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Is smoking tobacco a sin ?


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Guest shiloh357
I would agree that smoking is poor stewardship. Smoking, generally speaking, isn't a sin.

 

Uh, poor stewardship of our bodies IS a sin.  Sin by nature is self-destructive when it works it's self out in our lives.  Smoking in any context is a self-destructive habit.  That is beyond dispute of any kind.

 

 

Sorry Shiloh we'll have to agree to disagree brother. Being a slave to an addiction (idoletry) is a sin. So chain smoking I'd consider sin for example. In moderation smoking is not a sin just as drinking alcohol in moderation is not a sin.

 

There is a difference.  Smoking has no health benefits. It is entirely destructive.  There is no "moderate" use of smoking like there is with alcohol.  Studies show that small amounts of alcohol have beneficial affects on the body.  Nothing like that occurs with smoking.  And in moderate drinking, the alcohol is processed out of the body.  The effects of cigarettes is permanent, particularly in the lungs.   Further, second hand smoke is bad for other people, so it is not just harming the smoker it is dangerous others as well.  Smoking, even in moderate amounts is bad for pregnant women and can lead to birth defects.   And BTW, smoking is addictive to people even if they are not chain smokers.  Someone might only smoke pack once every couple of days ,but their is an addiction in play.

 

So here's Scripture then. So far you've only presented opinions brother.

 

No what I have presented is inconvenient truth and facts that you don't want to face up to.  There was a time when holiness meant something to Christians.  I guess those days are gone.

 

 

Show me in Scripture how smoking is a sin passage by passage please.

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

(Rom 12:1-2)

 

Notice that it says we are to present our "bodies,"  not our hears, not our minds, but our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord.  The only sacrifice God accepts is one without spot or blemish.  With the damage that smoking inflicts on the body there is no way that smoking makes the body an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord.

 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

(1Co 6:19-20)

 

Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we are to glorify God with our bodies.  Smoking, overeating, junk food and other destructive habits don't help us glorify God with our bodies.  If anything they detract from His Glory.

 

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

(Rom 6:19)

Smoking is extremely unclean.  It is a filthy habit.  I have been in the homes of smokers and when I left I smelled like smoke.  I could rub my finger across an end table or the wall and soot would stick to my finger.  Imagine what it does to their lungs?   Paul talks about yielding our members to uncleanness and to iniquity.  IN that chapter both come under heading of being dominated by sin.  it doesn't mean we are not Christians when we do that, but it does mean we are not letting the Holy Spirit rule our lives (another sin).

 

1 Corinthians 6:12

All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

 

1 Corinthians 10:23-24

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

 

 

Those two verses are addressing two different issues are ripped from their respective contexts.   I Cor. 6:12 is Paul's correction of the Corinthian use of that proverb to justify inordinate liberty.  Paul uses the proverb a second time in I Cor. 10 to address an issue of conscience regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols.

 

Paul's use of the prover in I Cor. 6:12 would apply better to the smoking issue since he was dealing with how they were abusing Christian liberty in that congregation. 

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please i beg you guys in the name of God,i was only talking base on how i was brought up as a christian in my country,difference culture and difference way of life,iam not judging anybody,I just believe that tobaco is not made for a genuine born again,but now i can see that my believe is totally disagree by 90% over here,majority carry the vote,as some believers are free to drink,likewise, some believers are free to smoke,after all no were in the bible,that says drinking and smoking is a sin,I rest my case.

 

 

Just wanted to clear up a couple of points, Jerry. (I'm not jumping on you.)

 

Typically, believers here in the US are not "encouraged" to smoke, drink to excess, or any of that. It can be a sensitive subject because there are some believers (and in some case whole churches of these) who will judge, condemn, or otherwise treat someone who is smoking, drinking, (or any other behavior they consider inappropriate) like, well, something you scrape off you shoe. All this not long after they are saved -- so its no wonder some don't ever want to go to church again! I wouldn't either if I were treated like that.

 

Fact is drinking alcohol is not condemned in Scripture -- but getting drunk certainly is. 

 

Smoking is not condemned by name in Scripture -- but even worldly science agrees its not good for our bodies that God has given us.

 

Fact is it took many years for me to grow to a point in my walk with Jesus that I could leave the smoking behind. It can be really difficult for some to give up while others seem to be set free over night -- but the Lord deals differently with each of us as we walk with him. Its not easy for someone who has never smoked to understand how hard it is to give up for some of us. Smoking is just one sin of the many we can struggle with after salvation, because some bring more "baggage" from their old lives with them. (Sorry, but that's the only way I can think of to describe it.)

