09/11/2025
Great podcast/article on the topic of legalized/recreational ma*****na use for Christians.
"What I want to draw attention to, by way of exhortation and encouragement, even though it may sound pessimistic to some, is that this fact, the legalization of pot, draws attention to something that we need to be aware of and we need to adjust our thinking about — namely, that the church for a long time has leaned too heavily on the overlap between the state and the church for the strength of our conviction concerning what is right and wrong.
In other words, if the state has regarded something as wrong or illegal, then the church hasn’t had to work very hard to teach any deep roots for the conviction or any thorough biblical argumentation or any conviction-strengthening inspiration, because everybody just assumes that the behavior is out of bounds. The state expectations and the cultural mores overlap with Christian ways, and so we can just coast.
Now, stop and think of the number of behaviors that were once illegal and are no more.
-Divorce was once illegal.
-Adultery and fornication were illegal.
-Homosexual practices were illegal.
-Indecency was illegal, in such a way that what’s considered acceptable in movies and on beaches today would have been forbidden.
-Sabbath-breaking was illegal.
-Abortion was illegal in every state."
--John Piper
When a society normalizes sin, how should the church respond? Pastor John calls for spiritual integrity that doesn’t depend on society’s opinion.
