I have thought about this for a long time. I really don't think that smoking is a sin. is it ?? I saw an orthodox jew smoking the other day and I thought hmmm if anyone knows the law its gotta be him. So I think smoking is not a sin what do you guys think?????
I think it falls in the catagory of 'all things are lawful but not all things are expedient'.
moose34 wrote:
I have thought about this for a long time. I really don't think that smoking is a sin. is it ?? I saw an orthodox jew smoking the other day and I thought hmmm if anyone knows the law its gotta be him. So I think smoking is not a sin what do you guys think?????
You should know yourself if it a sin to smoke. Go into your heart and you'll find the answer your looking for.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, And on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people.
Know all you need to do is obey and that's the hard part.
Yes I feel that an occasional cigarette and occasional drink is ok. I don't think that making a habit of it is good. Like how it says drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom, But it sure would take a lot of drinking to make one a drunkard.
moose34,
I think the more important question one must ask one's self, is whether or not they are seeking God with their whole heart. If you can honestly answer yes to that question, all others take care of themselves. If you are seeking Him with all your heart, He is able to let you know if there is something you are doing that is interfering with that pursuit. On the other hand if you are not seeking Him with all your heart, it is easy to get sidetracked by all the issues thinking it is a matter of getting all the issues right so you can then be pleasing to God.
There is really only one thing that is pleasing to God, that you seek Him with all your heart. Anything short of that is short of what He wants to do in and through a person's life. I have heard it referred to as 'majoring on the minor's and in so doing we 'minor on the major'.
One must settle that issue and make it a priority or it simply will not be. I have been guilty for years of putting God in the mix of all I was seeking. So I'm not just pointing fingers here. What I say I say from recent experience. There is no substitute if you want all of what God has for your life.
Awesome. So like being rich or having a big fancy house or new furniture or a brand new expensive flashy car? It kinda fits into that category right???? I kinda hear what you're saying basically anythig that gets in the way??
Hey,
I hope this verse helps: Rom 14:5-6
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
moose34 wrote:
Awesome. So like being rich or having a big fancy house or new furniture or a brand new expensive flashy car? It kinda fits into that category right???? I kinda hear what you're saying basically anythig that gets in the way??
[b][color=000099]Anything - [/color]
Smoking would be a sin if it's idolatry-cigarette-worship, a fetish, and the WAY, the ANSWER that we use. He is the only way, truth, and life.
I mean, if a sodomite (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, masturbator) just did it one time WITH the plan of continuing it (committing it proudly), would we have the same compassion? No, we wouldn't. We would call that person a heathen.
For instance, using a practical example of friends, this is similar to the relationships between two friends or boy/girl relations. Just like with having a "best" friend or something "best", that friend becomes an idolatry. My sin with all the different people is that the "best" was actually an idol, a god that I had created, the PRIDE of life. It's being a respecter of persons (sin) or committing favoritism.
What commandment is broken here with committed smoking?
Exodus 20:3
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
The Law is righteous but will just show you that you are messed up and can't help yourself. Satan desires to trap people in the mode where that are convinced of what is best...but settle for something less...it effects a clear conscience which is further used to manipulate compromise.
We love HIM because HE first loved us right? GOD desires a cheerful giver right? EVERY good and perfect give comes from GOD right?
I see in these verses and more that the life in Christ, has Christ as the sole source. The Law was just a way to communicate and convince us our need of what (before the foundations of the universe) GOD had planned to achieve the goal of giving a gift to The SON, creatures that were able to see and worship HIM in truth.
As for smoking, drinking, gluttony, or any drive on our part to seek to find comfort in the flesh (for a season)when there is a HOLY dissatisfaction that can not be met by anything in this world (food, wealth, drugs, knowledge, sex, ANYTHING). There is no condemnation. HE knows our weakness...yet in the midst of these little battles for truth...HE is reaching to turn your eyes to HIMSELF, HIS life, and surrender...and the enemy is seeking to turn your eyes to disbelief, discouragement, and surrender.
Brokenness is more painful then condemnation...and condemnation is not what you think it is, or even feel it might be. Don't settle for less, even if it hurts.
HE who began a good work in you will not fail...no matter the choices we make, what we sow, anything according to the will of man. Cling to HIS love, pursue it. Sin will abound...but grace abounds greater to help us turn around, HE died for us while we were yet HIS enemies! From faith to faith, strength to strength, glory to glory, is HIS victory not ours.
