by Tom Breeden and Mark L. Ward Jr.
103 pages / 2016

This book is valuable in two very different ways.

First, it’s valuable for anyone considering the title question: Can I smoke pot? For some that might be a personal interest, while others simply want to know how to answer the question when it comes up.

Second, about half of the book is spent making the argument that the Bible is our go-to whenever we have questions. We might not think that when it comes to marijuana, since the Bible never mentions it directly. But if we want to know God’s thoughts on the subject, then it doesn’t take much digging to find principles which are applicable. The Bible does offer us the guidance we’re looking for. As Cornelius Van Til put it:

“The Bible is authoritative on everything of which it speaks. Moreover, it speaks of everything.”

That makes this a very useful book for anyone interested in learning how to use God’s Word as a guide for all of life.

Shorter answers are available to the title question. If you want the article-length response, I give one here. But the value in this book is that, even though it is short – at 100 pages it can be read in an evening or two – the authors have the room to delve deeper. So some of the topics they address include:

• the role of government and when we do and don’t have to listen to it
• what the Old Testament and New say about the use of medicine
• what questions we need to ask when considering the wisdom of using marijuana for medical use
• how recreational marijuana use compares to recreational alcohol use
• is it possible to smoke marijuana recreationally in moderation?

So what answer do the authors ultimately give to their title question? There is a sense in which they don’t give a simple yes or no answer. But when it comes to recreational use, they want Christians to understand there are many reasons why we should just say no.

So read the book, and then share it with your friends, your kids, and your church. Let’s have a ready answer for this increasingly common question.

This review first appeared on ReallyGoodReads.com