once we discontinue willful sin and disobedience, we can allow God to repair the spiritual part of us, which tends to healing of the spirit and body, by using spiritual weapons [II Corinthians 10:3-5, Ephesians 6:13-18]. I have been so exhausted a time or two, including when I was driving an eighteen wheeler, that I saw things in the road which weren't there, due to lack of sleep. It is documented that Navy Seals have even experienced that during the initial training. There is a difference between those kinds of things and the spiritual things which God, via the Holy Ghost, reveals to us. And we can, through Christ, triumph over those things [Philippians 4:7,13, Exodus 15:26, Psalm 41:4, Romans 2:28,29, Hosea 14:1,4, Luke 4:18].

     Let's say now, for the sake of disputing [Acts 17:17], that all drugs are legally acceptable. If we spend time and money doing drugs, are we taking up the cross, or putting it aside? [Matthew 16:23-25]. Are we loving and worshipping God, oe earthly things? Can we really be Christlike by doing that? Believers are to follow Christ, who came, not to be ministered to, but to minister to others [Mark 10:45], and who now ministers from the right hand of God the Father [Acts 7:55], by the Holy Ghost [I John 2:1, 5:7, Acts 2:33, John 14:16-20, 26-28].

     Drugs and alcohol can cause us to have the same way of thinking that Lucifer, the devil, had. He thought that he was as the Almighty Himself [Isaiah 14:12-16]. Those things can also cause us to be out of our minds in other ways, as well as sinking into despair. How can we gird up the loins of our minds to follow Christ, being under the influence of things that keep us from being in our right minds? [I Peter 1:13]. If we partake of such things, we walk into a trap [Proverbs 1:18], sapping our strength, letting our own reasoning bring us low [Proverbs 14:12], quenching the spark of life, our youthfulness and our vigor [Job 18:5,7,8,9-18]. It is a natural inclination to indulge, or overindulge in acceptable things, in things that do not really help. When our conscience bothers us, or when the Holy Ghost strives with our heart, human nature has a tendency to cause us to turn to earthly things for comfort, thinking that the pressure is from without, when really it is from within [Proverbs 3:11, 1:23]. And even when the pressure is from without, having Christ in our lives can enable us to have inner peace no matter what [Philippians 4:7]. Those of us who have learned the right way of trying to achieve peace [I Peter 4:4], were at one time crying out to the wrong god, such as the prophets of Baal did [I Kings 18:17-29].

     I understand how that drugs can make people seem to have Godly qualities about them, perhaps due to stress being relieved, but they are a cheap imitation. In Moses' day, the magicians of Egypt, who did not worship God, duplicated some of God's "miracles" (pestilence, other curses), up to a point, but beyond a certain point were unable to duplicate any more of them. Not only that, but they were also unable to undo one of their duplications and the damage it had caused. Moses had to pray to God for a reversal. So by trying to be as God, the magicians cursed themselves and their people [Exodus 7:10-12, 20-22, 8:6-8, 16-18]. After that, the magicians acknowledge that God was more powerful than their gods. Whether or not any of them ever began to worship the true God the Bible doesn't say. The Bible does say that we need to take heed when the Lord strives with our heart, not just when we want to [Proverbs 1:23, Psalm 32:5,6].

     To say that drugs are not pleasurable would be a lie, because they are, just like a lot of other things which we don't need. But Jesus Christ can give us peace in our hearts and minds, which is so good that we can't fully understand [Philippians 4:7]. As long as we're on this earth we will have problems [Romans 7:14-25], but we can overcome [I John 2:14-17].