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Posted by lonlesol (Member # 4511) on :
 
This really bothers me and I need to know...

Is smoking cigarettes considered a sin?????

Is there anything mentionned in the Bible about the subject please?????

I thank you in advance for responding...
 

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Posted by wingsaseagles (Member # 5915) on :
 
lonlesol, This is what the Bible says:

1 Corinthians 6:19
19What? 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?

Our bodies are temples. If we are Born-Again, we have the Holy Spirit endwelled in us. Therefore, any sin we commit with our body, we are committing not only against ourselves, but also against the Holy Spirit of God.
So yes, smoking would be considered a sin. It is dangerous. Dangerous for our bodies, health, others, et. al.
I don't think God's going to tell you you can't come to Heaven if you were a smoker, but as long as you realize that it is unhealthy for you, and you are making an effort to quit, you're okay! that's my opinion.
I feel though, once we are saved, we have that conscience of the Holy Spirit that will speak to us when something is either For or Against God, and God's Will. So those who ignore that voice telling them that something is wrong without making an honest effort to change, i believe they will be judged accordingly.
I hope God has Spoken to you through me on this Subject. I will Pray for you, and if it be God's will that you quit, he'll give you the power to do it!!
Good Luck! and God Bless!!
 

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Posted by TEXASGRANDMA (Member # 847) on :
 
It is possible to be a Christian and smoke. I know of Christians that God has not removed the desire from them. I believe we should strive to live healthy lives, but I would never put anyone down who smoked. We all have our own areas where we fail God and none of us are perfect. I believe that God works with us many times on things one at a time. I think it would be too hard if God was to show us all the things we need to change all at once.
If you feel like you need to stop, then indeed ask God to help you do this. We should obey the voice of God. I only smoked for about 6 months many many years ago. But my sister is a Christian and smoked for many years before God helped her kick that habit.
betty
 

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Posted by Eduardo Grequi (Member # 3984) on :
 
Is smoking a sin?

First to look at the positive advantages of smoking tar and nicotine or commonly called a cirgarette.

It look cool
It is a stress releasor

for the first time you smoke afterward it becomes an addiction similar to drugs, alcohol. pornography, and anything else that is habit.

I truly believe an inanimnate object can not cause sin, it is the person who does the act is sinning.

I remember while being in Germany yeas ago. I took a course in Pathology and Post Morteum Science. Within this particular course one of the requirements was to attend an actual autopsy. The cadavier was a 35 year old woman who died from the complications of emphysema and asthma. She smoked 20 years of her life and looked much older than 35. The Pathologist took a lung and snipped the apex of the lung and filled three specimen containers of its content later to be described as tar and nicotine by products. And snipped the other lung with the same results. ENDING CONCLUSION death by aphysixation secondary to Emphysema.

The Bible tells us that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit subjecting it to willful abuse is a sin. Romans 12:1-2

I do know Charles Spurgeon loved his pipe and tobacco. He was a famous Christian man and author. British I believe.

To say anything is out right sin, must be measured against the person who is doing it. What maybe sin for me to do. may not be sin for you to do. Only in the grey areas of life can this be true. A person who shedds inocent blood is a murderer. A person who does not tell the truth is a liar. A person who knowingly rob the trust of someone with premediated evil is horrible.
 

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Posted by lonlesol (Member # 4511) on :
 
Thank you, I thought so...


I smoked cigarettes for 26 years, maybe more...
Then I managed to stop for 5 years when my husband left for Bosnia for a period of 6 to 8 months...I jumped at the occasion, since he wasn't around, it was easier than I thought and I was proud of myself for achieving this...But two and a half years ago, following one of our numerous arguments, I smoked one and then another and another and I have been smoking ever since...
He has been on my back to quit since then...and our 15 year old daughter wants me to stop too...but the hard part is that he is a smoker and won't quit himself...he tells me what to do but won't do it himself...
I know the dangers of smoking, I even feel guilty every time I light one...I do want to quit for good but I am going through some heavy stuff right now (divorce) and I cannot find the strenght and courage to stop at this moment. I cannot do everything at the same time, it is simply too hard on me...I am hoping that one day soon, I will be able to quit that nasty habit...
 

