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NASB | Genesis 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 1:12 The earth sprouted and abundantly produced vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, according to their kind; and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it. |
Subject: question to smoke pot or not |
Bible Note: The summary of Christian liberty you cite is reasonable, yet I question its application in this case. Consider the potential consequences of using liberty in Christ to justify our actions, thereby setting an example for others to follow: Matt 18:6 "but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Of course, the problem comes only if the actions are sinful. I understand that this is precisely the question you're asking in regard to smoking pot, and my point is that experience shows time after time that drug abuse interferes with one's relationship with God, even to the point of getting the person to think they are immune from such influence. It reminds me of a line from the movie "The Usual Suspects", when Kevin Spacey's character says "The best trick the devil ever pulled was getting people to believe he didn't exist." (my paraphrase) Also, consider Paul's admonition about our liberty in Christ: Romans 6:15 "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!" Again, the problem comes when the actions are sinful. Of course, the final authority for such personal decisions is the Holy Spirit, yet He does not force anyone to follow or even to hear. While He has given His Word in Scripture, He also leads us in our daily lives, when we attempt to apply His Word to specific circumstances unique to our times. A person who is spiritually lost must recognize that fact and then sincerely admit the need for guidance. Then, when He speaks, to listen and obey. But you already knew this. As a follower of Christ, you stand ready to do or not do as He commands. So rather than attempt to validate your decision by intricate debate, ask Him his will in this. But don't ask until you are as ready to stop smoking pot as you are to continue. Until you are ready to obey, asking is not meaningful and no amount of logical analysis will persuade you to abandon your selfish desires. Parable. p.s. in an earlier note, you said that you have access and don't support the illegal drug trade. I presume this is because you are smoking your father's pot that was prescribed to him by a doctor. Offering prescribed medications to others and taking another person's prescription are violations of federal law. So, for you to smoke pot in this way implies that you and possibly your father are committing a crime. In this specific case, scripture is clear that you must stop. Forget the idealistic arguement about what it would mean if this were not the case. The fact is, this is the case and this is the situation in which you are called to apply scripture. Hypothetical situations, by definition, do not exist. |