Is it okay to smoke weed?  Genesis 1:12 says, “...and the earth brought forth grass and HERB, yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”  I have cancer, so it helps with the pain.

Sincerely,
Cancer Patient

Dear Cancer Patient,

Consuming marijuana for “recreational” purposes is wrong.  Yes, God created every green herb on day three (Gen 1:11-13), but He didn’t create them to be used inappropriately.  God condemns drunkenness and insobriety (Rom 13:13, 1 Cor 6:10).  If any drug, including marijuana, is used to create a state of drunkenness – then, yes, it is a sin.  If your doctor prescribes a drug for pain, as a treatment, etc. – that is a different matter.  We are very sorry to hear of your cancer, and it is appropriate to follow doctor’s orders in such matters.

God created everything in this world for our good, and He created us for good works (Eph 2:10).  Abusing the plants and herbs that God has blessed this world with harms us and is a sin.  When we don’t treat our bodies with respect, we harm ourselves as well as displeasing God (1 Cor 6:19-20).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

How is another christian supposed to act (what are they supposed to do or say) when a fellow christian has fallen into a sin pit?

Sincerely,
Look Out Below!

Dear Look Out Below,

When we know our brother or sister is caught up in sin, we must do something.  Christians have a moral responsibility to exhort one another to flee from sin (Heb 3:13).  If we can, we must try and save those who are falling into the fire of sin (Jude 1:23).  If we truly love one another, we will have enough love to confront each other (1 Cor 13:4-7).  Remember, if you can convert them from their error, you will have saved their soul from death (Jas 5:19-20).

My parents believe and my church believes that it is okay to have instruments on Sunday mornings when you worship God.  I was wondering if that was okay.

Sincerely,
Out Of Tune

Dear Out Of Tune,

God has given us instruments to use for worshipping Him – our hearts (Eph 5:19).  In the New Testament, God tells us to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to Him.  He wants the only melody He hears to come from our hearts.  Instrumental music wasn’t introduced into the church until over three hundred years after Christ.  In fact, ‘a cappella’ singing (singing without instruments) literally means ‘as the church’.  There are no examples of the church using instruments to worship God in the New Testament.  If we start using them, we are adding something to God’s Word (Rev 22:18-19).  All we are ever told to do is “sing and make melody in our hearts”… pluck your heartstrings as you sing to God, and you will make God happy.

The problem with instrumental music in worship is that it isn’t a part of the Bible pattern, and the moment we start doing things outside the Bible, we have gone beyond what God intended (1 Cor 4:6).  Instrumental music may sound appealing to us, but it is just one more manmade additive that adds to the division and confusion found in the religious world.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom