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J
Some say it's physically harmful, some say it isn't. I don't know how setting anything on fire and sticking it in your face could possibly be good for you, but that's just me. What I DO know is that I've worked a lot of terrible accidents (electrocutions, motor vehicle, etc.) where lives were lost as the result of someone admittedly being under the influence of pot.
The OP is apparently a US citizen (per flag), so unless it's for medical purposes or it's peyote for Native American religious ceremonies in certain areas, it is illegal. Doesn't Romans 12 talk about obeying the laws of the land (up to the point that they compromise our walk with Christ)?
I'm not debating the health issues or whether the laws are right are wrong. I'm simply saying what the present situation is, as the OP is dealing with the here and now in her question, not possibilities.
The OP is apparently a US citizen (per flag), so unless it's for medical purposes or it's peyote for Native American religious ceremonies in certain areas, it is illegal. Doesn't Romans 12 talk about obeying the laws of the land (up to the point that they compromise our walk with Christ)?
I'm not debating the health issues or whether the laws are right are wrong. I'm simply saying what the present situation is, as the OP is dealing with the here and now in her question, not possibilities.
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Juliana is right, and I said the same thing she did about submitting ourselves to the law. Now, it is illogical to say that weed helps you in your walk with God because in reality it doesn't in any way, it might ease you up and make very relaxed but you can be sure that all the credit for our walk with God must be given to the Holy Spirit because it is He that produces fruit in us and He's the one who leads us to all truth and He is the one who comforts our soul and builds us into the man God wants us to be.
The Lord works in mysterious ways. He uses ALL kinds of tools to get His children to follow Him. We should never strive to understand or believe that GOD cannot and will not use anything and ALL things for whatever His will in methods that go far beyond our understanding. He used sinners to learn the Way. He told Abraham to kill his own son, to measure his amount of obedience toward the Lord. He turned water into "wine" He said to consume all things that are placed before us as long as they are not sacrificed to idols, and so long as you do it in His name. "All things are lawful for me, yet all things are not expedient" I personally have absolutely beyond any arguements sake seen marijuana bring people to the Lord and are to this day great in their christian faith even to the point of bringing me back when I was lost. The truth is that none of us should dare to say what the Lord will and will not use for His purposes. He works in mysterious ways Amen.
J
The Lord indeed uses many of our mistakes and past sins to bring us to Him. That's very different from someone who is already a christian (like the OP) willfully disobeying the scriptures by disregarding the laws of the land set in place to protect us by authorities God has placed over them (Romans 12), but that's an entirely different thread and I don't want to derail this one.
so much I believe depends on how mature we are as "christians" while the Lord calls us we are sinners and sinners we remain until many of the pieces of the puzzle form to give us the grand picture. The Lord knows what we are ready for and just like quitting cigarrettes some people are ready to remove different vices in different stages. God knows and will lead us. Also if 3 men came to me and wanted to drink alcohol and were open to talk about God I would drink it moderately with them but I would drink. So as also if 3 men approached me and invited me to smoke with them and they were open to talk about God I would smoke with them (if I felt that was the one way they would be receptive to what I had to say) There are things the law says is okay, that the bible says is wrong. In like manner I would say that we who live on a spiritual plane live above the laws of the flesh. Its not what we do, its why we do it. And when the time is right (just as a baby weenes from his mothers milk) the young who smoke to calm themselves and feel their spirit over their flesh will also grow out of it.
also lets go a step further. Lets say this vice of smoking marijuana brings them to the spiritual side and they feel they can talk to God easier both by themselves and talk about God easier with their friends. But also they have a vice that goes straight to the flesh and wedges between them and GOD like fleshly lusts. Would it not be reasonable to use the marijuana to cope with the original stages of removing that which separates us from God? We are at war here. A spiritual war against principals. I say slay the largest dragon first. And if I can use one enemy to shield me from a stronger enemy then so be it. Often times our christian struggle is likened unto being surrounded by many enemies. While you slay one it would behoove you to stand behind another to shield you from the masses. Eventually they shall all be slain, praise God. (the standing behind an enemy to shield you from another enemy is a ninjitsu technique, and not to symbolize that we shouldn't stay in the protection of God at all time, it was a visualization of a real hand to hand combat battle as an example) though not a very good one I'll have to admit. But if we were all standing in a circle I'd be glad to demonstrate 
J
That's not the OP's question. She's asking whether it is a sin for her to do it. If the vices you named are healthy, good and right for us to do, why would those who do them need to quit, gradually or otherwise?
You are correct when you say that we all have our battles (and will until we die), but that's not the question.
You are correct when you say that we all have our battles (and will until we die), but that's not the question.
when all we know is our flesh. As our spirit is quickened and we know something else is. This journey can take years until we get it right. In the mean time we have many problems with anger, frustration, lust and deceptions. Marijuana can be used as a tool to bring forth your spiritual side and connect you with the love in your heart before you are able to do so yourself. Jesus is the bringer of peace and I say to you that marijuana has brought peace into my household and many households where peace would otherwise have not abounded. There are (fact) people who have heard the words of Jesus while smoking and from those who were also smoking and were brought to the truth. All of them that I know of quit in the following years but for the first 10 or so years of my faith I continued smoking and the Lord still showed Himself to me, He still guided me and He didn't hold my smoking against me. It wasn't until 10 or more years later that I decided to give my absolute EVERYTHING to GOD as I had matured in my faith and then not only the weed left, but all passions that I had for myself outside of GOD also left, surely I say to you that the day a person should have to give up marijuana for their faith there should be nothing left in themselves to give up but marijuana can go last.
