Our church leaders—just like our civic leaders—are sometimes making decisions that they will eventually regret.
Let me tell you of civic decisions that have been made in a city in Northern California. In the fall of 2019, a group started a needle exchange program in Chico, California.
This group is the Northern Valley Harm Reduction Coalition who submitted an application to the California Department of Public Health to become a certified syringe exchange program.
According to an article by Robin Epley of the Chico Enterprise Record newspaper, there would be a syringe access and disposal program within an area of defined boundaries within the city of Chico.
According to the map, locals would recognize this area as being one of the more economically depressed areas of Chico. One of the boundary lines is a block from the Chico Community Park (the article below fails to mention that is where children’s sports teams play and families gather for events throughout the year).
There is also another park one block from the boundary that one of the articles (referenced below) claims that children are rarely if ever seen there because of its lack of playground equipment. These articles can be found at the following sites:
A facebook post by a concerned citizen of a 16-year old getting needles from the exchange was then picked up by the local news and can be viewed here: If this program is in your area, then the 16-year old could be your loved one.
I heard that there was protest against this program, but I didn’t think of it until a huge sign was placed alongside Hwy 99 on the south end of Chico. There was a protest sign for a short time on the north end of Chico that said the same thing, but was taken down by the property owner after he received threats. The sign says Welcome to San Franchico, City of Free Needles.
More and more, there is developing a mindset that states: your freedom of speech is valid only if you are supporting__________(Fill in the blank with whichever social justice agenda is being pushed… Sadly, the same can be said of our church publications and their one sided journalism and the lack of attention about concerns voiced by church laity to those higher up).
Why the interest in this? I would like to make several points:
1) For one, they would have you to believe that it is “free.” But is anything the Devil offers “free”? This is just one of many vices that tempt our youth and exacts its payment.
The Lord can set us free but there is a price to pay for going down the broad road (John 8:32; Matthew 7:13). The book of Proverbs has two clear statements about wine and strong drink. It is a mocker, raging, and makes one unwise even to the point of returning to it again after being physically hurt (Proverbs 20:1; 23:21, 29-35).
2) Which brings me to my second point: It does harm. But when was the last time you heard a sermon on keeping the temple of your body pure from all forms of defilement aka harm? The principle of keeping oneself clean of all unhealthy substances is in these verses about alcohol. There was a time when Baptism was refused to those who have the defiling tobacco habit but what about other forms of “smoking”?
Twenty Eight states have legalized “medical” marijuana with nine of those states also allowing recreational use. Then there is vaping. How can baptism be refused the tobacco user when lgbtq are baptized into the church? Both are defiling the body (1 Cor 3:17; 1 Tim 1:10).
3) My third point is it costs society. Not only in the loss of what could have been productive lives, but the financial burden as well. This burden is seen in the cost of incarceration, medical care, law enforcement, first responder care, to name a few. Yet, they give as one of their reasons for the ‘free’ needle handout that it helps prevent the spread of disease. (One of the same reasons for handing out free birth control to our youth.)
The reported cases for all groups of people with STD’s are almost 2.5 MILLION. Here is the article for this. Has the legalization of same-sex marriage decreased STDs in their group? Not according to the CDC article above. The cost to society is also seen in the broken relationships and the loss of life—both temporal. The loss of life eternal is the one most grieved.
4) The fourth point I would like to bring out is what will be legalized next? Maybe you don’t want to ask this question…Prostitution has been an ongoing problem and the NY Times asks whether it will be next to being decriminalized. The article can be viewed here. It is currently legal in only one state. Many people in this line of “work” do it to support drug addictions (hence the ‘need’ for syringes or other drug paraphernalia programs).
What do all of these have in common? There are segments of society at higher risk of premature death and disease due to their behavior. Many people can be found exhibiting all of the above behaviors.
These programs only perpetuate problems—they don’t solve them. The assistance to and promotion of these destructive behaviors by these programs do not help the ones in need of reform and freedom. In the future will there be a call for more programs to address other issues of vice? Probably.
The Bible says that in the last days violence will fill the land, and men’s thoughts will be only evil continually (Genesis 6:5; Matthew 24:37-39). We see this in the death toll of people who choose to engage in the health-destroying behaviors mentioned above.
People do violence against themselves when they inject poison into their veins, inhale it into their lungs, and use their bodies in such a way as to expose themselves to a greater risk of disease and death. Lives are destroyed by the violence on the highways of our country because of drugs and alcohol. These behaviors also encourage violence in the home and community. Their thoughts are becoming evil continually when all they think about is the logistics of their addiction.
Marriage
In the last days the Bible quote, “marrying, and giving in marriage” takes on a new meaning when you realize the reference to the days of Noah and Lot.
The God-given institution of marriage has been defiled by those who practice the sins of Sodom. Same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015, and they have hijacked God’s symbol given in Noah’s day, the rainbow, as their banner. This is one of the very reasons God destroyed the world with a flood and later on destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? The indulgence of appetite, intoxicating drink, and base passion (4T 29-30; ST, October 9, 1893 par. 1 and 2; 1SP 77.2).
Our body is to be kept in as healthy condition as possible since it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The use of mind-altering drugs prevents us from seeking God or hearing His voice. So, as Christians we cannot support this.
Summary
What should we be telling people?
That there is One who can deliver them, who loves them and is coming again to judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).
That they need to be ready.
We need to encourage them to follow the Biblical health laws; laws that when followed, greatly reduce the likelihood of contracting disease. (The latest pandemic is reportedly traced to the consumption of unclean an animal. Previous pandemics were diseases originating in unclean animals.)
We need to have health messages given at our churches where we can invite the community to learn these things.
And we need sermons for our young people to hear that will stir their hearts to follow God in keeping themselves pure; Purity in what they do, what they eat, and what they see and hear (Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 28:58-6; Hebrews 11:24-25; Ps 101:3; Isa 33:14-16; Pro 4:23).
Start educating your friends and neighbors now about healthy living because the diseases we are currently experiencing will become more frequent and deadly. Just as we should eschew destructive behavior in our culture, our church and its leaders should be honest about God’s righteousness, His government, and His Law and His love.
In order to recover the beauty and the freedom of righteousness, we need to speak honestly and bluntly of the ugliness of its counterfeits. In the process we learn not to be ashamed of the Biblical language of righteousness, but instead to be ashamed of unrighteousness itself.
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