https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/LegalizingDrugs.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W, Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: James 5:13-18<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nI. I heard yet another radio program where the host was arguing for the legalization of\ndrugs.\n A. His main argument was one of many that I have heard: “We losing the war on\ndrugs”\n
B. The idea is that we can’t win, so let’s stop the fight of a never ending battle.<\/p>\n C. Most Christians oppose the use of drugs, but I think many of us would be hard\npressed to produce the Scriptures to say why drug use is inconsistent with living a\nChristian life.\n
II. Medicinal drugs did exist in biblical times<\/p>\n
A. Oils were used for wounds – Isaiah 1:6<\/p>\n
B. The good Samaritan used oil and wine for wounds – Luke 10:33-34<\/p>\n
C. Anointing the sick with oil – James 5:14<\/p>\n
D. Balm, an ointment like Vaseline, was used for medicinal purposes – Jeremiah 8:22<\/p>\n E. Because of Israel’s sins, it is compared to a wound that there is no healing\nmedicine available – Jeremiah 30:12-13\n F. In speaking of the perfect land, Ezekiel talks of a place where healing herbs are\nalways available – Ezekiel 47:12\n
G. They had painkillers given to those suffering torturous deaths – Mark 15:23<\/p>\n
H. Timothy was encouraged to use wine for his stomach ailment – I Timothy 5:23<\/p>\n 1. In fact, Timothy is an interesting case because it appears he only drank\nwater and avoided alcohol. \n
2. Even when ill, he had to be encouraged use alcohol as a medicine.<\/p>\n I. However, there is a large difference between medical usage and usage for\nentertainment purposes.\n
1. Many want marijuana legalized because of some suspected medical uses.<\/p>\n 2. If it has use that a doctor proscribes, then fine, but we have many regulated\nmedicines.\n 3. The use of a drug for medicine is not authorization for casual, recreational\nuse.\n
III. Non-medicinal drugs were used in biblical times as well<\/p>\n A. Drugs are sometimes used to lower a person inhibitions, so they will do things\nthey normally would oppose, such as fornication\n 1. Alcohol is often used today. Some have found that adding Rohypnol\n(commonly called the date rape drug) to alcohol removes all inhibitions.\n
2. Similar mixtures are alluded to in the Scriptures<\/p>\n a. Hosea 4:18 – After drinking all their liquor, they commit\nfornication\n b. Habakkuk 2:15 – The NASB and ASV follow the Hebrew more\nclosely. Where many versions talk of pressing the bottle, the\nHebrew says mixing in wrath (or poison).\n
B. Wines mixed with drugs increased the intoxication – Proverbs 23:29-35<\/p>\n
C. It was even a focus of contests – Isaiah 5:22<\/p>\n
D. The use of drugs is also included in the word translated sorcery.<\/p>\n 1. It comes form the Greek work pharmakeia<\/i> which means “to administer\ndrugs.” We get our work pharmacy from this same word.\n 2. Drugs were used to invoke “highs” and hallucinations. Without a\nknowledge of what was involved it appeared to be special power. Much\nlike voodooism in West Indies.\n 3. In the list of works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 is the mention of\nsorcery. In other words the ones who use drugs. They will not inherit the\nkingdom of God.\n
a. Listed as part of those sent to the lake of fire – Revelation 21:8<\/p>\n
4. The unrepentant continue in their sorceries (drug use) – Revelation 9:20-21<\/p>\n a. Notice the things listed are often associated with drugs: idol\nworship, murders, immorality, and theft. \n b. A similar list is in Revelation 22:15: dogs (homosexuals), sorcerers\n(drug users), the sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, and liars.\n E. The Septuagint version also used this same word for many instances of sorcery in\nthe Old Testament.\n 1. Jezebel is accused of practicing harlotry and sorcery (drug use?) – II Kings\n9:22\n 2. Nineveh is said to make merchandise of nations though her harlotry and\nmakes merchandise of families through her sorcery (drug use?) – Nahum\n3:4\n
IV. Why do people turn to drugs?<\/p>\n
A. The influence of others – I Corinthians 15:33<\/p>\n
B. Anxiety, wanting a chemical fix to calm them – Philippians 4:6<\/p>\n
C. Thrill seekers – II Timothy 3:4<\/p>\n
D. Lack of courage, a chemical way of avoiding problems – I Corinthians 16:13<\/p>\n
V. Arguments for the legalization of drugs<\/p>\n
A. We are losing the war on drugs<\/p>\n 1. By this they mean that after all the money spent on enforcing drug laws, it\nstill continues.\n
2. The deception is that no law stops crime. <\/p>\n a. Should we stop pursuing thieves because the laws against stealing\nhave not stopped it?\n b. This was Paul’s argument on the weakness of Law and the reason\nit cannot save – Romans 7:7-11\n 3. Whether drugs should be illegal or not must be based on the morality of\nusing drugs, not its ability to be enforced.\n 4. If we are losing the war on drugs, the society must change its acceptance\nof drug use and teach that principle to its children.\n
B. Drug use will happen anyway, so we must make it safer<\/p>\n
1. This is the argument behind various clean needle programs.<\/p>\n 2. It sounds noble, but it sends the message that drug use is tolerated by the\ngovernment. \n a. Is it a wonder, then, that the war on drugs is losing ground when\nwe send messages that its use is tolerated?\n 3. It also promotes drug use by making its use cheaper and reducing a risk to\ntaking drugs.\n 4. We should not be surprised, the government does the same subtle\nencouragement in its sex education programs.\n
C. If used responsibly, some drugs can be used harmlessly<\/p>\n
1. Usually the drug in question is marijuana. <\/p>\n
