To @Joe:
Brother Joe, you brought the heat with Revelation 21:8 and the Greek word pharmakeia, and rightly so. That word doesn’t just point to your local Walgreens—it’s tied to sorcery, deception, and spiritual manipulation often through drugs. In ancient times, pharmakeia referred to the use of potions and substances to alter perception and control, often as part of idolatrous or occult practices.
It’s not talking about Advil. It’s talking about substances that alter the mind and weaken spiritual discernment. Weed fits that bill. And when someone’s main defense is “But look, I turned out okay!” instead of “What does God say?”—you already know the anchor ain’t in Scripture.
You nailed the root issue: It’s not about legality or achievement—it’s about obedience and clarity of mind in the presence of a holy God.
Blessings right back at you. Stay sharp, stay scriptural.
Now to @Benny:
You laughed—but the verse Joe quoted ain’t exactly comedy material. You might’ve aced your classes and managed a lab, but spiritual clarity isn’t graded on a transcript. The Bible doesn’t say, “Well done, thou good and high-achieving servant.” It says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)
You asked why pharmakeia is linked to mind-altering substances? Because historically, it was—used in occult rituals, idol worship, and to dull the senses to spiritual truth. That’s not bias—that’s Bible and history shaking hands. Paul wasn’t warning the Galatians about lipstick. He was warning them about spiritual compromise through chemical means (Galatians 5:20).
And as for the “I smoked for 20 years and succeeded anyway” defense—congrats, but spiritual fruit isn’t measured in paychecks or diplomas. You can climb the ladder of success and still find it leaning against the wrong wall (Mark 8:36).
Joe’s point wasn’t that weed makes people stupid. It’s that it leads people away from sobriety, purpose, and spiritual alertness—and that’s not something a résumé can fix.
So here’s the question, Benny: not “What did I achieve?” but “What did I glorify?” You can smoke and still succeed, sure. But can you look Jesus in the eye and say, “I did this for You”?
That’s the test that matters.