Smoking

[alextg55]

How does my fellow baptists feel about smoking.

 

[Jerrysch]

How does my fellow baptists feel about smoking.

It is great for fish or bacon, yet it is not advantagous for people. I have quit over 30 years ago and I still have dreams of having a smoke. I had a friend that said that kicking heroin was easier than the smokes!

 

[newbeliever02072005]

How does my fellow baptists feel about smoking.

I quit smoking almost 10 years ago. The very minute I found out I was pregnant with my first born I never picked up a cigarette again. I never had that kind of will power before hand. I was a 1-2 pack a day smoker for 10 years at that point. Smoking I knew was a bad thing, but couldn't quit. Thank God I quit when I did. Smoking is not a good thing. It can cause all kinds of health problems, its stinky and very unattractive, but the battle of whether you should or shouldn't is a personal choice. Something that you have to work out with yourself and God. I imagine from my personal thought is that God wouldn't look to kindly to smoking. I am not scriptural savvy yet to find out if its something God has addressed in the bible....maybe someone else can verify that. Doesn't it say somewhere that our bodies are the temple of God?


Well those were my thoughts on the issue of smoking.....not sure how that relates to the Baptist beliefs though.

Have a great and wonderful day!

God Bless!
newbeliever

 

[Gold Dragon]

The www.stupid.ca advertising campaign has been pretty effective here in Canada.

 

[P_G]

Smoking probably wont send you to hell

But it will make you smell like you have been visiting!


PG

 

[ps139]

I had a friend that said that kicking heroin was easier than the smokes!

Your friend tells the truth. I've never done heroin, thank God, but it is a scientific fact that nicotine is more addictive than heroin and cocaine. I think the only drugs more addictive than nicotine are barbiturates.

 

[rural_preacher]

Although the following verses are not in reference to smoking (they're actually in reference to sexual purity), they present a valuable principle that we as believers can apply to things such as smoking.

I Corinthians chapter 6...

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

and chapter 10 (these verses apply to everything we do)...

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

--

 

[ksen]

I know that Baptists today typically make smoking a sin, but I don't see anywhere in the Scripture that classifies it as a sin.

And no, I don't smoke.

 

[Ginny]

I know that Baptists today typically make smoking a sin, but I don't see anywhere in the Scripture that classifies it as a sin.

Aaaah, yes, but...

1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

There are many things that are wrong to do that are not simply stated in the Bible. If Christ lives within is, we should treat our physical bodies with respect. If we want to get into it a little bit deeper, let's talk about the stronghold that smoking has on an individual...there are many "god's" in some people's lives...money, jobs, family, caffeine, cars, clothes, alcohol, drugs...and cigarettes.

 

[ksen]

Aaaah, yes, but...

1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

There are many things that are wrong to do that are not simply stated in the Bible. If Christ lives within is, we should treat our physical bodies with respect. If we want to get into it a little bit deeper, let's talk about the stronghold that smoking has on an individual...there are many "god's" in some people's lives...money, jobs, family, caffeine, cars, clothes, alcohol, drugs...and cigarettes.

People use that verse like the US Congress uses the Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution. It's used to justify calling just about anything sin.

Are you ready to call eating processed foods sin? Are you ready to call drinking coffee sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough sleep sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough exercise sin?

 

[rural_preacher]

People use that verse like the US Congress uses the Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution. It's used to justify calling just about anything sin.

Are you ready to call eating processed foods sin? Are you ready to call drinking coffee sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough sleep sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough exercise sin?

We do not call those things (including smoking) sin in and of themselves.

Romans 14:14, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean."

However, anything can become sin for the one who allows it to become their master. I Corinthians 6:12, "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

We all know that smoking is an incredibly addictive habit. It is virtually impossible to smoke without being "brought under the power" of tobacco's adddictive ingredients.

There is another principle at stake which is, I believe, far more important: will smoking do damage to my testimony since many unbelievers see smoking as something that Christians should not do?

I Corinthians 10:31-33, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."

Rather than defending smoking or rationalizing it, we should be seeking that which is best for our bodies and for our testimonies.

Romans 14:19-21, "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."


--

 

[TwinCrier]

While there are lots of things we do that are not necessarily healthy for our bodies, smoking one of the few that harms those around us as well.
http://whitelies.tv/

 

[BBAS 64]

We do not call those things (including smoking) sin in and of themselves.

Romans 14:14, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean."

However, anything can become sin for the one who allows it to become their master. I Corinthians 6:12, "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

We all know that smoking is an incredibly addictive habit. It is virtually impossible to smoke without being "brought under the power" of tobacco's adddictive ingredients.

