If I'm a Christian and smoke weed, will I go to Hell?
THE BATTLE AXE: (09/14/2013) Only One GOD— (4.) Using human processes for examining experience and information, mankind may describe and realize many ideas of “god.” However, any god so arrived at, and understood to exist is in the nature of a mental construct, a product of meanings and words directed to specific uses in discourse and formal language (we say, rhetoric). In addition to aspects of their substance at Creation, the otherwise invisible GOD worshiped by Christian believers, uses various divine operations to become known and visible through life experience of created beings and living creatures. Included are incarnation, healing, exorcism, judgment, rebirth, repentance, revelation, and sanctification. As GOD employs promise, prophecy, sacred events, divine process, and eternal purpose, created beings and living creatures realize awareness of divinity as active and present. The oneness of divine spirit may appear through many forms and operations that do not also display sameness. Examples are abundance, dearth, gentleness, forbearance, forgiveness, longsuffering, patience, and strength.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. (1st John 3: 18-24, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Law in Christian Belief? (09/03/2013); A Need to Know? (09/04/2013); A GOD of Love? (05/07/2013); About Preaching the Gospel (04/18/2013); When Jesus Comes Back? (04/19/2013); Attending Church? (11/12/2012); A Holy Kiss? (11/13/2012); Unwelcome Gifts? (09/17/2012)
Matt, here are a few points shared among many Christian believers who confess their personal truth of having enjoyed experiences with alcohol, hashish and marijuana:
(1.) It is not wise to do anything you cannot openly share with other believers; that you would be ashamed to do before your parents, your spouse, the leadership of your church congregation; or that you would not want Jesus to find you doing at the time of his Advent. Those who are addicted are damaged in their conscience, and in their self-will (we say, will power). While the anguish and problems addicts address appear to be physical, psychological and social in nature, often it is merely that the self-destructiveness of sin (i.e., defiance of divine law with denial of existence to Divine Person and all the Creation of GOD) is operating in their lives.
(2.) There are groups of believers who use alcohol and drugs as legitimate aspects of their worship. However, in such cases, believers must strictly observe many disciplines, acknowledge accountability to civil laws and ordinances, and continue in conduct and behavior displaying modesty, circumspection, respect and restraint. While alcohol and drugs cannot guarantee that a believer will have an experience of seeing GOD, or coming closer to the Holy, there is no reason to believe that alcohol and drugs have any power to stop the revelation of GOD, or to make it impossible for GOD to reveal himself to those of us upon the earth.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually understood. For example, (3.) GOD is a spirit. For created beings and living creatures to know GOD, their awareness must be directed to things that are completely spirit in their operation, purpose and substance. We say, mankind must be “born again;” and there must be a transformation of ones being whereby appetite (e.g., hunger, thirst, sexual craving), sense (e.g., hearing, seeing, smelling), mind (e.g., desire, fantasy, imagination, memory), and sin may no longer dominate self-will. Where alcohol and drugs interfere with ones consciousness of GOD (i.e., they forget GOD), and a person’s ability to deal with the subtle (barely visible) differences and sameness among profane and sacred things, we know, a person may be overwhelmed in spiritual confusion.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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