Sober Truth: A Christian View on Drugs

The landscape of both the medical and recreational drug worlds is changing rapidly in America. Consumerism of products once banned from coast to coast has now become a booming industry in many states with others soon to follow. Controversy over vaccines continues to be a frequent topic on the daily news. The choice to even consult doctors or turn to any medical solution at all when sickness comes is considered by some Christians to indicate a sinful lack of faith.  Millions seek solace and escape from the pressures of life through mood-altering substances, legal or otherwise.

How should the child of God navigate these issues? More importantly, what does the Bible tell us?  The scriptures provide very little if any specific instruction on the subject of drugs in general. Consider that God’s Word was delivered under inspiration of the Holy Spirit to authors living in ancient times. While the use (and abuse) of mind-bending chemicals is nothing new in human history, the prevalence and scope of the drug epidemic today is far beyond anything they could have imagined at the time of their writings.

We do have some biblical guideposts along the way we can apply. First of all, there are natural healing elements found in Creation. Genesis 1:11-12 tells us that God spoke “vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit” into existence and “saw that it was good.” The medicinal and therapeutic value of certain plants and trees has been recognized and utilized for thousands of years in many different cultures around the world. Essential oils, aromatic therapies, and safe dietary supplements derived from God’s creative handiwork provide health benefits for millions of people. In the pharmaceutical arena, antibiotic medications such as penicillin are refined from naturally occurring molds. Over the course of time, God has allowed the ongoing discovery of the blessings in His natural world to be used for saving lives and easing our suffering in times of illness and injury, just as He intended.

Unfortunately, it is man’s tendency to take what God meant for good and pervert it for his own selfish reasons. One of the primary arguments used by many people for the recreational legalization of marijuana is that it is natural and God-made. Two critical facts are ignored in that position. First, all of Creation was indeed good at its inception. Those who eagerly cite Genesis 1 as proof that marijuana is beneficial will typically ignore Genesis 3 where we find that a good and perfect Creation was corrupted by sin, bringing death and disease upon everything in it. What God intended for good, man perverted through his disobedience and rebellion. Second, the marijuana being commercially grown and processed for today’s market is not the cannabis species in its natural state at all. The intoxicating chemical compounds involved have been engineered to levels far beyond anything available even ten years ago. The long-term effects on brain health and cognitive function from high-powered strains of marijuana are of increasing concern to the medical community. It could take a generation to know the full extent of the damage being done.

One of the growing trends in modern holistic treatment of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, suppressed trauma, and sleep disruptions is the administration of microdoses of hallucinogenic drugs by trained clinicians in a controlled environment. You may have heard of ayahuasca retreats in places like Costa Rica, Colombia, and Peru. They are even beginning to spring up here in the U.S. in those states which have legalized the use of “magic mushrooms” and peyote. Professional athletes, Hollywood celebrities, psychiatrists, addiction treatment specialists, and even some clergy have testified to the positive results seen from these psychotropic therapies. Not coincidentally, the use of psychedelic drugs among young adults has tripled in the last decade to an all-time high, no doubt encouraged by such popular advocacy.

There is an interesting Greek word which appears in multiple verses in the New Testament. “Pharmakeia” is used in Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 18:23. The same NT Greek root word appears in Revelation 19:21, 21:8, and 22:15. These are translated into English texts as “sorcery,” “witchcraft,” and “sorcerer.” Ancient secular Greek uses of pharmakeia closely mirror those of the generic English words “pharmacy” and “drugs.” This parallel strongly suggests that the use of mind-altering drugs was a common element in pagan religious rituals intended to open the worshiper’s mind to their gods. From a Christian view, we recognize those gods to actually be demons bent on deceiving and enslaving those who unwittingly make themselves vulnerable to their destructive influence.

One aspect of the drug question which no Christian can ignore or rationalize away is the question of legality. If the federal, state, or local government enacts laws which make it illegal to possess, use, manufacture, or distribute any controlled substance, it is off limits. For example, the number of states which have either legalized or decriminalized the recreational use of marijuana is growing. It would be tempting to use that trend to justify partaking of those products in states where they remain illegal. The Bible makes it clear that Christians are expected to obey the laws of the land in which they live. The only exception is when man’s law directly violates God’s Word (Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:27-29). In this context, our personal opinion as to whether such choices are acceptable takes a backseat to the firm instruction of scripture to comply with the law.

There are many wonderful Bible passages which affirm the value God places on our sobriety and thought life. Meditate on these. Cling to these. The world tries to sell us on many artificial substitutes to achieve wellness, contentment, and harmony. We who abide in Christ already possess the genuine source, the One who delivers those things without fail. His presence is our first and greatest prescription for whatever ails us.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” (1 Peter 1:13)

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have diving power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every false idea that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples 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 bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God – even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10:31-33)