 

Hope this helps. :)

 

 

This in bold is what I think we need to be cautious as Believers. Particularly trying to act as the Holy Spirit in other people's lives. And specificically with those newere to the faith. Instead of allowing God to show them truth in His own timing and move them to change. :thumbsup:

 

God bless,

GE

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I would agree that smoking is poor stewardship. Smoking, generally speaking, isn't a sin.

 

Uh, poor stewardship of our bodies IS a sin.  Sin by nature is self-destructive when it works it's self out in our lives.  Smoking in any context is a self-destructive habit.  That is beyond dispute of any kind.

 

 

Sorry Shiloh we'll have to agree to disagree brother. Being a slave to an addiction (idoletry) is a sin. So chain smoking I'd consider sin for example. In moderation smoking is not a sin just as drinking alcohol in moderation is not a sin.

 

There is a difference.  Smoking has no health benefits. It is entirely destructive.  There is no "moderate" use of smoking like there is with alcohol.  Studies show that small amounts of alcohol have beneficial affects on the body.  Nothing like that occurs with smoking.  And in moderate drinking, the alcohol is processed out of the body.  The effects of cigarettes is permanent, particularly in the lungs.   Further, second hand smoke is bad for other people, so it is not just harming the smoker it is dangerous others as well.  Smoking, even in moderate amounts is bad for pregnant women and can lead to birth defects.   And BTW, smoking is addictive to people even if they are not chain smokers.  Someone might only smoke pack once every couple of days ,but their is an addiction in play.

 

So here's Scripture then. So far you've only presented opinions brother.

 

No what I have presented is inconvenient truth and facts that you don't want to face up to.  There was a time when holiness meant something to Christians.  I guess those days are gone.

 

 

Show me in Scripture how smoking is a sin passage by passage please.

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

(Rom 12:1-2)

 

Notice that it says we are to present our "bodies,"  not our hears, not our minds, but our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord.  The only sacrifice God accepts is one without spot or blemish.  With the damage that smoking inflicts on the body there is no way that smoking makes the body an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord.

 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

(1Co 6:19-20)

 

Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we are to glorify God with our bodies.  Smoking, overeating, junk food and other destructive habits don't help us glorify God with our bodies.  If anything they detract from His Glory.

 

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

(Rom 6:19)

Smoking is extremely unclean.  It is a filthy habit.  I have been in the homes of smokers and when I left I smelled like smoke.  I could rub my finger across an end table or the wall and soot would stick to my finger.  Imagine what it does to their lungs?   Paul talks about yielding our members to uncleanness and to iniquity.  IN that chapter both come under heading of being dominated by sin.  it doesn't mean we are not Christians when we do that, but it does mean we are not letting the Holy Spirit rule our lives (another sin).

 

1 Corinthians 6:12

All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

 

1 Corinthians 10:23-24

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

 

 

Those two verses are addressing two different issues are ripped from their respective contexts.   I Cor. 6:12 is Paul's correction of the Corinthian use of that proverb to justify inordinate liberty.  Paul uses the proverb a second time in I Cor. 10 to address an issue of conscience regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols.

 

Paul's use of the prover in I Cor. 6:12 would apply better to the smoking issue since he was dealing with how they were abusing Christian liberty in that congregation. 

 

 

 

Sorry brother again you claim that smoking in any context is a self-destructive habit. I disagree. Smoking is not a habit for many people. And so it is disputable. I know many people who are Believers who smoke a pipe or a cigar once in a blue moon. Or even who smoke cigarettes on occasion (not one pack every few days). It is not self-destructive or habitual 100% of the time. If you don’t know anyone who is able to do this then perhaps you’re limited in your experience. I don’t know what your experience is with it.

 

Again, you’re discussing smoking with cigarettes and I’ve mentioned several types of smoking (cigars, pipes, etc) as seen on . I don’t dispute that smoking cigarettes is unhealthy. As someone who has lived in apartments with the stench of second hand smoking I can tell you it affects people’s health. You are arguing against what was never indicated – that somehow smoking cigarettes is a healthy habit.

 

Shiloh: "No what I have presented is inconvenient truth and facts that you don't want to face up to.  There was a time when holiness meant something to Christians.  I guess those days are gone."

