What does the bible say in regards to a pastor smoking and or drinking?

I'm with Rev G and Angie Miller on this issue.
Smoking is a nasty habit, and drunkenness sure didn't go well for Noah and there are a lot of warnings in the old testament about strong drink and drunkenness.
But show me where the Bible speaks of tobacco.
And how can we be absolutely sure the "body" spoken of as being the temple of the Holy Spirit is our physical bodies, in whom, according to Paul, "there dwelleth no good thing", and not the true ecclessiastical body of true, elect, regenerated believers ?

 

This really is poor logic, and I wish people would quit using it.

Show me where the Bible speaks of cocaine or ecstasy.

Show me where the Bible speaks of coffee or caffeine.

If the principle is there, the principle is there. Just because the Bible doesn't explicitly list some things doesn't mean "oh, well that's okay."

 

Paul spoke of fornication also at this time so yes it does mean the physical body.

I think it is a disgrace for people to say that we have freedom in Christ to sin. Smoking defiles the body. It destroys the lungs and the lungs of the innocent. I don't care who in the past smoked it was still wrong.

I have suffered much because of other peoples nasty habits. I am tired of people justifying these things. There are thousands of people who suffer daily because of these nasty habits and addictions. Children and adults with horrible asthma. They gasp for breath and struggle so hard. They have terrible lung infections and even pnuemonia and all of thise because someone cannot control an addiction.

I have seen people with air tanks because of emphysema and they will turn them off and smoke a cigarette. My own Dad refused to quit smoking even when he had to have half of one lung removed because of cancer then ended up dying with the cancer.

I am tired of people getting on this "Don"t Judge" bandwagon. There was a time when Jesus himself went "Beyond the Beatitudes."

 

Dear Lilly,

Grace to you from God through Jesus Christ.

Thank you for asking this question because it shows a heart devoted to filling itself with only God's wishes in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In answering your question, a pastor who smokes and drinks forgets what God tells us about our freedoms in Christ over any disputable matters:

"If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.

"Do no allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil" (Romans 14:15-16)

"Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

"It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall." (Romans 14:21-22)

Our freedoms stop where they cause our brothers to stumble.

Remember requirements such as these for a pastor (or overseer): temperate, self-controlled, respectable, and not given to drunkeness. Does a pastor who smokes practice self control? Does he drink for duty or does he drink for pleasure? Judge for yourself. In the end, a pastor should live a quiet life so that no one can hold anything against him.

If a pastor (or any other brother) smokes or drinks or does anything else, he should ask himself "Do I smoke to the Lord?" or "Do I drink to the Lord?" For as believers in Jesus Christ we either live to the Lord or we die to the Lord. Regardless of what we do--whether we live or die for God--as God's children, we do it for the sake of the Lord and how he walked.

"No one is perfect" accept Christ who died for us, the imperfect. When we stumble in these disputable matters, we show our weaknesses. For that reason Christ died so that he can be our crutch when we get crippled by anything.

If we are crippled due to our weakness in the sinful nature, remember that all of us--brothers as well as pastors--need only to confess our sins to God who will purify us of our unrighteousness. We all should do our best at all times: let us wash ourselves thoroughly including behind the ears and between our toes so that we do not miss one spot.

Pray for your pastor--I will pray for him, too--that he strives to mimic Christ as God wishes Him to do so. Otherwise, God will judge His own servant on the Day.

May the peace of God stay with you in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

 

This really is poor logic, and I wish people would quit using it.

Show me where the Bible speaks of cocaine or ecstasy.

Show me where the Bible speaks of coffee or caffeine.

If the principle is there, the principle is there. Just because the Bible doesn't explicitly list some things doesn't mean "oh, well that's okay."</font>[/QUOTE] I think it was just a question not an excuse. Actually it is a good question. Is it the physical body that we are to treat as a temple or our spiritual "bodies" or perhaps both? I think that was all that was being said. No it does not have to all be written specifically in the Bible, we know what the heck God is saying. The Holy Spirit makes sure of that.
Love in Christ Angie

 

Amen to suffering from others bad "habits", that is true and always will be because we live in a world of sin and a lot of people just do not care how their actions affect others, even Christians. Specifically talking about smoking, yes it is a horrible nasty habit just like anything else. I have not had it effect my life as it seems you might have. Maybe you lost a friend or family member or maybe it just ticks you off but either way please pray for the people in this world to flee from sin including smoking. I am sure you do this and I am not condeming your post. You are right, but compassion must be there also.
Thank you for listening, love in Christ Angie

 

I'm surprised that nobody has referred to the verse in 1 Timothy where Paul commands Timothy to not only drink water, but also to consume a little wine for his upset stomach.

