Should Christians Drink Liquor and Smoke Marijuana:Yes

Should Christians drink liquor and smoke marijuana? Suprisingly, the answer is yes, on both counts with a few caveats.

Over the months, I’ve seen teachers and church leaders dance around or outright lie about whether believers should smoke weed (marijuana) or drink alcohol under any circumstance.

Holy rollers will say, “No way!” For example, in our church covenant, prior to my arrival as pastor—and I’m not being critical, it used to say we should, 'refrain from the use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage.'

Yet, and as clearly stated in the Bible, over-eating and unbridled consumption (gluttony), is sin as well but is never mentioned (Deut. 21:20, Prov. 23:20-21, Philipp. 3:19).

However, and with respect to what the Bible says about alcohol, I taught God's people what the Word says and we changed our covenant (Jam. 4:17).

The unbiblical nonsense of 'non-use' was replaced it with, 'the misuse of alcohol and the misuse of unprescribed drugs.'

First, let’s be clear: there’s no biblical case that a believer shouldn’t drink wine—or alcohol and then we will deal with weed (marijuana).

Here’s why alcoholic wine, at minimum, is biblically permissable:

1. Jesus brewed alcohol (wine): In the gospel of John, someone asked Him to make wine at a wedding feast—and He did. Not only that, but after the Lord performed this miracle, the host took a drink and responded, “We have already been drinking and only now do you bring out the good stuff (John 2:10)?"

Jesus made the good stuff!

2. Jesus drank alcohol: Holy rollers will argue, “Oh, it was just grape juice!” No, it wasn’t. Jesus drank wine recreationally and also for the sacrament of communion (Matt. 26:17-30, Luke 22:7-38). This sacrament was alcoholic wine and Jesus told His followers to drink it. In modernity, the grape juice and little 'jesus cookie' is something we made up.

3. Jesus defended drinking (not drunkenness): In Luke 7:33-34, He said, “John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard!’”

His point? You can’t win whether drinking or not, people will unrighteously judge the issue.

For church leaders, the Word of God says we shouldn’t be 'given to wine' but that is true of everyone else as well (1 Timothy 3:1-8). Cross-referencing with something Paul said in Titus 2:3, the apostle didn't forbid alcohol rather said we shouldn't be 'given to much wine'—meaning surrendered to it, which is another word for drunkenness.

Additionally, some scholars argue the wine (gall) Jesus drank on the cross was vinegar-based but whatever it was, it had alcohol in it.

So, the Lord of Glory recreationally drank wine, did so for communion and even had a sip on the cross but His followers should never touch it or we are in sin (Matt. 27:34, John 19:29-30)?

Futhermore, Paul told a young evangelist named Timothy to 'stop drinking only water and have a little wine for your stomach’s sake' (1 Tim. 5:23).

Let me be clear for those who question my motives: The Lord delivered me from alcoholism. I used to show up to work shaking, just waiting to get off so I could go get drunk.

I smoked weed as well, seeking something (God's peace) that it could never provide.

I’m not making excuses for something I am either doing or desire to. I know my limits and do not drink, nor smoke, but that doesn't mean others can't!

Drunkenness and to a greater extent idolatry is the issue which the Bible has much to say about and none of it good (Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:19-21, 1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Now, let’s talk about whether Christians should smoke weed (marijuana).

The reality is that the Bible, although not specifcally mentioning marijuana, indicates that certain plants, given by God, are meant to be used as medicine (Ezek. 47:12, Isa. 38:21, Rev. 22:2 et al).

These medicines are taken without question by Christians:

1. Opium: used in morphine for post-surgical pain relief and cancer treatment. (Also used to make the highly addictive and deadly drug heroine).

   
   

2. Aspirin: extracted from another plant, williow bark, and in America, there are few people who haven't used this.

   
   

3. Paclitaxel: taken from the Pacific Yew tree and is used in cancer treatments.

Christians often confuse American law with God’s law, supposing if the U.S. government says it is ok it is and if illegal, the same.

The prophet Isaiah wrote; 'my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are higher than your ways sayeth the Lord' (Isa. 55:8).

Our legal system consists of more than 100,000 laws, most of which contradict one another and no honest person, unlike God's Law, can claim it as just.

The question isn’t 'is weed sinful' rather, like alcohol, is one surrendered to it (addicted) which is idolatry? If you’re smoking blunts (weed cigarettes) down to the stem, doing so daily or several times per week, you have a problem and are in the midst of addiction (idolatry and drunkeness).

When marijuana is used as a 'crutch' to escape reality of one's spiritual condition, it is an idol and more important than God (Col. 3:5, 1 John 5:21 et al).

One will never find true peace (of spirit) in a substance or, quite frankly, in another person. The Bible says only God 'gives peace that surpasses understanding' (Philipp. 4:7).

More plainly, weed can’t replace relationship with one's Creator!

Let's lean a bit more into medical uses.

If you’re in the hospital with cancer, and the choice for pain relief is between morphine (highly addictive) weed or cannibus oil, what then?

No, I’m not talking about those who claim a 'hurt finger' or some other excuse just to satisy an addiction. I am only speaking about legitimate pain management. However one uses it, and like anything else, God will judge it on the final day.

Yet in this circumstance and as I said in a recent video: if I have cancer, broken bones, or major surgery, and if marijuana is a pain relief choice over more addictive drugs (vicadin and morphine), I will smoke it down to the stem!

In conclusion, the Bible does not prohibit Christians from consuming alcohol or pain management medication like marijuana, provided they adhere to key caveats rooted in Scripture (rejecting drunkenness, idolatry, etc).

Both alcohol and weed are permissible when used in moderation and for legitimate purposes, such as medicinal pain relief in the case of marijuana or moderate enjoyment of alcohol as seen in Jesus’ actions at the wedding feast and during communion.

Those who teach anything opposite are, in effect, teaching we can be more righteous than the Sinless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ (who drank alcohol and whose apostles taught the same).

However, the critical biblical principle is avoiding misuse—drunkenness with alcohol or addiction to marijuana—which can lead to idolatry by prioritizing substances over God.

Followers of Jesus must examine our motives because at the end of the day. that is what matters.