2. The problem is marijuana is not harmless<\/p>\n a. It is a known carcinogen. More potent than tobacco, which is the\npopular drug to hate today for that very reason.\n b. It causes a distortion in the perception of sight, sound, time, and\ntouch. It interferes with thinking and problem solving. It can cause\na loss of coordination, paranoia, and anxiety attacks.\n (1) We rale against drunk drivers. What happens when\nmarijuana use is legal?\n (2) Even illegal, it is the second leading cause of all traffic\naccidents (alcohol is number one).\n (3) With alcohol, the effects wear off after a few hours, but\nmarijuana is stored by the body in the fat cells. It takes up\nto three months for effects of regular marijuana use to wear\noff!\n c. Marijuana measurably lowers a person’s IQ. When taken during\nthe teenage years, this effect can become permanent.\n d. While the effect of marijuana reduces inhibitions against risky sex,\nlonger term users of marijuana lose their ability to have sex and\nchildren.\n 3. The reason drugs are illegal is because they are known to cause harm. It is\njust that some people will not admit the facts.\n D. The reason crime is associated with drugs is because they are illegal. If we\nlegalize them, the price will drop, the drug cartels will go out of business, and\ncrime will drop.\n 1. I find this twisted reasoning fascinating. If you legalize an action, which in\nthe past was considered a crime, then of course “crime” will go down.\nHowever, it doesn’t affect whether the action is right or wrong.\n
2. Sex outside of marriage use to be considered a crime. <\/p>\n a. Has legalizing it reduced the number of participants or increased\nthem?\n
b. Has legalizing it impacted related crimes of prostitution or rape?<\/p>\n
3. What will be the expected impact of making drugs legal?<\/p>\n
a. Will the number of drug users go up or down?<\/p>\n
b. When the price drops will more or less people buy a product?<\/p>\n c. With an addictive product, would you expect the producers to go\nout of business or make a bundle?\n d. Since drugs generally reduce inhibitions will risky and often\ncriminal actions increase or decrease?\n
E. Some people need the drug for medicinal use<\/p>\n 1. Then the use should be proven and properly prescribed as a controlled\nsubstance\n 2. But what is usually pushed for a removal of all controls and requirements\nfor testing\n 3. What also is voided is limiting to those known to need the medication. It\nbecomes a “I wanted it, therefore I need it” situation.\n
VI. The Bible teaches Christians to keep a clear, sober mind<\/p>\n
A. Paul taught that young men and women were to be sensible – Titus 2:4-6<\/p>\n
1. The word means sound in mind, self-controlled, in the right mind, or sober<\/p>\n
2. Drugs produce artificial feelings and imaginary thoughts (hallucinations)<\/p>\n 3. Drug users are reckless, yet the sensible man is careful in his actions –\nProverbs 14:15-16\n
B. Christians are told to exercise self-restraint – I Corinthians 9:24-27<\/p>\n 1. Our bodies are to be our slaves, yet drugs create dependencies. Our bodies\nbecomes slaves to a chemical high.\n
2. We are suppose to have control over ourselves – II Peter 1:6<\/p>\n
3. By what a man is overcome, to this he is enslaved – II Peter 2:18-19<\/p>\n
VII. Addiction can be overcome<\/p>\n A. Romans 6:17-18 – Through obedience to God and his teachings we can be freed\nfrom sin\n
B. Psalm 119:11 – Treasuring God’s word in our hearts frees us from sin<\/p>\n C. Not that we some special power of our own, but we have the strength and\nencouragement of God – Philippians 4:13\n
D. It requires keeping our thoughts pure – Philippians 4:8<\/p>\n
E. It requires persistent prayer – I Thessalonians 5:17<\/p>\n
F. It requires giving our lives over to Christ, becoming his slave.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W, Hamilton Text: James 5:13-18 I. I heard yet another radio program where the host was arguing for the legalization of drugs. A. His main argument was one of many that I have heard: “We losing the war on drugs” B. The idea is that we can’t win, so let’s stop the fight of a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[372,38],"class_list":["post-13010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-drugs","tag-morality"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":54279,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/not-what-they-told-you-opioids\/","url_meta":{"origin":13010,"position":0},"title":"Not What They Told You – Opioids","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 23, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Titus 2:1-8 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Opioids are a class of drugs derived from opium \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They include heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, and many more \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0These were originally developed because they attach to the opioid receptors in your brain, muffling your perception of pain and increasing your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13198,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/excellent-article-on-drugs\/","url_meta":{"origin":13010,"position":1},"title":"Excellent article on drugs","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 3, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just read your article on drugs.\u00a0 Excellent. Particularly timely in light of the epidemic of psychotropic drugs such as Ritalin nicknamed by some the \"Cocaine for Kids\".\u00a0 I have written extensively exposing psychotherapy which creates false diagnoses which then leads to compulsory medication in many cases. [The letter\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36294,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-makes-marijuana-work-does-it-lead-to-using-other-drugs\/","url_meta":{"origin":13010,"position":2},"title":"What makes marijuana work? Does it lead to using other drugs?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have some questions about marijuana. What are the ingredients in pot that produce that \"high\", mind-altering feeling that users crave and the \"munchies\"? 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We have worked so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51413,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-a-christian-dies-due-to-an-overdose-of-drugs-do-they-enter-heaven\/","url_meta":{"origin":13010,"position":4},"title":"When a Christian dies due to an overdose of drugs, do they enter heaven?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When a Christian dies due to an overdose of drugs, do they enter heaven? Answer: That would be a judgment that God makes. 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