Are you struggling with smoking or has someone told you that you are not a Christian because you smoke? or you know someone who proclaims they are a Christian but they smoke?
What is sin?
Pr. 10.19 In the multitude of words there wants not sin: but he that refrains his lips is wise.
Pr. 14.21 He that despises his neighbour sins: but he that has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
Pr.24.9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Ro. 14.23 And he that doubts is damned if he eat, because he eat not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Ja. 4.17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.
1 Jn. 3.4 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1 Jn 5.17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
Sin against Holy Spirit ~ Is. 63.10; Mt. 12.31; Mk 3.29; Ac. 5.3; Ep. 4.30; 1Th. 5.19; He. 10.29; 1Jn. 5.16
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Now why is cigarette smoking a sin? because our bodies are the temple of God! so why then do we fill it full of fats, salt, chemically altered food, foods with pesticides, man made medicines, recreational drugs, we are gluttons, eat modified meats, drink modified liquids, modified fruits and what was the question again?
**************Merriam Webster dictionary
[h=2]Definition of
DEBAUCHERY[/h]1
a : extreme indulgence in
sensuality
b plural : orgies
2
archaic : seduction from virtue or duty
Alcohol is not on par with cigarette smoking as over indulgence in alcohol causes one to lose control of their thoughts and body thereby allowing evil to take control.
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The Ten Commandments[/TD]
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Deut. 5.1-21 [/TD]
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1 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] And God spake all these words, saying,
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2 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ I
am the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
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3 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
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4 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
of any thing that
is in heaven above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that
is in the water under the earth:
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5 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:
Ex. 34.17 · Lev. 19.4 ; 26.1 · Deut. 4.15-18 ; 27.15 for I the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] thy God
am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth
generation of them that hate me;
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6 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Ex. 34.6, 7 · Num. 14.18 · Deut. 7.9, 10
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7 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt not take the name of the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] thy God in vain:
Lev. 19.12 for the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
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8 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Ex. 16.23-30 ; 31.12-14
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9 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
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10 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] but the seventh day
is the sabbath of the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] thy God:
in it thou shalt not do any work,
Ex. 23.12 ; 31.15 ; 34.21 ; 35.2 · Lev. 23.3 thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that
is within thy gates:
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11 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] for
in six days the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them
is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Gen. 2.1-3 · Ex. 31.17
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12 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Honor thy father and thy mother:
Deut. 27.16 · Mt. 15.4 ; 19.19 · Mk. 7.10 ; 10.19 · Lk. 18.20 · Eph. 6.2 that thy days may be long upon the land which the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] thy God giveth thee.
Eph. 6.3
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13 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt not kill.
Gen. 9.6 · Lev. 24.17 · Mt. 5.21 ; 19.18 · Mk. 10.19 · Lk. 18.20 · Rom. 13.9 · Jas. 2.11
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14 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Lev. 20.10 · Mt. 5.27 ; 19.18 · Mk. 10.19 · Lk. 18.20 · Rom. 13.9 · Jas. 2.11
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15 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt not steal.
Lev. 19.11 · Mt. 19.18 · Mk. 10.19 · Lk. 18.20 · Rom. 13.9
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16 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Ex. 23.1 · Mt. 19.18 · Mk. 10.19 · Lk. 18.20
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17 [/TD]
[TD="width: 95%"] ¶ Thou shalt not covet
Rom. 7.7 ; 13.9 thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that
is thy neighbor's.[/TD]
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I see more against judging others and making up one's law to not smoking then there is in the Bible.
1. If it is for yourself and you are having problems quitting if that is what you want ask God, ask others to pray for you.
2. If it is because you hear others condemning it but would like to know for sure God gave us the New Testament because mankind was to hard on their fellow man and forgot about love and no cigarette smoking will not condemn you to hell. If it is a sin then it would be one of those sins not unto death by God's judgment.
3. If you are asking because the church you are seeking to attend is taking a hard line to it then maybe you should find one that is not so condemning.
For God SO LOVED the WORLD HE GAVE His ONLY begotten son... He didn't say a select few and He didn't tell us to judge one another outside of the realm of His Word given to us.
The Bible tells us that if we see a wrong and correct the man and he does not accept the correction then you have done what is required of you and are free from condemnation because you have tried but we are not to be bullies that turn others further away from God.
When I have a question about God or what mankind preaches I ask GOD. It is He we serve so when in doubt it is He whom we should seek.