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Posted by David (Member # 1) on :
 
Question: "What is the Christian view of smoking? Is smoking a sin?"

Answer: The Bible never directly mentions smoking. There are a couple of principles, however, that definitely apply to smoking. First, the Bible commands us to not allow our bodies to become "mastered" by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 declares, "Everything is permissible for me" - but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me" - but I will not be mastered by anything." Smoking is undeniably strongly addictive. Later in the same passage we are told, "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" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Smoking is undeniably very bad for your health. Smoking has been proven to damage the lungs, and often the heart.
Can smoking be considered "beneficial" (1 Corinthians 6:12)? Can it be said that smoking is truly "honoring God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20)? Can a person honestly smoke "to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31)? We believe that the answer to these three question is a resounding "no." As a result, we believe that smoking is a sin, and therefore should not be practiced by followers of Jesus Christ.

Some argue against this view by pointing to the fact that many people eat unhealthy foods, which can be just as addicting and just as bad for the body. As an example, many people are so helplessly addicted to caffeine that they cannot function without their first cup of coffee in the morning. While this is true, how does that make smoking right? It is our contention that Christians should avoid gluttony and excessively unhealthy eating. Yes, Christians are often hypocritical by condemning one sin and allowing another...but again, how does this make smoking honoring to God?

Another argument against this view of smoking is the fact that many godly men have been smokers, such as the famous British preacher C.H. Spurgeon. Again, we do not believe this argument holds any weight. We believe Spurgeon was wrong for smoking. Was he otherwise a godly man and fantastic teacher of God's Word? Absolutely! Does that make all of his actions and habits honoring to God? No.

In stating that smoking is a sin, we are not stating that all smokers are unsaved. There are many true believers in Jesus Christ who smoke. Smoking does not prevent a person from being saved. Nor does it cause a person to lose salvation. Smoking is no less forgivable than any other sin, whether for a person becoming a Christian, or a Christian confessing his/her sin to God (1 John 1:9). At the same time, we firmly believe that smoking is a sin that should be forsaken, and with God’s help, overcome.

http://www.gotquestions.org/smoking-Christian-sin.html
 

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Posted by Eduardo Grequi (Member # 3984) on :
 
My sister smoking is a crutch to something more not seen. After that particular day in the pathology lab, I quit smoking. I said to myself I do not want to end up like that. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP BY YOURSELF. YOU MUST REPLACE THE SMOKING HAVIT WITH SOMETHING ELSE. To loose a habit one must pick up a positive habit. THIS has to be at your disposal. GOD loves us. He won't condemn us to hell for bad habits. The only sin worthy of hell sort of speak, IS THE SIN OF UNBELIEF.
 

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Posted by helpforhomeschoolers (Member # 15) on :
 
I dont think that you can answer whether smoking is a sin for another person. Yes the Bible does say that the temple of the Ghost is the Body, but the Bible also says that it is not what a man puts in the mouth that defiles him, but what comes out.

I think that it is entirely possible to smoke and have God supernaturally prevent it from harming you.

Could not this apply to smoking as well?

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Likewise, I have known 3 people in my life who have died from lung cancer and none of them ever smoked.


Whether smoking is a sin has a great deal to do with the person... Does smoking control them. Are they in bondage to their flesh that they must smoke? Has God asked them to give up smoking?

What is sin to one is not sin to all in matters such as this that are not specifically spelled out in scripture. Paul's words "All things are legal, but all things are not profitable, and all things do not edify." apply here I believe.

I smoke. There was a time when I was making smoking a sin for me. My husband had quit smoking and I worked in a non smoking office and I had tired to quit smoking because my husband did not smoke and I thought it would be good. It was much easier for me to quit than him. He struggled terribly with the physical addiction.. taking pills and using patches etc. He was so moody and he never lost the desire for a ciggerette even after 2 years. Me I did not use anything and I could go all day and not have a ciggerette, but I found that I wanted a ciggerette once a day. I felt that it did not bother me to not smoke... what bothered me was I wanted to smoke... even if just one ciggerette in the morning with my coffee.

