The Drug Epidemic

     There is a drug-use epidemic. Lives are ruined because of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, designer drugs, and especially crystal meth. After the earth was cleansed, Noah immediately turned to alcohol after deliverance from perishing (Gen 9:21). His attitude was not one of gratitude but defiance; I will still do what I want to do. The Earth had been washed clean from drunkenness, licentiousness, fornication, and ribaldry; then Noah engaged in the same obnoxious behavior. Because he could not face tomorrow without a crutch, Noah's seed was cursed (Gen 9:24-26). To this day, drunkenness is a curse. 

     I have relatives who are addicted to alcohol and also several friends. They despise their addiction but keeping on imbibing. Their inebriation is one of two things: (1) enjoying the moment or (2) enabling them to face tomorrow. Only a fool would say that drunkenness is beneficial; but most believe that consumption is attractive and stress-relieving. Only fools would deny that alcohol addiction is possible without alcohol consumption. Most consume alcohol anyway, gambling that they won't become drunken nor addicted. How do people know if they are addicted? Quit consuming. If it is troublesome or difficult to abstain, then it's an addiction.

     Although alcohol use is pleasuring for the moment to most people, inebriation may be to face tomorrow. The same goes for marijuana, and other drugs. Drugs remove inhibitions and stress. Gateway drugs, after inhibitions are released, allow people to advance to harder drugs. Sin always works in the same manner: "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" (Jas 1:15). Lust, the affect of temptation, brings forth sin. The cause is temptation. 

     Why would anyone consumer anything which "brings forth death?" Because it is tempting! People always think of death as cessation of physical life; death is really the loss of the contents of the soul. The soul yearns to be filled with something. There are two: iniquity or the Spirit of God. They cannot coexist for any length of time without guilt ensuing. The soul is much like a pressure cooker; when sin becomes to great to bear, the "steam" is released. Either sin must be released or God's Spirit will bleed from the safety valve!

     Those who use drugs to escape reality or for pleasure, either dismiss God as frivolous or emancipate themselves from dependence on God. Isolation from God is the ultimate death! That's what the Word was trying to get across to Adam and Eve, but they failed to understand the entire concept of death. Those who gamble with drug usage of any type fail to understand what death is. Drug use creates the walking dead; they are still physically alive but with dead souls. Today, they are called zombies, and anyone who has associated with inebriates, potheads, or meth users know they are little more than pitiful zombies. Sober people do not hate nor fear them, but have pity on their lost souls. 

     Can Christians be drug abusers? Sure they can, but they gamble with their soul. In a Faustian manner, they trade off to Satan God's Spirit for just a little pleasure. When that makes them feel good, they trade a little more of the Spirit for a little more pleasure. That repeats until all the Spirit is gone and the pursuit of pleasure becomes their heavy cross! Like it or not, but the Doctrine of God is that Christians do not "lose their salvation," but trade it off for pleasure!

     People use drugs, oftentimes, to face the future. That task belongs to the Comforter - Jesus's Holy Ghost. (John 14:16). Jesus have up his Ghost (Luke 23:46), and later his body and Spirit reunited (the resurrection.) Jesus's Spirit experienced death on the cross but only God's Flesh died. Therefore, Jesus's Spirit experienced death and became his Holy Ghost (John 7:39).

     The Holy Ghost's purpose is to comfort. People often use drugs to comfort. That is not respectful to Jesus. It makes his death - his very purpose - in vain! Consider the Gaither song, "Because He Lives:"

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives. (Written by: Gloria Gaither, William J. Gaither Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP)

     Jesus died that people have hope in the future. Jesus died to remove fear and make life worth the living. Gaither captured Jesus's purpose well! Although Jesus died to save all immortal souls from perishing (John 3:16), people still kill their souls one drink, one hit, one huff, one pill, or one needle at a time. Understand this: if you refuse that drink or joint, chances are that you will never face harder hits. I have never spoken to a young hard drug user who had not previously consumed alcohol or smoked marijuana. Some say that potheads have character flaws which make them dependent burn-outs. I submit that taking the first hit is a character flaw because it is irrational to live in a stupor!
    It is unknown whether hard drugs were a problem is ancient times or not. Perhaps they were not as foolish as people are today. However, the Bible uses the example of strong drink, perhaps wine with strong alcohol content:

Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. (Isa 56:12).

     People drank strong drink because they perceived that facing the future would be easier. That is a false perception! There was always another tomorrow, and with strong drink, maybe a harder tomorrow:

Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (Jas 4:14)

    The concept of "tomorrow" is abstract. People live for tomorrow. Like Adam, they eat of deceptive fruit, living only for the moment. Christians look for tomorrow in the more distant future. Christians can face tomorrow because of the hope of eternal life.
     Now for my concern: The western world is in an epidemic.  I have relatives who have lost their lives because of drug use. I have acquaintances who have died because of cocaine. I have loved ones who depend on marijuana to cope with life, and who have no relationship with God. Lack of communication with God is spiritual death! How can God convict people of sin when their inhibitions are not there? Those who depend on getting high to face life, deny God whose purpose is to provide hope. People can rationalize their cannabis use using logic: "See, I smoke it and didn't die!" Adam saw Eve eat of the forbidden fruit, and she didn't seem to die, so he ate. That deception is of the Serpent. That first drink or huff could be the beginning of death. No one sees that until death is imminent!
     I have people I love dearly who are addicts. Because I love them, does not make their sin okay. One is being charged with attempted manslaughter because he did things when high on meth. Just three of four years ago, he was a "good" kid. Now he may face many years in jail just because he wanted to feel good.
     I have another loved one who smokes marijuana daily. He depends on marijuana. He can't face the day without it, how could he dare face tomorrow? How will he face God at the Great White Throne judgment when he cares more for Maryjane that Jesus? He visits MJs house daily but never enters God's house. Just who is his God? Well, I believe his God is himself, and Maryjane just appeases him.
    Christians are now accepting the "tobacco lie." For years, the tobacco industry taunted cigarettes as acceptable, appealing, popular, and even healthy. They lied! Now the same industry is promoting marijuana. People are again accepting the lie. The way of the Serpent is deception and stupid people are easily deceived. Unfortunately, with even mild usage, people become more stupid!
     I will never be addicted to drugs of any type. How do I know that? Because I will never consume any drug. If you have, then you gamble with addiction, and maybe your life. Addictions destroy lives! Addictions destroy families. Addictions destroy careers, and addictions may even destroy eternally living.