 

I never mentioned anything about "Don't Judge." This is not a bandwagon. If you are going to say something is wrong, or sinful, you better be able to do so from a biblical perspective. No, the Bible does not address cocaine, but it does address the issue of "self-control" and of being in control of one's own mind / thinking. Using such a drug is to go against maintaining self-control. However, cocaine or ecstasy or marijuana is much different than alcohol or tobacco because of the effects. So, I can come to a Scriptual conclusion on the use of mind-altering drugs. However, the same cannot be said regarding alcohol or tobacco.

I can't believe that I was so short-sighted not to recall Paul's advice to Timothy about taking a bit of wine for his stomach's sake! Thanks for doing so, brother. Recall, Timothy was a pastor.

Rev. G

 

Maybe drink a little wine for his tummy but one can do that and it become a bad habit.
Just like oh I think I will have a glass of wine after work, 10:00 rolls around and so are you on the floor, drunk.
Just a thought.
Love in Christ Angie

 

My thoughts are a pastor who drinks should not be standing behind the pulpit. A pastor who smokes well thats a little different. I dont think one should smoke ,but I have heard it is a hard habit to give up ,but it should be given up by a pastor or any other Christian (but especially the pastor).

 

Did anybody know that one of the very first Baptist church "buildings" in the American Colonies was in a brewery? The owner, a Christian (Baptist), opened his estabishment to believers on Sunday so that they would have a place to worship. Per McBeth, THE BAPTIST HERITAGE.

Rev. G

 

Hi folks. There seems to be a lot of "assumption" here that the wine mentioned in the Bible was always "fermented." There was and is fresh fruit of the vine.

"Is it okay for anyone to drink or smoke?"

I don't think so. Smoking wasn't mentioned in the Bible because there were no Marlboros then. Neither is speeding mentioned (which is breaking the law today)as there were no motorized vehicles.

Romans 12:1 says, ¶I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

How does one present their bodies a living sacrifice while indulging in "anything" that is poses a threat to the health of the body?"

Hopefully your new friend - Jim

 

The "health of the body" has nothing to do with "a living sacrifice". If so, Christians that were lame or blind or sick could not do this.
The passage means we are to present ourselves "without sin".
The question then goes back to "Is smoking or drinking (not drunkeness) a sin"?

 

I agree, smoking is a nasty habit, but it is one that I do have.

That being said, I believe this habit can interfere with me, in service to God, if I permit it to do so.

The desire would be to not permit this to happen. I just came from a mission conference where I was told I needed to 'kick' the habit; (not pointedly, but implying my acceptance to this particular assoc. would demand this abstinence; in the next breath I was informed of my need to attend more conferences, (comparing them to Bible Colleges), in order that I may 'learn' how to 'outline' and 'develop' a sermon.

I can live with being told I should quit smoking, though I find nothing in Scripture to disallow this; however, is it o.k. for me to refuse acceptance into an assoc. which seems to be leading me toward engaging into such a process as 'outlining' and 'developing' a sermon?

Bear in mind, I can see the benefits of this, and would pass no judgement on any who engage in this, but what is wrong with preaching from the Word of God, that which is on our hearts?

If your answer is an outline and development prevents haphazard preaching, does it always?

I know this is not the question, so I will get back to the question, I do not drink, (though I used to), apart from fermented wine used in communion. I do smoke, and I know of at least one story where a church member was put out of fellowship for smoking, the member bringing charges against the individual later was visited at home by the pastor and some deacons, where they found him burning a brush pile, when he saw them coming, he slipped around the pile and threw a pack of cigerettes into the flames. What is this?

I do not conceal my habit, I do not permit my habit to 'bother' me when in services. (as I am pursuing a teaching career, I just arrived at home from an all day venture in classroom observations, where I spent from 7.30 a.m. until 3.00 p.m. without smoking.

The nicotene in tobacco is addictive, but I believe it to be the chemicals used to control insects and suckers to be carcinogeneous. I have never heard of anyone ever smoking a cigarette and driving into a busload of children, or into other vehicles and injuring or killing innocent lives.

Second hand smoke is unpleasant, and perhaps dangerous, however, the freon we use in our air conditioners are also known, (at least to the state of California) to cause cancer. I have seen studies that show bologna causes cancer; radiation from our power lines, microwave towers, fuel exhausts, and microwave ovens are hardly mentioned.

I do not mean to sound defensive; but Christ has not condemned smoking in my life, and many men have attempted to do this, beginning with my own family.

We could also suggest if God had wanted us to be as mobile as we are, he would have created us with landing gear, which would facilitate our mobility greatly.

God Bless you all in your walk and service to Him.
Bro. Dallas

 

"Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations--'Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,' which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." - Colossians 2:20-23

[ October 25, 2002, 11:29 PM: Message edited by: Rev. G ]

 

I don't think my pastor "drinks" like you are talking about, but he does take wine at the Lord's supper on occasion, and he has a jar of "papa shorty's" in his office.

Smoking? He used to. Long time ago.