Smoking

'k, so I'm sXe. I don't smoke, drink, etc. not because I'm a Christian, but because i took an oath many years ago when I was much heavier in the punk scene, but I stood by that oath beyond my religious convictions.

That being said, smoking is probably not a sin in and of itself. Because sin is not just about the "law". Sin IMHO, is simply ANY disobedience to God. Ignoring a conviction to witness to someone can be a sin, but refusing to talk to someone in general may not be. However, because I HAVE taken an oath, to break that oath would be a sin. More than that, because I am a witness to God, and people KNOW I'm a Christian, if I were to smoke or drink, then I could ruin my own witness and lead another away from Him.

Remember, you are a Christian 24 hours a day. It's not something you can take off. So people see you. And if they see you smoking, they see that witness as flawed. It kinda reminds me of a church we have in Florida. I heard that they have services on the front lawn once a month where they serve beer before the service. It's a shocking thing to hear, but on the same note, as long as nobody gets drunk, where is the sin? On the other side, must we resort to such tactics just to get the message out? Myself, I would never, ever go to such a place, but I find it a little harder to condemn their actions completely.
 
'k, so I'm sXe. I don't smoke, drink, etc. not because I'm a Christian, but because i took an oath many years ago when I was much heavier in the punk scene, but I stood by that oath beyond my religious convictions.

That being said, smoking is probably not a sin in and of itself. Because sin is not just about the "law". Sin IMHO, is simply ANY disobedience to God. Ignoring a conviction to witness to someone can be a sin, but refusing to talk to someone in general may not be. However, because I HAVE taken an oath, to break that oath would be a sin. More than that, because I am a witness to God, and people KNOW I'm a Christian, if I were to smoke or drink, then I could ruin my own witness and lead another away from Him.

Remember, you are a Christian 24 hours a day. It's not something you can take off. So people see you.

Amen, BAN!!

This is so true...smoking in my opinion, would be no more a sin than gluttony, but what was stated in the quote above is correct. Sin is not just disobeying the laws that are written in the Logos Word of God (Bible), but it is also disobeying the Rhema Word of God (which is what God speaks to you now). If you were convicted of smoking (or anything else for that matter) and didn't obey that conviction then you ARE sinning.

The Bible does say that we are the temples of the Holy Spirit and we shouldn't harm it, so in that sense yes it is a sin (along with gluttony, alcoholism and doing drugs of any kind).

Smellycat, as for putting oils, lipstick, and any other substance on your body, if it's not harming your body, then I don't see how that could be sin. :D
 
I enjoy it. Simple as that. Why do you drink Coke over Pepsi? Or vice versa?

I don't drink either one. Pretending to smoke only causes people to think that I DO smoke. Is that a good testimony as a Christian? I can't see doing something that could hurt my testimony, and that is much more important to me than "fitting in" by pretending to smoke.

When I was 13 I was at a place in the south called "Buck Lake Ranch". I was standing and talking with with my 16-year-old brother and two other teen boys. My brother said, "If you want to have friends, you're going to have to smoke like they do." I reluctantly took a cigarette from him and let him light it. I took one puff off it, threw it on the ground, and mashed it out. Then I said, "I don't need friends that bad."

Well, I don't need friends badly enough to pretend to do things I believe would hurt my testimony for Christ. What God thinks of me is FAR more important than what other people think of me.
 
I'm doing nothing to hurt my body, and the fact that I smoke tobacco free cigarettes may well encourage those who do to switch! I respect your right to believe what you wish about tobacco, but your preconceptions and misconceptions of me are unfair. You also seem to have completely misunderstood my soda analogy...

K
 
I personally think it is a sin although I am back to smoking after being delivered from it..ugh! Anyways our body is a temple when we are saved God lives inside us ...he will deliver you from it.
 
i believe when jesus says have faith,i have faith smoking wont hurt me.nor drinking beer.aslong as i do it responsable and dont hurt others.
 
I'm doing nothing to hurt my body, and the fact that I smoke tobacco free cigarettes may well encourage those who do to switch! I respect your right to believe what you wish about tobacco, but your preconceptions and misconceptions of me are unfair. You also seem to have completely misunderstood my soda analogy...

K

I have no preconceptions or misconceptions of you since I don't know you. I'm just saying that I see no need (for me anyway) to pretend to be doing something that I find offensive and harmful to my testimony--in my opinion. I have NEVER smoked (thank God) and cannot understand the appeal of it.

I apologize if my lack of understanding that filthy, harmful and expensive habit offends anyone. I also apologize for my lack of understanding as to why someone would pretend to smoke by smoking a pretend cigarette--like the candy I remember from my childhood that looked liked cigarettes. I wonder how many children and teens started the real thing by eating (or puffing on and pretending they were smoking) the candy ones and wondering what the real ones were like.
 
