Smoking

[wpe3bql]

More than likely, you've probably heard/read different Christians (Baptist or otherwise) make comments about smoking cigarettes, cigars, etc.

I've heard comments ranging from, "Y'all gotta problem wit dat??!!" to saying that the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3 wouldn't be welcomed in some Baptist churches since they didn't even have the smell of fire on their clothes!

Some have even suggested that tobacco is the Native American Indians' "revenge" on the European Caucasians who found their way to North America c. 1500 ff A.D.

Now, I personally haven't found any "Thou shalt not smoke" in God's Word. The nearest principle I know of would be found in I Corinthians 3:16-17 where it warns us Christians not to "defile the 'temple.'" (Which, BTW, immediately follows a description of the Bema Judgment Seat of Christ.)

So.....is smoking a sin for which a Christian will be accounted at the Bema?

Why, or why not? Please support your position(s) with appropriate Bible references.

















(Yeah...........I fully realize that I'm holding a can of live fish bait in my hands!!) :tonofbricks:

 

[kyredneck]

12 But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 each man`s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man`s work of what sort it is. 1 Cor 3

I don't think the indulgence of the flesh by smoking would constitute gold, silver, or costly stones here, would you? But:

15 If any man`s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire. 1 Cor 3

Smokers who love the Lord take heart.

 

[Van]

Smoking feeds a nicotine based addition and thus would fall under "pharmakeia" i.e. the use of drugs, and is listed at Galatians 5:20.

Sometimes the word is translated witchcraft or sorcery, but since it is mentioned with drunkenness, I think the idea is to avoid substance abuse.

 

[kyredneck]

I'm from Kentucky. I grew up immersed in tobacco. It's really hard for me to view some of the very fine people I've known who smoked tobacco in the same category as drunkards.

 

[Baptist Believer]

How disappointing. I thought I was about to join a discussion of smoking meats!

Now, I personally haven't found any "Thou shalt not smoke" in God's Word. The nearest principle I know of would be found in I Corinthians 3:16-17 where it warns us Christians not to "defile the 'temple.'" (Which, BTW, immediately follows a description of the Bema Judgment Seat of Christ.)

So.....is smoking a sin for which a Christian will be accounted at the Bema?

Why, or why not? Please support your position(s) with appropriate Bible references.

I think smoking is a bad habit/addiction and everyone is better off without it. That said, I think it is a relatively minor issue compared to the sins that God is most concerned about.

When people used to criticize B.H. Carroll, the founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, for his frequent enjoyment of cigars, he would point them to the scripture where God is depicted blowing smoke out of his nostrils and mouth:

Psalm 18:8 and 2 Samuel 22:9
Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
And fire from His mouth devoured;
Coals were kindled by it.

 

[righteousdude2]

How disappointing. I thought I was about to join a discussion of smoking meats!


I think smoking is a bad habit/addiction and everyone is better off without it. That said, I think it is a relatively minor issue compared to the sins that God is most concerned about.

When people used to criticize B.H. Carroll, the founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, for his frequent enjoyment of cigars, he would point them to the scripture where God is depicted blowing smoke out of his nostrils and mouth:

Psalm 18:8 and 2 Samuel 22:9
Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
And fire from His mouth devoured;
Coals were kindled by it.

Without running the risk of being accused of hijacking this thread, it is amazing to me that a lot of Baptists, and other church members, see little wrong with drinking or smoking.

I agree with your opinion; a hundred times over! :thumbs:

 

[righteousdude2]

Smoking feeds a nicotine based addition and thus would fall under "pharmakeia" i.e. the use of drugs, and is listed at Galatians 5:20.

Sometimes the word is translated witchcraft or sorcery, but since it is mentioned with drunkenness, I think the idea is to avoid substance abuse.

I agree with your view and use of scripture to describe both drinking and smoking in the eyes of God. However, I am sure those who do drink and smoke, will in fact argue that if done in moderation or socially, is therefore, acceptable!

 

[wpe3bql]

Smoking feeds a nicotine based addition and thus would fall under "pharmakeia" i.e. the use of drugs, and is listed at Galatians 5:20.