I was so pressured by what everyone else thought about my smoking and the fact that I did not want to quit, that I allowd my smoking to be a wedge between my and GOD. The devil used this and tormented me whispering all kinds of things in my ears about how God would not have me because I smoked and how I could not be a witness for him if I smoked and how I would give up everything but smoking and so I must not love God and on and on...... I came to affect my walk and my prayer life, so that I was so filled with guilt that I could not pray as I had before. One day, I was crying out to GOD about this and I believe that God spoke to me... "When did I ask you to stop smoking." "It is you that has made this to be sin." This was so true! I did not give up smoking because I felt led to or even wanted to, but because of how others view smoking. Smoking does not control me. All my smoking life this has been the case. When I was young I worked for a dentist and I could not smell like smoke at work, so I got up, had my coffee and ciggerette, took my shower and never smoked again until I got off work. I did this for years. It never bothered me to go to a non smoking restaraunt. My husband cant wait to go outside and smoke after a meal in a non smoking restaraunt and he doesn't care whose company he is leaving to go smoke it. But for me.. I was not in bondage to my flesh. I simply enjoyed smoking.

I believe that God allows me this thing that I like to do. He knows and I know that if this afternoon HE said... NO MORE. I would throw them away and never look back. So far, he has not asked. I have no more guilt about the fact that I smoke.

My question would be.. do you feel smoking is a sin? Do you feel that God has asked you to give them up? Are you in bondage to nicotine? Are you relying on smoking for something you should be relying on GOD for?

If you answer yes to any of these things then I suspect that smoking may be for you a sin.

If you cant smoke in faith that it is something that God allows you to do without it being sin to you, then you ought not smoke.
 

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Posted by WKUHilltopper (Member # 5472) on :
 
Smoking isn't a sin. This coming from a brother from one of the country's biggest tobacco producing states in the USA...

No different in the "sin category" than drinking coffee (a stimulant), relying on asprin, relying on a paycheck to meet your needs, etc--all, of course, in my humble opinion.

Now, if you personally believe it's offensive to God--I wouldn't do it. On the other hand, given the "rap" of cigs these days, whether or not it provides a proper witness is debatable just because of the social perception.
 

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Posted by freddy05 (Member # 5854) on :
 
Smoking is definitely not good for you or a wise use of money in my opinion...

But its not something worth beating yourself up over when put in the perspective of the state of the entire world.

Imagine how silly it would look to an impoverished family in the slums of Calcutta to read this debate.
 

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Posted by Marcopolio (Member # 6027) on :
 
I would have to agree, that while not smart.. It wouldnt be a sin unless you were to allow yourself to become addicted and controlled by nicotine. I feel the same way about drugs and alcohol. If you can have a drink or two and not be addicted, I think its fine. Which I know may spark some contraversy here.. but I feel strongly about it. After all, Jesus drank wine. If he had a problem with alchohol, he would have made it a point to mention that he was drinking water because Alchohol was wrong.
 

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Posted by Eden (Member # 5728) on :
 
Was Jesus smoking cigarettes? If not, then it is a sin. But it is not about your sins. It is about you accepting Jesus as your substitute who had already paid the penalty for your sins, which penalty is death: "the soul that sins, it shall die."

Smoking cigarettes is a sin, but God will not even look at your filthy righteousness if you have accepted Jesus as your Substiute to pay the penalty for you; then God is obligated to looke at JESUS, and not at you; and JESUS IS CLEAN.

So God will declare you clean, in spite of cigarettes or whatever sin.

Should we therefore sin, since grace abounds?

No, with the help of the Holy Spirit we will sin LESS.

Be blessed.

Eden
 

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Posted by BrianGrass1234 (Member # 5845) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Eden:
Was Jesus smoking cigarettes? If not, then it is a sin. But it is not about your sins. It is about you accepting Jesus as your substitute who had already paid the penalty for your sins, which penalty is death: "the soul that sins, it shall die."

Smoking cigarettes is a sin, but God will not even look at your filthy righteousness if you have accepted Jesus as your Substiute to pay the penalty for you; then God is obligated to looke at JESUS, and not at you; and JESUS IS CLEAN.

So God will declare you clean, in spite of cigarettes or whatever sin.

Should we therefore sin, since grace abounds?

No, with the help of the Holy Spirit we will sin LESS.

Be blessed.

Eden

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