I’m strolling alongside the platform to board my connecting prepare from Basel to Zurich when an uncommon scent wafts round me. My consideration is drawn to a younger man who is clearly—comparatively unabashedly—puffing on a joint as he leaves the prepare that has simply arrived. What might be nonetheless a prison offense in Switzerland, as in most different European nations, has not solely lengthy been authorized within the Netherlands however has additionally been formally legalized by our federal authorities in Germany because the 1st of April 2024: the possession and consumption of marijuana. The truth that our European society is quickly adopting ever extra liberal values is sadly nothing new, neither is it a shock.
However what do you do if, for instance, your personal son or somebody out of your youth group stands in entrance of you and desires to debate the subject of “authorized joints” with you? This has already occurred to me, and the argument is often as follows, particularly right here in Germany: “You drink a glass of beer or wine and imagine that that is a part of your Christian freedom, and I smoke a joint and equally imagine that is a part of my Christian freedom!”
Differences in Conscience
At this level, it’s actually price mentioning that traditionally, some brothers and sisters—for instance, on the North American continent—typically have a narrower conscience in terms of the consumption of alcohol than we Europeans. In gentle of those variations of conscience, the Phrase of God additionally supplies us with intensive recommendation in order that we by no means permit our freedom to turn out to be an offense to our neighbor. Conversely, nonetheless, our narrower conscience should not lead us to sentence or choose our brothers and sisters (Rom. 13:8-15:3; 1 Cor.10:23-11:1). And even right here in Germany and Europe, there are robust regional variations. It’s no coincidence that the saying goes, “When the Dutch brothers heard that the French brothers had been ingesting pink wine, their cigarette fell out of their mouth!”
As I mentioned, I’m conscious that some Christians, for causes of conscience, reject each the consumption of alcohol and, in fact, the consumption of any type of medicine. However particularly in case you are satisfied that Christians are allowed to eat alcohol to a small extent for enjoyment, you are actually in want of a proof. So how can we reply our son or buddy?
The Intention of the Coronary heart
To be able to clarify that smoking marijuana just isn’t an choice for Christians (even for Christians with a wider conscience), we should come to the essential level: the motive or intention of the center. For the sake of stability, I wish to be aware that I’m not addressing using opiate painkillers for medical causes. These pharmaceuticals are undoubtedly used legitimately in ache administration for most cancers sufferers, for instance. God even instructs us that the ache of terminally sick folks must be relieved by anesthesia (Prov. 31:4-7).
So, if we need to take a look at the intention of the center on this dialogue about “authorized joints,” we are able to prematurely conclude, as described above, that those that attribute the consumption of alcohol to Christian freedom must also accomplish that in terms of marijuana. Nonetheless, so as to have the ability to clearly acknowledge the intention of the center, it’s useful to have a look at the meals or substances that we eat when it comes to their objective.
Consumption Serves Completely different Functions
To start with, meals or substances we eat naturally function a supply of vitamin: I eat this substance to offer my physique with the power it wants. Secondly, there may be additionally the perform of pleasure: I eat this substance for the sake of delight, amongst different issues. Along with these first two reputable capabilities, there may be additionally a 3rd intention when consuming substances: to turn out to be intoxicated/surprised.
And that is the place the intense distinction lies. So long as I eat a meals or substance to be able to nourish myself or to get pleasure from it in line with God’s will (see 1 Tim. 6:17 particularly), this consumption is reputable and, taken with the best perspective of coronary heart, even pleasing to God (1 Cor. 10:31). However exactly this use as a meals and, strictly talking, as a pleasure substance is dominated out from the outset when smoking weed/joints. Nobody can smoke a joint as meals. And nobody distinguishes a joint by rising area or taste. The very restricted alternative of marijuana varieties makes it clear that it isn’t consumed with the intention of manufacturing a specific sensory pleasure. Fairly, it’s the intention of the center to turn out to be intoxicated from the outset, whatever the amount (and origin) consumed.
Superficial Solutions Are Not Sufficient
I might, due to this fact, level out the intention of the center, as is frequent in biblical counseling. For what motive can we do the issues we do? It shortly turns into clear that smoking a “authorized joint” primarily serves exactly this objective: to numb ourselves. Each consumption of arduous and “delicate” medicine has this very purpose of dulling the senses or making the burden of life somewhat lighter, which is, in fact, a deception and a fraud. We should clarify to younger folks in a understandable means that this type of dealing with issues is in the end nothing lower than idolatry (even when it has now been legalized by our state).
Using marijuana just isn’t the most important drawback, it exposes a a lot greater drawback: our lack of belief in God. With a joint, we search a false comforter, which is admittedly additionally attainable by means of the extreme and, due to this fact, sinful consumption of alcohol. It’s undisputed that alcohol might be abused in the identical means as marijuana: to boring the senses, as a false comforter. Nonetheless, in contrast to the joint, beer or wine consumed in the best measure can also be used as a method of meals and delight—a use that may be pleasing to God and, within the opinion of many Christians, is roofed by Christian freedom.
Adolescents and younger Christians are rightly not happy with easy prohibitions. And so it’s all the extra essential to reply these questions, that are presently the topic of a lot debate in our (German) society, in an comprehensible means with the knowledge of God. As defined above, a “authorized joint” just isn’t a query of Christian freedom. Marijuana is consumed for one major objective: to get excessive. And this pursuit can by no means be pleasing to God. Jesus Christ just isn’t solely our Lord and Savior, who washes us clear of all sin and reconciles us with God by means of His as soon as and for all sacrifice. No, this similar Christ can also be our Advocate and Comforter and Supplier, to whom we are able to—and will—entrust ourselves, particularly with the supposedly insufferable burdens of this life in a fallen world (1 Pet. 5:7; Matt. 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-31; Phil. 4:6-7).
Questions for Reflection
- Can we perceive what strikes our adolescents or what they’re confronted with on an virtually day by day foundation? Do we now have entry to their hearts so they’re comfortable to come back to us with their questions? Can we reply their questions with the knowledge of God’s Phrase?
- Are we conscious that we should not solely admonish the subsequent technology but in addition be an instance to them of the way to be comforted in our Lord and Savior? Reckoning with God is the start of knowledge (Prov. 1:7), however understanding God’s nature, certainly God Himself, is knowledge and that’s true consolation (Prov. 9:10; Job 38:1-40:5ff; Ps. 23, 27, 91). Allow us to pray that God will give us this grace to be an instrument within the lives of these in search of recommendation in order that they might cease decoding the character of God by means of the lens of their circumstances and start to interpret their circumstances by means of the true nature of God.