 

You have presented no facts to back your claims. You haven’t even presented any form of Scripture until this last post. Just because you say something doesn't mean it is a fact. Again, the burden of proof is on you to provide the evidence to back your claims. Something you like to remind others on this site of pretty consistently. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean that they aren’t interested in holiness or that they are somehow denying the truth. I find your tone very condescending. And you wonder why some prefer not to engage you. <sigh> :noidea:

 

But moving onto the good stuff - Scripture. Which is what we’re here for. See next post.

 

God bless,

GE

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@ Shiloh

Romans 12:1-2 does support your view that smoking could be considered a sin. Again, you are specifically focusing on cigarette smoking and I’ve provided examples of other types of smoking.

I wonder what you make of the verses following? Particularly verse 3?

 

Rom. 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.


Again, 1 Cor. 6:19-20 and Rom. 6:19 do support your view regarding smoking being a sin. But you are once again focusing on habitual smoking and I’d imagine referring to cigarettes again.

So this begs the question. What constitutes habitual smoking?

Yes, 1 Cor. 6:12 and 10:23-24 are taken out of their respective contexts. 1 Cor. 6:12 is probably a better passage. Much like taking passages like 2 Chron. 7:14 spoken to Israel out of context? I mean any passage quoted by itself one could make that claim on. Lol ;)

 

I will consider what you've presented and dig further in the Bible into this topic. I will also pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance.  :thumbsup:

In Christ,

GE

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Guest shiloh357
@ Shiloh

Romans 12:1-2 does support your view that smoking could be considered a sin. Again, you are specifically focusing on cigarette smoking and I’ve provided examples of other types of smoking.

 

Smoking is smoking and the majority of people who smoke smoke cigarettes.  I know people smoke pipes and cigars, but they still smoke cigarettes.  And there are people who smoke more often than others.  The frequency is irrelevant.

 

 

I wonder what you make of the verses following? Particularly verse 3?

 

Rom. 12:3

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

 

That verse is irrelevant to this discussion.  We are not judging other people.  We are dealing with an activity.   I don't really see how that applies here.

 

Again, 1 Cor. 6:19-20 and Rom. 6:19 do support your view regarding smoking being a sin. But you are once again focusing on habitual smoking and I’d imagine referring to cigarettes again.

 

The damage done from smoking is immense and permanent no matter how many times you smoke.  I have seen images of the lungs of people who used to smoke, gave it up 20 years ago, but the damage is done.  They still end up running a major risk for cancer emphysema and other smoking related ailments.   It's not like alcohol where you can you can drink in small moderate amounts with huge health risks.

 

So this begs the question. What constitutes habitual smoking?

 

I didn't realize a self-destructive activity had a number attached to it before we recognize it as sinful.

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I didn't realize a self-destructive activity had a number attached to it before we recognize it as sinful.

 

One could say the same about drinking Shiloh. What constitutes too many? Where is the line? It is different in every person.

 

I had a friend Peter Thomas who would only smoke when we had a party and were drinking. That could be 6 times a year or so, but when we partied he smoked. I always thought it weird, but he never smoked otherwise. Self destructive?  No more self destructive than eating two or three Bigmac's a week.

 

Granted he was an exception.

 

Am I justifying smoking. Nope. As an ex smoker I know that habitual smoking (addiction), is bad for one, and in no way glorifies God.

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My

 

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

 

Paladin

 

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

 

~

 

I didn't realize a self-destructive activity had a number attached to it before we recognize it as sinful.

 

~

 

Beloved,

 

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 10:39

 

Is A Self-Destructive Activity

 

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

 

Really A Good Definition

 

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:16

 

Of Sin

 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

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Guest LadyC

might i just point out that eating a big mac and fries is also poor stewardship of the body. it's a good thing none of us are crucified for it, because i'm sure the continent would be quickly depleted of trees.

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Guest shiloh357

My

 

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

 

Paladin

 

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

 

~

 

I didn't realize a self-destructive activity had a number attached to it before we recognize it as sinful.

 

~

 

Beloved,

 

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 10:39

 

Is A Self-Destructive Activity

 

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

 

Really A Good Definition

 

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:16

 

Of Sin

 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

I didn't say that "self-destructive activity" is the definition of sin, but sin by nature is self-destructive. 

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Guest shiloh357

might i just point out that eating a big mac and fries is also poor stewardship of the body. it's a good thing none of us are crucified for it, because i'm sure the continent would be quickly depleted of trees.

Yes you may point that out, but I beat you to it several posts back.  Smoking isn't being singled out. 

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