Wow

i believe when jesus says have faith,i have faith smoking wont hurt me.nor drinking beer.aslong as i do it responsable and dont hurt others.

Smellycat,
This makes no absolute sense. To say that you have faith that if you smoke it won't harm you, is absurd. Anything you do in life whether good or bad has consequences. If I have faith that putting a loaded gun to my head and pulling the trigger won't hurt me, do you honestly believe, that I would not be dead.

Jesus even said out of His own mouth, Don't tempt the Lord your God.

I have been reading your posts on other threads and noticed in one of them you talked about using wisdom. Wouldn't this be a case where wisdom is necessary?!?

Now, don't get me wrong, if this were some extreme case (which I don't believe you were talking about) of you were forced to smoke, because someone was threatening to kill you if you didn't, then yes, I could see God supernaturally protecting your body. By the way, when I say forced, I mean more than just peer pressure.

Please explain this logic to me? No offense, but in my opinion this is not using wisdom or even being logical. Please, tell me that you are just stating this for the sake of an argument and that you don't truly believe this.

God bless!

P.S. If you say that you have faith to smoke and not be harmed, then why can't you have faith to believe that others will not be harmed by your smoking...REALITY CHECK!!
 
daniel believed in good faith and the lions never ate him.and his friends were put into a furnace ,never hurt them.jesus walked on water.which of the 3 are obsurd.
 
Well, If you are addicted to chocolate :p

Food is a different matter, I think theres a verse in the bible that says out lusting after food, which lust is wrong.


What is the difference of lusting after food and hunger because I thought that hunger was a bodily function. Besides you have to eat or you'll die....As for smoking, don't do it. It makes you stink where as people won't want to be around you.
 
daniel believed in good faith and the lions never ate him.and his friends were put into a furnace ,never hurt them.jesus walked on water.which of the 3 are obsurd.

Smellycat,
First, Daniel didn't willfully jump into the Lion's din. He was thrown in there because he refused to quit praying in front of his window. The fiery furnace was because they refused to bow down to idols. They didn't say well let's just jump in for the heck of it and see if God saves us. They were being persecuted for their faith. To me, I don't even see how you could relate these topics. Smoking is for YOUR pleasure...these men where persecuted for seeking not their own pleasures, but seeking to please God! I am by no means, saying that God can't perform miracles. As a matter of fact, I have seen God do awesome things in peoples lives...i.e. healings, people being delivered etc. Faith is biblical, but not an excuse to live our lives how ever we please. In my opinion, what you have stated above perverts true faith. Again, not condemning, but saying that faith is not a formula, it's a lifestyle. I know my Savior well enough to know, that Him walking on water, was not an excuse for you to smoke or do anything else that pleases your flesh...as a matter of fact, God said crucify your flesh, take up your cross and follow me. I may not be perfect and I may not be where I need to be yet, but I know this much about God. Again, please explain this logic?
 
jesus said give up all your wealth to the poor,does this fit your lifestyle too.

Sir, with all do respect, I am a 23 year old single male, and the only thing that I own, is my bedroom furniture. So, in a sense I am poor, now luckily I have a loving family who has allowed me to live with them, but had I not had them, I probably would be homeless. But with that being said, I still do what I can to help the poor and those less fortunate than me. I help feed the homeless through a homeless ministry in my community.

I will quote what I stated earlier though, I may not be perfect and I may not be where I need to be yet.

I am by no means condemning or expecting you to be perfect...I am simply trying to understand your logic and state to you my opinion on this topic. After all, this is a forum where you do those sorts of things. :jesus-sign:
 
how can anyone compare a bad, selfish habit, or nicotine addiction to someone being persecuted for standing up for God, and being willing to lay down there lives for Christ. Being willing to face death for Christ is one of the most selfless acts in the world. you can not compare a completely selfless act to a completely selfish one.
 
not comparing anything im just saying what faith means.faith that jesus cares for me.and if i die will still be there for me.
 
bad selfish habit,controling people to your beliefs.using sin as a confette phrase.having no idea about God.
 
bad selfish habit,controling people to your beliefs.using sin as a confette phrase.having no idea about God.


God expects you to have common sense, if i eat 24-7 non-stop I am going to gain weight and be un-healthy, If I cut myself with a knife, I am going to bleed...if you do something to harm your body purposefully then you tie the hands of God.....Faith and Miracles are not used to gain your own pleasure and allow you to do whatever you want....I have faith that I can fly so I am going to jump off a bridge and see what happens....again common sense.....God is not an excuse for you to live how you please....When you use God like that you are treating Him like a prostitute....you get your pleasure out of Him and then toss Him aside when it comes to the things that aren't pleasurable....for example giving to the poor.....Don't use God for your pleasure, instead give yourself for His pleasure.
 
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