Wow ! So anything could and could not be a sin. Right?? Could be a good thing or a bad thing. Like reading books or buying cd's or dirt bikes or sports or having a favorite sports team. It makes sense. Because sometimes people get all into something that even thier clothes reflect the actual worship ( like Hip-Hop or Rock ) Is that right???
Hi moose34...
Have you considered I Corinthians 3:16-17?
Whereas it is difficult to argue that a natural beverage that ferments (such as wine) could harm the body (...and many studies point to the opposite),[b]KJV[/b]
[b]16[/b] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?[b]17[/b] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
[b]NIV[/b]
[b]16[/b] Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?[b]17[/b] If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
[b]NASB[/b]
[b]16[/b] Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?[b]17[/b] If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
That being said: I know men who smoked. C. S. Lewis smoked a pipe. Other famous preachers smoked cigars. But this was before the link between smoking and the destruction of the body was scientifically confirmed.
You are going to get a lot of opinions in a place like this. Yet if I were you, I would certainly pray about whether or not you think that it is appropriate or becoming of a child of God to smoke. What is the reason a person would smoke? Can anything good come from it at all – other than a temporary feeling of relaxation…that could be enjoyed by intimacy with Christ?
I will be praying for you, brother.
:-)
As a former smoker, I can tell you what the Holy Spirit used to convict me of the need to quit. It was 1 Corinthians 6:12
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Every time I lit a cigarette after the Holy Spirit prompted me with that Scripture, I realized I was enslaved to it. Smoking is not a "sin" per se, but it is bondage, and you can not experience the liberty of Christ, while you consent to remain in bondage. I hope that helps.
As a former smoker, I can tell you what the Holy Spirit used to convict me of the need to quit. It was 1 Corinthians 6:12
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Every time I lit a cigarette after the Holy Spirit prompted me with that Scripture, I realized I was enslaved to it. Smoking is not a "sin" per se, but it is bondage, and you can not experience the liberty of Christ, while you consent to remain in bondage. I hope that helps.
Is smoking a sin... no, but destroying one's health and wasting one's finances might be.
Are cigarettes habit forming (addictive)... Yes.
Are they dangerous to one's health? Absolutely!
Are they expensive? Yep!
God has made you a STEWARD of your body and your belongings to use them to glorify God! Can anyone glorify God through the consumption, addiction, and waste cause by smoking cigarettes?
Is smoking a sin?
That depends. If one sincerely believes something to be either a legitimate detriment to his health, or finances, usefulness to others, or the honor of God whom he represents, then yes, it is.
The same is true of coffee, red meat, and anything else existing in material form. Suppose a man thinks an occasional steak maintains his health. He is then free to eat and be full, and thank the Lord with a good conscience for his meal. Contrarily, if that man eats five steaks a week at $25 a sitting, while being convinced this diet is harming both his body and his willingness to share generously with others - and yet goes on in the habit - then it is a sinful practice which must be stopped.
One may be surprised to learn that tobacco was considered by some in the 17th century to offer valuable medicinal benefits. Pipe smoking was recommended as an effective treatment for migraines, as noted in Daniel Defoe's classic, 'Robinson Crusoe.' Under these impressions such smokers were by no means guilty of sin. This is because believers have freedom in Christ to partake in every creature, provided doing so is not an impediment to Christian love. It is the mark of a heretic to forbid others to eat meats or to marry. [1 Tim. 4:3-5] We ought not to forbid smoking, per se, but to warn against any knowledgeable abuse of the physical body, which is unloving towards those we might have ministered to with our full strength.
Confronting the issue of chemical addictions and deeply set habits is overwhelming for many. They have tried so many methods without success, even praying and fasting at length, and resort to frightening themselves and making rash oaths. Fear of God's anger or the disapproval of others may hold one off for a time. But fear is a weak motive and often proves inferior to strong cravings.
The real problem lies in having insufficient motives for quitting negative habits. Until one's motive to stop exceeds the motive to continue, there will be no permanent resolve. What motive is capable of providing enough strength to abstain entirely from something one enjoys? Only a superior satisfaction in the benefits of abstaining from it.