Sometimes the word is translated witchcraft or sorcery, but since it is mentioned with drunkenness, I think the idea is to avoid substance abuse.

Told yah!! The lid on that can of live fish bait got opened life REAL soon, y'all!! :thumbs:

Seriously, one of the many sermons I recall by the late (& great) pastor I had from 1969-1972, Pastor David C. Auckland at Faith BC in Sellersville PA (later a professor @ Maranatha) was on this very topic.

A few years later, when I was a student at Clarksville (TN) Baptist College, I came across a little paperback book by Robert A. Morey and published by Baker [(c) 1973] entitled The Bible and Drug Abuse.

Apparently this book (ISBN 0-8010-5944-5 ) isn't available any more (Amazon doesn't list it.).

Morey devotes his Chapter 6, "Sorcery and Drugs," to what Van posted. (And this was some 40+ years ago.)

Subsequently, I'm positive there have been a plethora of works dealing with this topic.

My parting shot on this is ..... pharmakia (From which, of course, we get our words "pharmacy," "pharmacist," etc.) most often appears in Revelation as either "sorcery" or "witchcraft."

Interesting that the NT book that deals mostly with "the end times" is where you'll find the most usage of this word. H'mmmm.

At any rate, let's continue to "Put it in y'all's pipe and smoke it" on smokin'. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[annsni]

If people choose to smoke, they are no less Christians that those who do not. However, if it is controlling your life - you cannot stop, it affects those around you negatively, etc. - then it may be time to consider stopping. It certainly isn't healthy!

On the other hand, it was smoking in an office that resurrected my husband's asthma when he was in his early 20s. Everyone in his office smoked and he ended up in the ER more times than I can count. He had asthma as a boy but it went away only to come back when he started working for this particular company. He now has only 70% lung capacity and has significant scarring that can be seen on chest x-rays. Fortunately, smoking is no longer really socially acceptable and we have not had to experience being around smoke in many years although a good friend of ours smokes but just not when we're around. But if he is ever around cigarette smoke, it could seriously injure him so I'm glad that culturally, it is no longer acceptable/allowed to smoke in public.

 

[Bro. James]

We have many and varied ways of rationalizing our addictions, including denial that there is a problem. I was puffing two plus packs of Winston Red when the Lord took them from me in Nov. 87. I still have trouble with the temptation. Some have said nicotine is more addictive than heroin. They may be right.

Now we are going for legal cannabis--recreational for sure.

"what so ever is not of Faith is sin"

It is hard to be a new creature in Christ while holding to filthy habits of the flesh which make us appear conforming to the world--which causing brethren to stumble. There is that sin issue again.

Now what? Whatever happened to PA and Bull Durham?

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

[JonC]

Smoking feeds a nicotine based addition and thus would fall under "pharmakeia" i.e. the use of drugs, and is listed at Galatians 5:20.

Sometimes the word is translated witchcraft or sorcery, but since it is mentioned with drunkenness, I think the idea is to avoid substance abuse.

Would this also not apply to caffeine? I'm not a smoker, just wondering.

 

[wpe3bql]

Guess y'all'd say that my late father (1907-1963) "cured" me from wanting to imbibe/ingest the dee-lites y'all gits from smokin'.

Was he saved? I have no idea, mainly cause I wasn't saved until some 3 years later & in a far different location.

Anyway, as a child I'd hear him nightly cough out what seemed to be his entire lungs, etc. My late mother (1913-2003) would always point out this fact to me.

Most of the men of both sides of my family were to some degree smokers. One of my uncles spent his latter years attached to a pair of oxygen cylinders. Another seemed to just grow weaker and weaker.

Ultimately my father died of a deeply-implanted brain tumor. Was it "assisted" by the residue of his smoking? Don't know for sure, but I don't imagine that it was helped by it.

Yes, I know ..... There but by the grace of God was I delivered from smoking and "drinkin' likker" prior to my salvation. :godisgood:

Moreover, I KNOW it's a struggle for some people regardless of their eternal standing before Almighty God. (A look at our church's parking areas, etc., will testify to that.)

Jest a-sayin'.

