Bible Question:

A friend from school is constantly trying to challenge several of my beliefs. He says things that do not make any sense - things I KNOW are wrong but I can't seem to find evidence in the Bible that says so. Our latest disagreement is that he supposedly found somewhere in the Bible that “weeds are from God” and he perceives that it is “okay to smoke weed”....a ridiculous distortion of the Word. But it's hard to find places in the Bible that deal with something like smoking weed. Can you please, please, please help me out?

Bible Answer:

Well, he is right. God did make the weeds just as God made everything else. Just after the flood, God told Noah that he could eat any living thing that moved.

And the fear of you and the terror of you shall be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given. Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. (NASB) Genesis 9:2-4

God had already allowed humans to eat any plant in Genesis 29. Therefore, with Genesis 9:2-4 God allowed Noah to eat any plant and living animals that moved. Clearly some plants are poisonous or toxic and they may be eatable if we could determine how to prepare them..

Smoking In The Bible

The only place in the Bible that talks about smoking is found in the book of Genesis.

And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. (NASB) Genesis 24:64

Camels are a brand of cigarettes. This is the first example of smoking in the Bible! Light that camel and have a puff! Okay, I am just having fun.

Seriously Now

Scripture does not talk about cigarettes or drugs. It does not give us permission to smoke, nor does it give us permission to take drugs. It does not prohibit us from taking them either. But God does give us principles that clearly tell us smoking or “doing drugs” should be avoided. The New Testament says,

Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:18-19

The Holy Spirit starts by warning us to flee illicit sex. He then warns us to not harm our bodies by sinning and then explains a divine principle. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are not to harm our bodies. Sin is one major way of harming them. The principle extends to anything that may harm our bodies, including smoking, drunkenness and drugs. Here are several principles that are important to remember in deciding if an activity is consistent with biblical thinking.

PrinciplePassage
Am I to obey the government even when they outlaw drugs and other things I might consider enjoyable?Romans 13:1-6
Could it or does it control me?1 Cor. 6:12
Is it profitable and does it build me up? 1 Cor. 10:23
Does it or can it hurt others?1 Cor. 8:13
Does it glorify God?1 Cor. 10:31

Conclusion:

God does not provide a list of rules that tell us what we can and cannot do. He gives us principles by which to live. He is after our heart. He appeals to our hearts. The real question each of us must ask is, “What kind of heart do I have?” When the heart is correct, the Holy Spirit will guide you in the decision about smoking. Check out James 4:17.

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