The Problem of Drugs and Alcohol

MEMORY SELECTION: “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” —I Corinthians 6:19,20

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: I Corinthians 6:9-20

IT IS true that drugs and alcohol present a problem of insurmountable magnitude to society in general today. The irrepressible desire on the part of the drug addict to appease his craving is one of the major causes of the great increase in crime and of the virtual collapse of morality worldwide. Alcohol is more socially acceptable; but nevertheless it too is a drug, and its wide usage causes untold misery and degradation.

But these things, the Apostle Paul tells us, represent in part the filthiness of the flesh to the Christian, and it is these carnal things that the consecrated Christian must put off.—I Cor. 6:9,10; II Cor. 7:1

In II Corinthians, the 5th chapter, the Apostle Paul reminds us that as consecrated, justified footstep followers of Jesus we have been given the Word of reconciliation, and because of this we are ambassadors for Christ. In other words, it becomes our responsibility to disseminate the Word of truth and reconcile to God those who will in this age, and all the willing and obedient of mankind in the next.

In the 6th chapter if II Corinthians the apostle says, We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” (vs. 1) In other words, in view of the Heavenly Father’s wonderful arrangements for us, we should be faithful to our covenant. We have the great privilege of being the Lord’s mouthpiece during the Gospel Age. In view of this privilege we also have a responsibility. The apostle continues in the 3rd and 4th verses, “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses.” Then in verses 5-10 the apostle gives us a long list of admonitions, or standards of conduct, for the guidance of God’s ministers.

First, the Christian is expected to demonstrate his steadfast endurance under trying and difficult circumstances. In expanding on this thought the apostle enumerates some of the conditions under which he himself was steadfast—while in distress, hardships, and dire straits, flogged, imprisoned, mobbed, overworked, sleepless, starving. (New English Bible) In all of these things he was an example to the believer.

Then, in addition to steadfastness, the apostle holds forth himself as an example in manifesting the spirit of the truth in his contact with the brethren and the world. One of these things he enumerates as pureness; that is, his innocence of thought and conduct, avoiding those things that are sinful or even having the appearance of evil. Then, the apostle continues, his knowledge of the truth gave evidence of study and meditation and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. He made it a practice to exercise patience and kindness in his dealings with the brethren, showing forth a spirit of sincere love. Finally, the Christian must preach the Gospel. This is incumbent upon ministers, who have been so commissioned by the Heavenly Father.

All of these things are an outward manifestation of a truly consecrated Christian who is endeavoring to put into practice the godly principles stressed in the Bible. On the other hand, one who indulges in carnal things that might be categorized as the filthiness of the flesh cannot belong to the Lord, for he is manifesting the spirit of darkness, and those of the darkness hate the light.

The Apostle Paul enlarges further on the Christian’s relationship with the works of darkness in Ephesians 5:7-13: “Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit [light] is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.”

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