Shownotes

Welcome back to our “Is it a Sin” series where we’re taking a look at different habits that if you grew up in the church, you may have always looked upon as sinful. 

It’s Sinful When…

You’re addicted

1 Corinthians 6:12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

  • Physical addiction, but also do you need it to get through the day or through a stressful situation?  Is it your go-to when you’re stressed out? 

You’re under age

1 Peter 2:13 For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, 14 or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.

  • We’re called to submit to those in authority unless they ask us to do something that goes against God’s authority. You may not like the laws, You might even be able to argue that the laws aren’t logical, but that’s not the point. 

You’re Pregnant 

  •  If you smoke while you are pregnant you are at increased risk of a wide range of problems, including miscarriage and premature labor.
  • Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are at higher risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), having weaker lungs and having an unhealthy low birth weight.
  • Second hand smoke around children 

Your wife doesn’t want you to smoke

Ephesians 5:25  For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

The Body is a Temple

  • If you’re going to argue that smoking a single cigarette, pipe, or cigar is sinful because it’s harmful to your body and your body is a temple, that’s fine.  But you need to be consistent. Do you drink diet soda?  Artificial sweeteners have been identified as leading to higher risk of cancer.  Do you eat processed foods?  Are you overweight? 

Marijuana 

1 Peter 5:8 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

1 Peter 1:13 “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.”

  • Peter knew the agony of failure.  He knew what it was like to have the mindset that “There’s no way I can fail.  I’m strong enough. I know I’ll be able to handle it.”  Only to have it all come crashing down. I know what it’s like to fail.  You’ve got to prepare your minds and exercise self control. 

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.”

Marijuana use directly affects brain function — specifically the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time. 1,2

What are the short-term effects of marijuana on the brain?

Recent marijuana use (defined as within 24 hours) in youth and adults has an immediate impact on thinking, attention, memory, coordination, movement, and time perception.1

What are the long-term effects of marijuana on the brain?

Marijuana affects brain development. Developing brains, such as those in babies, children, and teenagers, are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).1,2 Although scientists are still learning about the effects of marijuana on developing brains, studies suggest that marijuana use by mothers during pregnancy could be linked to problems with attention, memory, problem-solving skills, and behavior in their children.3-9

Using marijuana before age 18 may affect how the brain builds connections for functions like attention, memory, and learning.10 Marijuana’s effects on attention, memory, and learning may last a long time or even be permanent,11 but more research is needed to fully understand these effects. Youth who use marijuana may not do as well in school and may have trouble remembering things.1,6,12,13

Mental Health

Marijuana use, especially frequently (daily or nearly daily) and in high doses, can cause disorientation and sometimes unpleasant thoughts or feelings of anxiety and paranoia.1

People who use marijuana are more likely to develop temporary psychosis (not knowing what is real, hallucinations, and paranoia) and long-lasting mental disorders, including schizophrenia (a type of mental illness where people might see or hear things that are not really there).2 The association between marijuana and schizophrenia is stronger in people who start using marijuana at an earlier age and use marijuana more frequently.

Marijuana use has also been linked to depression; social anxiety; and thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicide.

Jesus refused the wine mixed with myrrh during his crucifixion. 

Close

If you’re feeling conviction about it, even if you are only smoking occasionally, you need to submit to the Spirit.

Talking Points:
  • Today we’re continuing our “Is it a Sin?” series. We’re taking a look at different habits that if you grew up in the church, you may have always looked upon as sinful. We’re using the word of the Lord to help us answer the question: “is it a sin to smoke tobacco or marijuana?”
  • There is a clear charge in scripture to be free from addiction.  If you’re addicted to tobacco, it’s sinful. 
  • If your perspective is that any smoking is sinful because it’s harmful to your body and your body is a temple, you need to be consistent in applying that to other areas of your life, like diet and exercise.  
  • We are called to be on guard, alert, and of sober mind.  Marijuana use dulls our senses, impairs our decision making, and limits our attention.  This goes against God’s calling on our lives, particularly for us as men.
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. Before listening to the podcast, how would you have answered the question: “is it a sin to smoke tobacco or marijuana?”
  3. When is the first time you can remember being around someone who smoked? How did it make you feel then?
  4. Many men see smoking cigars or pipes as a sign of “manliness” or even sometimes wealth. With the context of the podcast fresh in your mind, how do you think we as Christians should view tobacco smoking?
  5. Read 1 Peter 2:13. As marijuana laws become less and less strict, how should a Christian approach someone who smokes marijuana even if it’s not illegal? Do you feel we should help them move against it? Why or why not?
  6. Read 1 Corinthians 6:12. What are some practical steps we can take to receive the Lord’s freedom from addiction?
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