In my home state of Massachusetts, recreational use of marijuana has been legalized, so there’s no breach of Romans 13:1 if a person smokes it. I had a conversation with a young person recently about whether smoking marijuana is a sin or not (remember, worldly laws do not supplant God’s law). For the record, my answer isn’t the topic of this blog, but just in case you’re curious, I typically answer this question with a summary of a few key passages. Since marijuana isn’t explicitly mentioned in the Bible, we must use other passages for guidance.
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
– Psalm 104:14-15
The Bible doesn’t strictly prohibit the drinking of wine, for example; rather, it clearly states that it is a gift from God to “gladden the heart of man” (v15). The issue is over-indulgence to the point of drunkenness (focus on this point for now).
So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
– Ephesians 5:17-21
At the end of the day, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10), so we must always protect ourselves from the adverse effects of over-indulgence, whether it’s wine or any other substance that causes “dissipation” (v18). After all, our bodies play a big role in our ability to obey and serve the Lord and the Body of Christ.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
– 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Intoxication has an adverse effect on the human body, a clear transgression of the command to glorify God in our bodies (v20). How much marijuana is “too much”, as in, “How much can I smoke before it’s ‘dissipation’”? Well, that’s for an honest person standing before the holy, sovereign God of the Universe to answer for themselves.
I often ask such a questioner, “You already knew the answer to your question before you asked me, didn’t you?” And in the vast majority of cases (especially if they’re a member of a well-taught congregation), they answer with a bit of chagrin on their face, “Yup.”
The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
– Romans 14:22-23
God has given each of us a conscience. The more we feed ourselves with the “bread of life”, the Word of God, the more informed and therefore righteous our good conscience becomes. Hence:
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
– James 4:17
In summary, my advice regarding smoking marijuana is simple – listen to your good conscience before the Lord. If you’re asking a guy like me for guidance, chances are you have “doubts”, right? “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (v23). ‘Nough said?
Again, the purpose of this blog is not about a person’s choice to smoke marijuana; that was just the spark which instigated my writing about the real issue at hand. Such exchanges like the one I described demand a much deeper introspection.
Instead of asking “Why can’t I?”, ask “Why shouldn’t I?”
For example, as just noted, why doesn’t God want a person to be dissipated? It’s because they’ve debilitated themselves from performing their duty to the Lord, which is to bring glory to Him. This alone disqualifies the accusation that God is a taskmaster who is only looking for blind obedience from His children. That’s a very immature posture to take before our perfect Father in Heaven. It’s a dismissal of His lovingkindness altogether. Lose sight of that, and you live a life of misery.
A mature believer understands that God gives us commands because He loves us and we need His divine guidance. And since He always knows best (even more than we do for ourselves), we should simply aim to learn His commands and then pursue obedience with every fiber of our being, including our bodies. Simply stated, mature motivation comes from understanding God’s purpose for His commands, not just the prohibitive aspects of them.
God isn’t a taskmaster; He’s a God of love. His commandments are guideposts and guardrails that keep His children in a place of blessedness.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome.
– 1 John 5:1-3
Whenever I contemplate v3 I think about all kinds of scenarios in life that aren’t explicitly addressed in Holy Scripture, and I think about the types of questions I’ve received as a pastor. A common theme sticks out like a sore thumb. I’d describe it as a humanistic perspective (e.g., sympathetic to the human flesh) versus a godly one.
The human perspective defaults to, “Why can’t I?”, whereas the godly perspective defaults to, “Why shouldn’t I?” There’s a world of difference between the two with regard to the degree of peace, contentment, and happiness a person enjoys. So, over the course of my ministry, whenever someone asks me questions about God’s commandments, I do my best to guide them to God’s reason for establishing them…
He loves you, silly.
Jesus knew His Father’s love more than anyone in human history. He went to the Cross to secure this perspective for all members of His family, hence His gentle encouragement:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
– Matthew 11:28-30
Yes, we are yoked to God’s commandments (Romans 6:16-18), but that’s a wonderful thing! With the right perspective, we want to obey the One who always has our best interests in mind (Romans 8:28); we want to know what pleases Him (Colossians 1:10); we want to be blessed as a result. It all begins with perspective, so be on guard against an unrighteous one attempting to rob you of your joy. Stop asking “Why can’t I?” and start asking, “Why shouldn’t I?”
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
– John 15:7-11
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins