In pc16 Why Christians shouldn’t use drugs? we examine what is a biblical position about hallucinogenic drug use. The Bible condemns this kind of drug use as being a doorway to the demonic world. It is regularly used in witchcraft and wicked, pagan religions to “communicate with the spirits”, and we offer help in the form of Bible verses to break the addiction to drugs.
Why Christians shouldn’t use drugs?
By David Cox
[PC16] v1 ©2008 www.coxtracts.com
This tract can be freely reproduced for non-profit use.
All things are lawful unto me,
but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1Cor 6:12
It is very sad to see that the use of hallucinogenic drugs is already very common, even among some Christians. Let me clarify and limit this tract to illegal drugs, those not with a doctor’s prescription for a disease. When a doctor prescribes aspirin for a headache, this drug is legitimate and restores health. This tract deals with illegal drug use for recreational and entertainment purposes.
Two out of every 3 young people in high school have tried an illegal drug before they graduate. If we consider alcohol as a drug (and it is), then this rate rises to 90%. 30% have tried a drug stronger than marihuana. The first cause of death among youth 15 to 24 is drunk driving.
. Contents
Drugs in the Bible
W.E. Vine says (about the word “witchcraft” in Rev 21:8) that “PHARMAKIA is used as a synonym for witch, someone who uses drugs, throws spells, does witchcraft.” The word “pharmaceutical” comes from this Greek word “farmakeia” [G5331], which means “medication”, magic, witchcraft. This word in its different forms is commonly used with the concepts of witchcraft in Gal 5:20; Rev 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15. Perhaps the connection between witchcraft and drugs is not very clear to many people, so let’s clarify where the two become one and the same thing. Satan and his demons exist. They are condemned to prisons of darkness (Jude 1:6; Mat. 25:41; 2Pet 2:4), but they do have a presence here on the earth through humans that lend themselves to them and listen to them. In turn, these evil spirits still have the ability to act or cause some of the wishes of these people to come to pass, even though it always goes wrong somehow because nothing good can come from the evil spirits’ intervention in human life. God prohibits any contact with them.
Then throughout history, there has existed groups of people (witches, wizards, warlocks, and magicians) who disobey God in order to seek and learn how to “use” these loaned powers, and some become experts (witches). At times they are very clear in their concepts that demons are behind their powers (witchcraft and Satanism), and at others, they don’t associate the two (Mother Nature, Mother Earth, Druids, etc.). These latter people deny God (often even demons) but use and manipulate supernatural forces. Sometimes they think they are dealing with dead departed human beings, which according to the Bible is impossible for such beings to return to earth or communicate with other “live” human beings (Heb 9:27; Luke 16). The Bible declares that at death, everybody goes to their eternal destiny never to communicate with or return to earth (the saved will return after the resurrection). Job 7:9-10 “As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him anymore.” In other words, as long as they live, people have to do with earthly events, but at death, they have nothing to do anymore with “earthlings”. Dead human beings will never return to speak or communicate with the living (period). Always these people who make contact with evil spirits using witchcraft, divining, necromancy (talking to the dead), etc. God has placed the death penalty in OT on anyone “that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death” Lev 20:27. But in this contact with the spirit world, these people use means or helps to make contact, such as alcohol, hallucinogenic drugs, certain exercises (like Yoga and Transcendental Meditation, etc), or even certain rhythmical music, or combinations of these, which all do the same thing, they change the state of consciousness “opening the door” to the spirit world so that contact can be made. The link between this spiritual and the physical is chemical changes in the brain that facilitates communication with demons. Alcohol is a chemical that specifically impairs moral and logical judgment.
Truthfully few who use drugs or alcohol understand this link between the two, and their use is “recreational” or to “feel good”. This is an exaltation of “feelings” to a level that it becomes the person’s god, idolatry; everything else in his life revolves around it. Seeking the effect of “feeling good” has become an extremely strong addiction. Actually alcohol and other emotional things can equally become idols. Some try to defend the use of drugs as using what is in nature, made by God (Gen 1:11-12). But there are natural substances that are poisonous, and these people don’t take them because it harms their bodies. Because it is in nature is somehow to grant permission to use it.
Drugs don’t solve any problems
Pro 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Many people begin drug use for fun, but others because they want to escape their problems which they cannot handle. All drugs produce euphoria (“a high”) that leaves one feeling “good.” This intoxication (or in biblical terms, being drunk) is prohibited by God (Rom 13:12-14 “Let us walk… not in drunkenness… make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Gal 5:19 “the works of the flesh are… witchcraft… drunkenness… they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” 1Co 6:9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither… nor drunkards … shall inherit the kingdom of God.” In other words, the person who idolizes the “feel good” effect of these things allowing it to dominate and control his life is not a person who has accepted Jesus as his Savior. When this good feeling so controls you that the will of God becomes insignificant or powerless in your life, then you have another god.
Drugs affect your body for the worse
1Co 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
These drugs alter the body when you use them, and they cause addictions or control that is not what most people think of when they start using them. With just one single use of cocaine, the same effects can return repeatedly years later without your control or desire. In some cases, the first use cases a heart attack and death. All of these things (including alcohol) are chemical poisons to the body destroying your organs and the body reacts accordingly towards them (rejecting them and filtering them out of the blood).
See also
Drugs are a satanic weapon
Drugs fulfill the purposes of Satan to “steal, kill, and destroy” John 10:10, but as the person comes under the domain and control of Satan, this usually is of little concern to him. Drugs and alcohol have profound effects on human beings, and are chemical agents that loosen or release the moral restrictions that a person lives by; (they destroy a strong conscious). These intoxications always cause people to make bad decisions (Isa 28:7), usually the first of which is to continue on with the substance, and this is why Christians never even get started with them. Under their influence, people do things that they normally wouldn’t do “in their right mind”, and thus they are given away in bars and discos so that their patrons will freely spend their money there, and so that the women will accept sexual encounters that normally they would reject otherwise “in their right mind.” Even the law refuses to allow people “under the influence” to drive or operate dangerous machinery, because it is obvious the kind of effect these substances produce. If unsaved people can see this and make laws against it, why would a child of God ignore it and “loosen his conscience” by using such things? Isn’t this exactly what Satan would want you to do? Aren’t you entering voluntarily under the power and domain of Satan? God wants us to set ourselves against such things (1Thes 5:6-8; 1Pet 1:13-17; 5.8-9; 1Cor 9:25-27). Taking drugs is to almost completely remove all our moral defenses so that sinning is easier. Why do it? Mat 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” 90% of all drug use begins with “softer drugs” (alcohol, marihuana, etc).
Drug use is illegal.
God has commanded us to submit to the civil laws where we live (Rom 13:1-5; 1Pet 2:13-14; Tit 3:1). The road of drug use breaks laws, and usually stealing, lying, and other abuses are essential to sustained drug use.
We are responsible before God
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. We owe God for our salvation, therefore we must honor God. 1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. The use of drugs is an abuse of our bodies which any obedient Christian won’t do. Paul exhorts us in the case of alcohol Eph 5:17-18 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. We should saturate with the Holy Spirit, not with chemicals that hurt our bodies and debilitate our minds.
Drugs cause dependencies
2Pe 2:19 for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. Peter taught that to have a dependency to something like a drug or a sin is to be a slave to it. Drugs give the feeling of euphoria, that all is well, when it is not,, because you are enslaved. The Bible exhorts us to live with control over ourselves (1Cor 9:24-27; 2Pe 1:6).
Breaking the addiction
Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. We cannot break the addiction alone, God must help us. An addiction is a spiritual problem as well as a physical one, in which the thing takes God’s place, and we must return God to Lord over our lives and to be the center of our life. The love of “feel good” must be replaced by a love of God, obedience to Him. God commands and empowers us to control our bodies, and part of that is separation from the culture that goes with drugs and alcohol that can trip us up later on. Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. We need to distance ourselves from even people who would influence us towards it (1Cor 15:33; 5:11).
More Tracts in this Category
Most people buy a cup of coffee many times during a year. I spend my time and money writing good doctrinal content, and I am finding and formatting good old books for the Christian public to use in their studying the Bible. I have Bible college degrees where I have studied Greek and Hebrew. I have had donations over the years, but usually it is very little, like once every 6 months to once a year sometimes. One of my sites (I have 34 sites, about half are in English and the rest in Spanish) costs me about $10/month per site. Because the rent for having these sites on the Internet comes due every month, I have to pay it out of what me and my wife have to pay rent and food. Please consider a donation of any amount. Just a donation of the price of a cup of coffee can greatly help us with these costs and assure that new material is always coming.
-------- >>> Donate Today <<<--------
Even a small donation will help me greatly! Thank you! May God bless you for your prayers and your financial donations. (If you do not have a PayPal account, there is an option to donate using any bank or credit card even though you don't have a PayPal account.
Can you please explain how being a slave to an addiction is paradise? In the tract “Why Christians shouldn’t use drugs?” you wrote, “To have a dependency (addiction) is to be a slave to it, and it is paradise”. Thank you.
Hi Antonio. Okay, my apologizes. I must have been translating that late at night, because that is nothing like what I wrote in Spanish. I fixed it. Please see the post (above). Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
I have corrected this.
All of my tracts are written in Spanish, and I translate it from Spanish to English. I use translation software to do this, and sometimes it doesn’t translate some things correctly.
The original Spanish was