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What Does The Bible Say About Drugs?
Question- What Does the Bible Say About Drugs?
Answer- The Bible is very clear about the works of the flesh. The word drug is never used in the English version of
our bible but that does not mean that the Lord has not addressed it.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20- Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you and you
have of God, and you do not belong to yourself. For you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your
body, and spirit which are God’s. While the bible does not use the words, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA) or
methamphetamines (Meth), Cannabis, peyote magic mushrooms or acid (LSD). It also does not mention anything
about huffing, snorting, vaping, or any other method of ingestion. This is not to say, however, that recreational drug
use if permissible to God. On the contrary, there are several very clear passages that deal with the principles that are
violated by these unacceptable behaviors. The above passage is the main one. God has given us one physical body,
and it is the shell God has given us to give glory to Him as we live within the confines of our time on earth. We are
to be good stewards of that possession (Matt. 25:14-30). Christians are commanded to live above reproach for the
sake of the gospel. (1 Corinthians 10:32; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 6:3; Titus 2:1-8; and 2 Peter 3:14).
Christ purchased us with His own body and left us an example of how to live. His body was free of anything that
would cause it to be tainted. His body was spotless and unblemished (1 Peter 1:17-19). Another point that we need
to consider is that all of these substances, are not of light but lead to darkness and consequently belong to the devil.
Our Lord and Master is Jesus and He only walks in the light and commands us to do the same (1 Jn, 1:17). Jesus
also said that His followers are the light of the world and though we are in the world we are not to be of the world
(Jn. 17:14; Matt. 5:14-16). We are to let our light shine that they can see our good works and glorify God. In Rom.
12:2- we are not to be conformed to the world but transformed. In 1 Cor. 15:34 we are told to remain sober-minded
and alert and vigilant against the wiles of the devil (1 Peter 5:8). Drugs cloud the mind and cannot be classified in
the category of things that are of the light.
With these passages above we can conclude that drugs are 1. Illegal (even if they were legal that does not mean they
are godly behaviors). 2. They are connected with things that lead us into darkness not light 3. Drugs use cannot be
classed in the realm of things that are good works (Jn. 10:32). To seek to justify drug use in any form or quantity
with “walking in the light” being sober minded’ keeping ourselves unspotted from the world (James 1:27- pure
religion and undefiled before God is to visit the widows in their affliction and keep yourself unspotted from the
world. Drug use does not encourage moral integrity (it compromises it). It does lead to being clear-headed and
reasonable (it hinders it). 4. It is condemned by the use of the word “witchcraft” includes in its definition the word
“pharmakeia” which includes the action of taking mind-altering drugs as part of pagan rituals. Galatians 5:20
condemns this as a work of the flesh. Anyone who tries to get you to take drugs of any type today is trying to get
you cloud your reasoning capacity. 5. Drug use is not something Christ would engage in or encourage other to
engage in. Drugs lead people away from Christ not towards Him.
The bible does not have to list every drug on the spectrum in order for the drug to be something that is prohibited by
God. Sins of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-20 includes the term “and things like this” at the end of the list. Certainly,
drugs would fall into this category (let me say that nicotine, alcohol and marijuana would be included in this
discussion also). The Christians is taught to seek things above (Col. 3:1).