There is another principle at stake which is, I believe, far more important: will smoking do damage to my testimony since many unbelievers see smoking as something that Christians should not do?

I Corinthians 10:31-33, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."

Rather than defending smoking or rationalizing it, we should be seeking that which is best for our bodies and for our testimonies.

Romans 14:19-21, "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."


--

Good Day, RP

So, are we to let the God hating unbeliving people dictate what a Christian should and should not do? Is it fair to let them define what a Christian is or is not?

I smoke and I agree it is not the smartest thing to do.

Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.


Peace to u,

Bill

 

[M21]

People use that verse like the US Congress uses the Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution. It's used to justify calling just about anything sin.

Are you ready to call eating processed foods sin? Are you ready to call drinking coffee sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough sleep sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough exercise sin?

The key difference is that smoking is an addiction. If the addiction is more pre-eminent in your life than God, it is your God. Having said that then we have to be reminded of the first commandment and should be reminded that we are to have no other God. I also think the point is that if Christ lives within me then when I smoke isn't it really Christ smoking? Would Christ smoke? It's the witness. If my addiction can't be defeated by Christ then the perception to the unbeliever is he must not be much of a God. Of course I would apply that to all addictions not just smoking.

FWIW-I used to smoke and my best friend also a Baptist smokes. I watched my father in law die of emphysema and he smoked to the end.

 

[Ginny]

People use that verse like the US Congress uses the Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution. It's used to justify calling just about anything sin.

Why didn't you just say me instead of people?

Are you ready to call eating processed foods sin? Are you ready to call drinking coffee sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough sleep sin? Are you ready to call not getting enough exercise sin?

Processed foods?...Anyway....If there is something that you cannot live without (besides medicine) and it controls part of your being, then YES it does have a stronghold on you...If you would like to say that God endorses smoking, then I will be awaiting the scripture. Let's not steer the subject away from the OP, which is smoking.

 

[Ginny]

There is another principle at stake which is, I believe, far more important: will smoking do damage to my testimony since many unbelievers see smoking as something that Christians should not do?

Rather than defending smoking or rationalizing it, we should be seeking that which is best for our bodies and for our testimonies.

Exactly, it is definitely a stumbling block.

 

[Marissa]

The key difference is that smoking is an addiction. If the addiction is more pre-eminent in your life than God, it is your God.

From my observations, that has more to do with someones spiritual well being than their addiction to cigarettes. Mainly because I don't know anyone where smoking is the most pre-eminent thing in their life. If God is on the back shelf, it's because work/kids/partner/hobby has gotten in the way. Unless smoking in and of itself is a sin, it doesn't directly interfere with ones walk with God.

I have to admit I'm a smoker, and in someways smoking helps my walk. Smoking gets me to sit still for a moment in stressful times, and on a number of occasion has resulted in some heartfelt prayers that otherwise I might have left unsaid. Usually in this case I don't get all the way through my cigarette, because I don't feel overly comfortable smoking and praying at the same time.

I also think the point is that if Christ lives within me then when I smoke isn't it really Christ smoking? Would Christ smoke? It's the witness. If my addiction can't be defeated by Christ then the perception to the unbeliever is he must not be much of a God. Of course I would apply that to all addictions not just smoking.

As far as it being Christ smoking, no more than it's Christ swearing, Christ over eatting, Christ lying etc. The good in me is Christ is me. The bad is just me.

Perhaps I have bigger problems than my smoking? The fact that it takes a smoke to get me to sit down and pray in a moment of stress instead of it being automatic is one that comes to mind.

As I'm sure you can all tell I don't feel smoking is a sin. Unbeneficial for sure. It is a terrible habit to have, but a sin? I can't see it. If it is, but then I suppose God will change my mind in his own time. So be it.

 

[JimfromOhio]

The bible doesn't say anything about "smoking". Therefore it is not a religious issue. It is a health issue. In 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, therefore glorify God in your body. That means look after it; don't fill it with substances that will harm you. In 1 Corinthians 10:23 that even though something may be lawful (like smoking), that does not mean it is good for you.

There are two general principles which help Christians decide whether they should use or agree regarding smoking: Caring for ourselves and caring for others. Christians should ask two questions:

How would smoking affect our bodies?
Will it affect our relationship with God?

 

[Richard]

Smoking probably wont send you to hell

True. Smoking is buying cancer and an early death. I don't like it one bit

 

[Ginny]

Jim-

My thoughts exactly....You put that very well.