 

[JonC]

Guess y'all'd say that my late father (1907-1963) "cured" me from wanting to imbibe/ingest the dee-lites y'all gits from smokin'.

Was he saved? I have no idea, mainly cause I wasn't saved until some 3 years later & in a far different location.

Anyway, as a child I'd hear him nightly cough out what seemed to be his entire lungs, etc. My late mother (1913-2003) would always point out this fact to me.

Most of the men of both sides of my family were to some degree smokers. One of my uncles spent his latter years attached to a pair of oxygen cylinders. Another seemed to just grow weaker and weaker.

Ultimately my father died of a deeply-implanted brain tumor. Was it "assisted" by the residue of his smoking? Don't know for sure, but I don't imagine that it was helped by it.

Yes, I know ..... There but by the grace of God was I delivered from smoking and "drinkin' likker" prior to my salvation. :godisgood:

Moreover, I KNOW it's a struggle for some people regardless of their eternal standing before Almighty God. (A look at our church's parking areas, etc., will testify to that.)

Jest a-sayin'.

Yes, smoking is unhealthy. My father, a very godly Christian, died at 52 from lung cancer (granted, part of this was cultural...I remember growing up many of the men, most deacons, would be in the breezeway smoking between Sunday School and service. It is not something that I would automatically classify as a sin, but it is an addiction.

 

[Crabtownboy]

Smoking is a sin as it harms the body, the temple of God as so stated in Cor. 3:16.

 

[JonC]

Smoking is a sin as it harms the body, the temple of God as so stated in Cor. 3:16.

I see how you make that connection (smoking, bad diet, caffeine, no exercise, etc). I am not sure the passage you use is about things like smoking but I see the connection you are making.

 

[Van]

Would this also not apply to caffeine? I'm not a smoker, just wondering.

Lets back up to the principle, does the Bible teach substance abuse is sin? If not, what is in view in Galatians 5:20? Once we understand what God's teaching is, then we can quibble over our differing individual applications.

 

[JonC]

Lets back up to the principle, does the Bible teach substance abuse is sin? If not, what is in view in Galatians 5:20? Once we understand what God's teaching is, then we can quibble over our differing individual applications.

I agree.

φαρμακεία is used 3 times and is derived from φαρμακεύς (poisoner, i.e., sorcerer). Here are the verses in question:

Galatians 5:19-20 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery (φαρμακεία) , enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

Revelation 9:21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries (φαρμακεία)nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

Revelation 18:23 and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery (φαρμακεία).

Since φαρμακεία is derived from φαρμακεύς, I am satisfied that the definition may include the use of drugs, but in a specific context. I find no evidence that it means taking a medication/drug that may be addictive per se, but instead has in mind occult practice (witchcraft). Another principle you we need to consider is how the word is used. If it does mean addictive drugs, then it includes medications that we would use today as well as medications that we now consider harmful. Sin does not change merely because the culture changes (i.e., if cocaine is a sin now then it was when used as a medication. If marijuana is a sin to the addict, it is a sin to the cancer patient). But there is no evidence that this is what the word means.

So Galatians 5:20 is not specifically referring to substance abuse, but the practice of sorcery. Although I believe it taking a passage severely out of context, a better argument against smoking is the understanding that our bodies are temples of God. The only legitimate argument, however, that I can think of is the impact that smoking will have on one's witness (just like drinking, which is also not the healthiest choice). And this is cultural (I've seen the first two episodes of Mad Men :smilewinkgrin: ).

 

[preachinjesus]

Smoking isn't a sin.

You simply can't make it into one. If you try to use certain NT Scriptures about the body being a Temple I hope you never go to McDonalds or put any kind of candy in your body either. And you better work out seven days a week to keep your Temple in tip-top shape.

I don't think smoking is a good idea, but can't condemn someone to sinfulness if they do.

 

[Revmitchell]

As a former smoker of more than 19 years I can say with all confidence that intentionally lighting something on fire and inhaling the smoke from it is stupid.

 

[Servent]

As a former smoker of more than 19 years I can say with all confidence that intentionally lighting something on fire and inhaling the smoke from it is stupid.

Stupid yes ( used smokeless tobacco for 30 yrs ) Sin don't see it.