Are drug abusers guilty of greed?

I have never found in scripture where it specifically addresses drug abusers anywhere. Greed, in scripture, seems to be always tied to material wealth.

 

Drug abuse, IMO, is the sin of sorcery (pharmakos).

A word study seems to bear that out, in my view.

 

I don't think they are guilty of greed. But, if they are proclaiming to be Christian, I think they are guilty of idolatry. In my mind, if we are purposely doing something that inhibits us coming whenever GOD calls us, we are putting that thing in front of HIM.

 

Drug abuse is an attempt at gaining a spiritual experience which place is a void that only God can fill.

 

Are we fat people selfish? I hope not!

 

There's no way you can make a blanket statement about drug abuse because as many different people as you have abusing drugs, that's how many different attitudes and experience you have. I've worked with lots of addicts and each one is different. Just looking at the ones in our group right now - I have a lady that is in her early 50s. She had surgery that required a long and painful recovery, and in the recovery time she became addicted to pain meds. She was not seeking anything other than relief from the pain in her knees, which her doctor provided in form of Hydrocodone. Another in our group is a truck driver in his mid 30s who started using Crystal Meth to stay awake on the road. He wasn't seeking anything other than to make a living for his family. And we have our share of those who just thought drugs would be fun, and definately those who tried drugs to mask the emotional and spiritual pain they were living with.

In my case, the thing that led me to drugs was lonliness and the need to be part of a group. Unfortunately, it seemed at the time the only group available was the dopers. (This is a long story, so I'll spare the details)

Point is, when we see drug addicts or drug abusers we're seeing broken people who desperately need Jesus in their lives. No two got there the same way, but the good news of the redemptive love of Christ is the same regardless.

 

Revelation 21:8 refers to "sorcerers."

In this passage, the word 'sorcerers' comes from the greek word 'pharmakos' (Strongs # 5332) which is derived from the greek word 'pharmakon' and is defined in Strong's Greek Dictionary of the New Testament as follows: "druggist, poisoner."

Magic, and spells, and attempts to contact the dead in the first century often involved the use of mind-altering substances.



Of course, one could always fall back on the idea of "drunkenness" as well, when looking for a snapshot of how the Bible views drug usage. Whereas "sorcery" carries the idea of drugging to acheive some sort of altered state or connect with another power....drunkenness carries more the idea of simply giving control of one's self and faculties over to a substance.

Like others said...many reasons folks do it.

Yep.

 

I think you have the right perspective. You hear addicts saying that they would do anything to get their next fix Many times that involves criminal activity. On the other hand, others do the same thing with money or possessions or alcohol. In all of these cases, there's no room for God. Their lives are controlled by something else.