Hmmm, a tool to bring forth your "spiritual side". From a biblical stand point I disagree with this statement. The function of His word is to bring us to all truth and the result of IT ALONE should bring us peace, joy, and contentment. It is only the blood of Christ that CONNECTS us to the love of the Father through the Holy Spirit. When He died and rose again He didn't send marijuana for us to seek it so that we can find peace, He sent His Holy Spirit. From a human standpoint, yes marijuana does make you quite relaxed and if God used it in your walk with Him praise God! But ALL honor,praise, and glory be to God alone because He alone is the fountain of peace and His name alone is a strong tower.
J
I will again agree that putting off the flesh and growing in the Spirit is a gradual process. I simply don't see what spiritual maturity has to do with whether a thing is a sin or not. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. If a thing is a sin, we need to shed it, however long it takes. If not, we don't. You seem to agree that at some point we need to shed it, so it really doesn't appear to me that we disagree.
EXAMPLE: You mention violence. If I had a habit of punching people in the face before I became a christian (which is also illegal), is it okay for me to continue to punch people in the face after I given my heart to the Lord? I'm not saying that I might not punch one or two until I had grown spiritually, but I still think punching people in the face would be a sin no matter how long it took me to stop doing it. I think the people I'd be punching would agree.
EXAMPLE: You mention violence. If I had a habit of punching people in the face before I became a christian (which is also illegal
), is it okay for me to continue to punch people in the face after I given my heart to the Lord? I'm not saying that I might not punch one or two until I had grown spiritually, but I still think punching people in the face would be a sin no matter how long it took me to stop doing it. I think the people I'd be punching would agree. I understand your biblical reference however you seem to be failing to realize the importance of "baby steps" when I searched for God a spurt of anger would flush me far away from The Father, Yes, absolutely marijuana has helped reign me in during my spiritual infancy and brought me back to Christ. It has pulled me back from my flesh into the Spirit, regardless of what anyone thinks, or claims, I experienced this and I am done here I have said all I can say.
it is legal for me to sleep with whomever I wish without marriage. It is legal to smoke cigarettes and to drink alcohol regardless of how many it kills, it is legal for me to sleep with men and even to sleep with my dog, I don't think that the human "law" is the best way to decide what is right and what is wrong.
a true sin is that which brings us away from God. Its a fleshly desire which we choose for ourselves. I believe its a sin not to read your bible every day. I believe its a sin not to pray to the father every day. I believe if you don't feel the urge to read your bible on a daily basis than you are lost. God says its not just doing the act that is the sin but harboring it in your heart. It is not what you do it is why you do it. If you smoke to calm yourself because nothing else seems to work. If you pray to God but something is lacking in your faith and you don't know how to fight against the anger of the world against you than I think it would be very wrong indeed to say it is better to be angry and lose your temper than to smoke something and talk with the Lord on a personal basis. I must go, it was good talking with you all.
J
Hmm..I guess I didn't address this clearly enough in my first post. I find no scriptures indicating that smoking pot is a sin. I DO find scripture in Romans 12 indicating that it is wrong for a christian to disobey the law of the land established by those God has put in authority unless and until it causes us to disobey the instructions of the Lord in the scriptures (and nowhere did the Lord say it was okay to smoke pot, so I can't see laws forbidding it to be ungodly). I'm saying that it may not be the actual smoking of pot that's exactly the issue when we are talking about whether or not it's a sin, but it is clearly breaking of the law in most circumstances, which we are clearly instructed as christians not to do.
So, again, if it's not illegal where you are and you have an RX for it, you would not be breaking the law, as Romans 12 tells us not to do.
In the event it becomes illegal at some point to smoke cigarettes (which it is for those who are under age in the US), to sleep with men (which is still is in many states in the US), or your dog (which it is; I've seen case law on it), these things also fall under Romans 12.
If you are illegally obtaining and using pot and feel that you are entitled to break the law as Romans 12 instructs us not to, there is nothing more to say except that if you truly felt this to be true you would not feel the admitted need to give it up at some point.
God bless! I've been sitting here far too long
So, again, if it's not illegal where you are and you have an RX for it, you would not be breaking the law, as Romans 12 tells us not to do.
In the event it becomes illegal at some point to smoke cigarettes (which it is for those who are under age in the US), to sleep with men (which is still is in many states in the US), or your dog (which it is; I've seen case law on it), these things also fall under Romans 12.
If you are illegally obtaining and using pot and feel that you are entitled to break the law as Romans 12 instructs us not to, there is nothing more to say except that if you truly felt this to be true you would not feel the admitted need to give it up at some point.
God bless!
I've been sitting here far too long
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