Q. I know quite a few people who smoke marijuana. I must honestly say that a couple of them are believers. I tell them it's wrong, but they won't listen to me. Are there any verses in the Bible to convince them that this is wrong?
A. Like many modern issues we face every day, there are verses in the Bible that relate to this issue. No, there aren't any verses that specifically say, "Thou shalt not smoke 'The Cronic'." But other passages do address issues we can apply to the decision of whether to smoke pot. Here are three verses that offer wisdom and guidance:
1) "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" (1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV).
Your body is a rental. It belongs to Yahvah. You want to treat it well. In fact, if you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit of Yahvah actually dwells in your body. So does smoking pot honor your body or the Holy Spirit? No. It takes you out of control, changes who you are and can lead to other drug use or addiction. The body is Yahvah's temple, and we should keep it free of substances that draw us away from him.
2) "Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you" (Ephesians 5:18, NLT).
This is talking about drunkenness from alcohol, but it's the same concept. Weed causes a person to be intoxicated. You can lose control. Many people who smoke weed violate their values because they are high. So, it's impossible to be high on any substance (including marijuana) and walking in the Spirit of Yahvah at the same time. Either the intoxication will rule your life or the Spirit will.
3) "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Yeshua …" (Colossians 3:17, NIV).
If a person truly desires to live for Yahvah in word and deed, then everything they do will be to give respect and honor to the Lord. Smoking weed doesn't fit that description. I can't imagine that someone truly living for Yeshua would think this would be a way to live a life that glorifies and worships our Lord.
To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure these verses will change your friends' minds about pot. For that to happen, they'd need to be willing to open their hearts to God's plan for their lives. Probably the best way to reach them will be through modeling a lifestyle that says to your friends: "I'm having a great life without weed."
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