Can I Be a Christian if I Occasionally Smoke Cigarettes
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I recall being at a Promise Keepers conference or two, we smokers were outside giving each other guilty looks.
The Lord delivered me from it quit completely and quickly, I felt His power to the bottom of my lungs, next day I could look at a rack of smokes and it had no temptation at all.
blessings to all
The Lord delivered me from it quit completely and quickly, I felt His power to the bottom of my lungs, next day I could look at a rack of smokes and it had no temptation at all.
blessings to all
I guess I meant if you're ashamed that people might catch you doing it so do it in secret, it's probably not something you should do. I find if I smile at people, they sometimes smile back. If they frown, I know they probably think I'm planning to rob them, so know better than to say hello and make them even more twitchy.
The line of what is permissible vs not permissible is rather undefinable.
But mostly it's a matter of identity and what defines you as an individual.
Is smoking an occasional cigarette going to turn you into a different person?
I personally don't think so.
Is lambasting anyone who uses a tobacco product going to define you?
Absolutely, and the identity is not one shared by Jesus.
The identity and focus of your life is the issue here and not an individual practice...but that isn't to say that some practices are so life changing that you can't identify with being a follower of Jesus when doing them.
There was a time when eating a ham and cheese sandwich would get you on the outs with God....today it's not the identity changer that it once was. Nobody thinks anything about a ham and cheese sandwich today except maybe, "Can I have a bite?"
But mostly it's a matter of identity and what defines you as an individual.
Is smoking an occasional cigarette going to turn you into a different person?
I personally don't think so.
Is lambasting anyone who uses a tobacco product going to define you?
Absolutely, and the identity is not one shared by Jesus.
The identity and focus of your life is the issue here and not an individual practice...but that isn't to say that some practices are so life changing that you can't identify with being a follower of Jesus when doing them.
There was a time when eating a ham and cheese sandwich would get you on the outs with God....today it's not the identity changer that it once was. Nobody thinks anything about a ham and cheese sandwich today except maybe, "Can I have a bite?"
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This is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or a simple no. Three things to consider:
1. Knowledge and understanding of a thing
2. Your conscience. The part of man that tells us of right and wrong
3. Your temple where God dwells.
Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” For example, if a person is taught and comes to believe that wearing lipstick is a sin and then wears lipstick, that person is sinning. The sin resides not in the lipstick but in the intent to act against what one believes to be the command of God" - R.C. Sproul
Our conscience must be trained and molded with truth. If you have correct knowledge and understanding about God and about cigarettes, and your conscience is telling you it's bad, you shouldn't go against your conscience. That is sin. BUT that does NOT mean you are not a Christian.
Now for the temple. There is not one good benefit from smoking cigarettes, but there are a host of bad side effects you get from smoking. Ultimately you are willingly killing yourself. Not only that but you are gladly paying somebody else to do so. Joyfully paying someone to help kill yourself does not sound Godly. Instead it sounds crazy, but not surprising. Death and sin feels and taste good. Just ask Adam and Eve. You are precious in Gods sight. It's impossible that He takes joy in watching his children kill themselves. Not only that but you are defiling His temple. In the Old Testament you would be killed for walking in the temple and destroying it. Something like that was unimaginable except to the wicked gentiles. In our times (New testament) God does not dwell in temples like in the Old Testament. He dwells in us. We should have great respect for His temple. This also go for those who are willingly killing themselves with food.
Now don't feel to bad. This great respect must be learned. We do not automatically have it. Through His spirit and the process of sanctification, He will help you gain this respect. Through learning more of Him He will prick your conscience and you will start to change and become more like Christ. I hope this helps.
1. Knowledge and understanding of a thing
2. Your conscience. The part of man that tells us of right and wrong
3. Your temple where God dwells.
Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” For example, if a person is taught and comes to believe that wearing lipstick is a sin and then wears lipstick, that person is sinning. The sin resides not in the lipstick but in the intent to act against what one believes to be the command of God" - R.C. Sproul
Our conscience must be trained and molded with truth. If you have correct knowledge and understanding about God and about cigarettes, and your conscience is telling you it's bad, you shouldn't go against your conscience. That is sin. BUT that does NOT mean you are not a Christian.
Now for the temple. There is not one good benefit from smoking cigarettes, but there are a host of bad side effects you get from smoking. Ultimately you are willingly killing yourself. Not only that but you are gladly paying somebody else to do so. Joyfully paying someone to help kill yourself does not sound Godly. Instead it sounds crazy, but not surprising. Death and sin feels and taste good. Just ask Adam and Eve. You are precious in Gods sight. It's impossible that He takes joy in watching his children kill themselves. Not only that but you are defiling His temple. In the Old Testament you would be killed for walking in the temple and destroying it. Something like that was unimaginable except to the wicked gentiles. In our times (New testament) God does not dwell in temples like in the Old Testament. He dwells in us. We should have great respect for His temple. This also go for those who are willingly killing themselves with food.
Now don't feel to bad. This great respect must be learned. We do not automatically have it. Through His spirit and the process of sanctification, He will help you gain this respect. Through learning more of Him He will prick your conscience and you will start to change and become more like Christ. I hope this helps.
K
All I ask of smokers is to be considerate of non-smokers. Pipe smoke, and some cigars dont bother me, but if someone is smoking cigarettes (the cheaper they are the worse it is) and I get second- hand smoke; I immediately become congested, and cannot breathe through my nose.
If you ever switch to vaping, stay away from the THC products and vitamin E acitate(?) Products. They are giving people pneumonia.
The Lord can change people too. If you ever want to quit, but find it difficult, he is the one to ask for help!
If you ever switch to vaping, stay away from the THC products and vitamin E acitate(?) Products. They are giving people pneumonia.
The Lord can change people too. If you ever want to quit, but find it difficult, he is the one to ask for help!
