The Social Problematic of Addictions

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

1 Corinthians 3:16

What the Bible tells us about drugs – Part I

Drug use has been around since antiquity. Although it included medicinal purposes, they were also recreational, to feel euphoric or relaxed. Among the old drugs are those derived from fungi, opium, cannabis, belladonna, mandrakes, myrrh, absinthe, hemlock, etc.

Before beginning the crucifixion of Jesus, they offered Him a narcotic drink, a mixture of wine and myrrh that was used to mitigate the pain: " Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it". (Mark 15:23). Jesus did not accept it; He wanted to retain all his capacity of conscience for the complete fulfillment of the Father's will (Isaiah 53).

If we look for guidance in the Bible regarding the use or not of the drugs that are used today, we will see that nothing is mentioned about it. At the time of writing it did not exist the variety that permanently comes to market. What existed in biblical times were those that are mentioned and the sorcerer’s most likely used them in the form of drugs, potions or incantations, to keep people captive of their magic.

According to the Expository Dictionary Vine: "In witchcraft, drug use, whether simple or potent, was usually accompanied by incantations and invocations to hidden powers, the application of various amulets, and so on. All with the pretension of protecting the patient from the attention and power of the demons, but in fact to impress the patient with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer. "

Such is the case of Elymas, the magician in (Acts 13: 6-12) and Simon the magician in (Acts 8: 9-11) “Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery”. Both magician, Elimas, and Simon probably use drugs to make people believe in their magic.

In this or as in other passages more, the Bible is clear regarding its position against the use of drugs. God, in creating us in His image and likeness, intends us to be His "imitators...as dearly loved children..." (Ephesians 5: 1). In turn, He provided us with the conscience that it is the indicator when we do the right thing, or we stop doing it.

Drug use alters our minds and consciences, leaving us vulnerable to evil “…For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”. (Ephesians 6:12), apart from deteriorating our life either spiritual or physical damaging and spoiling our relationship with the social environment.

Let no one think that happiness is achieved by consuming.

To be continued: “What the Bible tells us about drugs - Part II -