Is smoking pot a sin?

[raybeck]

Well, I'll show you just how dumb I am...what is a toke, and I take it her brownies aren't the kind fresh from the oven? I'm not trying to be funny, I really don't know what they are...is that pot?

[jamesglewisf]

Originally Posted by Gourmetmisse

I see what you're saying. To be honest, I had to read it twice, but my.. what a patient man you are Jim. That is what comes through when I read your postings in this thread.

Thanks. I don't know if I'm patient or just meticulous. This "Bible Q&A" forum is a place where people are supposed to be able to get straight answers from the Bible or straight answers explaining the Bible. I feel it is my responsibility to be very careful in the answers I give in here. To use Grimey's word, I can be a bit "persnickety" or overparticular about details because I don't want someone to come away from the thread with misinformation.

Raybeck - a toke is when you inhale. That's what Clinton didn't do when he tried pot. Also, some people put pot in brownies.

[raybeck]

Well, I can't believe you can put pot in brownies!!! Do you still get high from it? I can't believe how little I know about this!!! Thanks for the info., Jim.

[Lino]

What are you people talking about??? The sins on the Bible or smoking Pot? I tottaly agree with Jim! Smoking Pot is a sin like any other sin we(humans) committ on our every day routine. Some people pack theirselves with cakes and candies, others smoke pot on a daily basis both these things are not healthy, how can you tell which is the biggest of sins??? We live in free World and anybody has the right to do what they like with their lives as long as it doesn't disturb Thy neighbour. Why should we be questioning one's religious believes because he/she smokes Pot or eats tones of candy bars or even has dirty thoughts about the next desk colleague knowing he/she is married?
Since some people on this thread knows so much about th Bible here is a little reminder: "May one that hasn't committ a sin Throw the first stone"

[OnceByten]

Wow you guys I am so glad that this thread became so intereting. It's so nice to discuss things with people that are not childish or immature.

[Hannamoren]

Originally Posted by raybeck

Well, I'll show you just how dumb I am...what is a toke, and I take it her brownies aren't the kind fresh from the oven? I'm not trying to be funny, I really don't know what they are...is that pot?

You and me, Beck. I had no idea what she was talking about. I thought she was just talking about CAKES, and maybe she had postet it wrong.

[raybeck]

Originally Posted by Hannamoren

You and me, Beck. I had no idea what she was talking about. I thought she was just talking about CAKES, and maybe she had postet it wrong.

Hanna, thank heaven I wasn't the only one who didn't know!!! lol Ladybug is educating us!!!

[Hannamoren]

We have obviously not been much around, even though we have both been to Amsterdam.

[raybeck]

Originally Posted by Hannamoren

We have obviously not been much around, even though we have both been to Amsterdam.

I know, I can't believe how ignorant I am about some of this stuff...oh well...

[Grimey]

Lino --

As Christians, we are supposed to hold each other accountable. "Iron sharpens iron; so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17). We're supposed to exhort, rebuke, and reprove one another with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2). We are supposed to admonish and teach every man so that we can present every man complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28). See also Titus 1:13, Titus 2:15, Psalm 141:5, Proverbs 9:8, Proverbs 17:10, Proverbs 27:5, Galatians 2:11-14, and 2 Timothy 2:25. Here's the big one --

Galatians 6:1-4
6:1 Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.

If OnceByten has a Christian friend who is proudly and publicly sinning, it is her responsibility to gently restore him. I would assume that he just doesn't have a good enough grasp of Scripture to know that it is a sin, not that he is defiantly sinning.

James 5:19-20
19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.

She also asked a specific question -- "Does this decrease his chances of getting into heaven??", and we tried to address her question. We weren't judging him, we were answering her question.

There is no passage in Scripture that says you can do whatever you like as long as it doesn't disturb your neighbor. You can do whatever you like as long as it doesn't disturb God. Breaking the law disturbs God. You may be misinterpreting 1 Corinthians chapter 8 that says as long as you are not sinning, you can do whatever you like unless it causes your neighbor to stumble.

One more thing, too many people pick verses out of the Bible to support the idea that you are never supposed to correct anyone. The most favorite is the casting stones passage. Jesus was addressing a particular issue where the scribes and Pharisees were testing him so they could have grounds to accuse him. When they had all left, he told the woman, "From now on sin no more" (John 8:11). Everybody likes to use the casting stones part of the passage, but they leave out the "sin no more" part. Jesus said to her "Did no one condemn you? ... Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more." Jesus' point was that he didn't come to bring condemnation, but he still wants us to sin no more.

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 to take the log out of your own eye so that you can see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. He didn't say to do it instead of taking the speck out of your brother's eye.

Jesus said in Luke 17:3, "If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him." He also said --

Matthew 18:15-18
15 "And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 "And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.

Jesus said that if he refuses to listen to the church, you are supposed to treat him as an unbeliever -- not nasty, but as someone who needs salvation.

See also all of the other verses I quoted above about reproving, exhorting, and rebuking. The key is that we are supposed to examine ourselves first, and then reprove, exhort, or rebuke with gentleness.

There is no biblical basis to the idea that you are not supposed to correct fellow believers.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13
9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-- not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

Paul specifically says that Christians should not spend time with so-called Christians that are immoral, ..., or a drunkard, ..." Each of those terms are for people who practice that behavior to the point that they are characterized by it. We're all going to covet, but if I am characterized by being covetous, then you should not associate with me. Why? Not because you hate me, but so that I might understand the severity of my sin and give it up in order to return to the fellowship of the church. BTW, you can make a pretty good argument for Christians not spending time with so-called Christians that are stoners instead of drunkards based upon why you are not supposed to be drunk.

When Paul says that you judge those within the church, he means non-repentant people who are characterized by their sinful behavior. If I am a Christian drunkard and I won't respond to correction, then you cast me out of the church. The judgment is getting cast out of the church. Paul does not mean that you should have a judgmental attitude.

I don't have to judge non-Christian drunkards, because God is responsible for that. My responsibility for the non-Christian drunkard is to share my faith with him.

[OnceByten]

Grim, I must say VERY WELL SAID thank you!

[Duhsty]

Originally Posted by OnceByten

DO you think smoking pot is a sin?



I don't want to debate the legalities of it.



I havea friend that is a good Christian, he goes to church every week, meets outside the church to study the bible, is a great husband and father. BUT, he is social pot smoker.



Does this decrease his chances of getting into heaven??

Smoking pot is not a sin, period, and anyone here telling you that, is full of themselves.

[jamesglewisf]

Duhsty, this is a thread in the Bible Q&A forum. It is asking whether or not something is a sin. In this forum we're not really interested in personal opinions. We're interested in what the Bible says. You either have to back it up with Scripture or post your opinion in a different thread in a different forum. You are welcome to start a personal opinion thread in the Great Debate about whether or not smoking pot is OK.

[ladybug56]

The latest New's is "Pot is now Ilegal for Medicinal Purposes,
in Canada anyway.

[ladybug56]

oops, sorry. Wrong Thread..