In the case of harmful habits, one needs true conviction that his abstinence is for the best of God and others, rather than for himself. His unwillingness stems from a depravity of sincere brotherly love, which ought to be mourned for, but not despaired over. God is powerful to change hearts: on His resume is the creation of new and clean ones. Those who have repeatedly fought and fallen before temptation may place hope in the One who "renews a steadfast spirit within." [Psm 51:10] It is more love that is needed, and such love is a fruit of the Spirit [Gal 5]. He has power to produce that virtue in everyone who faithfully attends the means of grace.
In conclusion, habitual sin is conquered by superior desires to love God and others. This love cannot be urged from one's natural self, therefore must be supernaturally wrought by the Spirit in believers. This work was purchased by Christ, and is received by faith. As a Christian rests in Christ's righteousness to appropriate his sanctification, he receives a transformation of heart through the means of prayer and the Word.
I exhort every addict to find his superior satisfaction in loving God and men, and to draw nerve-calming peace from the promises of Christ, the [i]Stimulus Ultimum
My two cents. God bless you.
Hi theopenlife...
I understand what you're trying to say...but there is a world of difference between smoking cigarettes and eating red meat. The Scriptures are clear that red meat is fine...and science has proven that the protein provided by red meat...or wine...and even coffee in moderation. Yet there are NO scientific studies that sing the virtues of cigarettes. EVERY study describes such things as being harmful to human beings.That depends. If one sincerely believes something to be either a legitimate detriment to his health, or finances, usefulness to others, or the honor of God whom he represents, then yes, it is.The same is true of coffee, red meat, and anything else existing in material form. If a man thinks an occasional steak maintains his health, then praise God. He may eat and be full, and thank the Lord with a good conscience. Contrarily, if he eats five steaks a week at $25 a sitting, while being convinced that this is harming both his body and his willingness to share generously with others - and yet goes on in the habit - then it is sinful habit which must be stopped.
Tobacco was considered by some in the 17th century to offer certain medicinal benefits. Pipe smoking was recommended as an effective treatment for migraines, as noted in Daniel Defoe's classic, Robinson Crusoe.
Smoking kills the body (or yourself and others). The Bible is pretty clear about a person who destroys his body. That is why I included the passage from I Corinthians chapter 3.
Of course, that, in itself, might not answer the initial question. Instead of comparing cigarettes with red meat or coffee, why not compare it with marijuana or heroin? Yet I have no idea if this is sinful enough to prohibit a person from going to Heaven. I do believe, however, that a smoker needs to stop. He is killing himself and those around him.
:-(
No, Chris, my friend, you are mistaken. What makes cigarettes [i]unhealthful[i]knowing it
If a man believes red meat is harmful and eats it, he sins whether or not it really is. If a man thinks his milk is poisonous and yet drinks it, he sins. But if a man unwittingly drinks poisoned milk, he has not sinned. If a man does anything with the assumption that he is seriously and needlessly endangering himself, he sins because he violates his conscience, not because the activity does or does not pose any actual dangers.
"EVERY study describes such things as being harmful to human beings."
You're right, but if one does not know or believe the studies, then they may not be [i]sinning
Hi theopenlife...
Yes, I think we are saying the same thing. The cigarettes are not sinful. They are just a bunch of ingredients added together by an industry intent on helping addicts feel a alteration to their body. This is no different than heroin...or marijuana...or even tylenol. The difference isn't that cigarettes alter the body...but that cigarettes are created with an effect that destroys the body (of both the user and the people around the user).
This is very different than red meat. Red meat is proven to have certain advantages when used in moderation. The same is true of wine...and even coffee.
I don't know if there is a smoker in the West who is unaware of the diseases caused by smoking. Yet the Word of God is clear that a man who destroys his temple (his body), then God will destroy such a man. Yes, this must be done with knowledge or intent, but it is the act of smoking (the question asked in the first post) that causes such destruction. Is it sinful for a man to smoke? Like I said before, I don't know that it is for every person. Like you pointed out, there might be a person who is unaware that it is wrong...just like there could possibly be a person who thinks that other drugs might not be sinful.
The point? This brother asked a question which is (sort of) answered by I Corinthians chapter 3.
Thanks guys! Man all those points of view are good. Smoking is also seen as a worldly thing, even if it is not a sin, would I preach on the street holding a cigarette??? No unbeliever ever convicted me for eating pies or hamburgers, But when they saw me smoke they always say " Hey! You're a christian and why do you smoke? " I am feeling convicted to quit so that I can be blameless like it says in the bible. Thanks for all your answers guys I truly appreciate it !!!
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