Was Charles Spurgeon a Pipe-smoker?

[Ray Berrian]

'I am sure when Moody was living, fat was seen as good.'

(Quote from Ray) Gluttony also has ALWAYS been sin, especially in the light of Christians starving in Third World countries [Deuteronomy 21:20; Proverbs 23:21; Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34].

Drs. Moody and Spurgeon were merely pointing out each other's 'besetting sin' [Hebrews 12:1c].

A lot of clergypersons are overweight while pointing the finger at other people's sins.

My uncle who was a Nazarene pastor used to say to us, for health reasons, 'If you can pinch more than one inch' you are overweight.'

Anything that can harm the physical body as Christians is a fault/sin.

Most churches have many people who think they are holy who still commit the sin of overeating, thus fat. It makes the heart work harder and clogs up the arteries.

Smoking constricts the blood vessels and lead to heart attack or sometimes a longer illness of cancer. To say this is to be permitted is another sin committed against the Lord. (End Quote).

 

[NateT]

In Drummond's biography, he states that Spurgeon did finally become a tee-totaler because he saw the dangers of not becoming that way (and it took some time.) But he did not give up smoking (except as another poster said -- because of his illness).

I think he is quoted as saying that he smoked them to the glory of God

 

[mioque]

I Corinthians 6:19-20 is about sexual misconduct and not about smoking, or gluttony.
Very obvious if one reads the previous lines.

 

[Cross Man]

Isn't smoking a Baptist mortal sin?

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Cross Man:
Isn't smoking a Baptist mortal sin?

Everything is a Baptist mortal sin, it seems.

 

[Alcott]

Originally posted by Ray Berrian:
I think a person can smoke and yet be a Christian, but since the body is the 'temple of the Holy Spirit' smoking defiles the compromises human health and is therefore a sin [I Corinthians 6:19-20].

Mark 7:15 -- "there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man."

 

[Ray Berrian]

Mark 7:15 -- "there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man."

'Are you saying that a Christian can also smoke marijuana or cocaine?' After all they do no come from the human heart/life; they are exterior things like cigarettes, cigars, pipe, perhaps too much alcohol, or too much food making a Christian a glutton.

You said that only things coming out of the heart/life of a person can become sin. [End Quote]

 

[Alcott]

"Are you saying....?"
Only quoting scripture. Getting down to your specific examples, they don't defile a man by going into him (or else Jesus would be a liar). There are other things to consider, but this scripture should settle the 'defilement' idea.

 

[music4Him]

When I was quitting my pastor from our former church told me,

"Smoking won't send you to hell....it will just make you smell like it."

BTW, im 2 1/2 years ciggerette smoke free and Yes, the Lord will will let you know when you need to quit. I was told I had the early stages of emphezema(sp?) and if I didn't quit then in 10 years I would be dragging my lungs (oxegen tanks) around on one of those little motorized carts. I quit smoking and of all things join the fire dept.

 

[procyon]

For those of you who don't or won't understand, look at it like this:

Do you think that with a cigar or cigarette in your mouth [or even a pipe!], you can be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Check out Gal 4.19 and 1 John 3.2.

If you believe that the Spirit of Jesus Christ is dwelling in you [Col 1.27], you will hate smoking for the sin that it is!

 

[mioque]

Jezus smoking a (water)pipe....

No problem with that image whatsoever.

 

[Ransom]

Well, except for the anachronism of 1st-century Jews having tobacco available . . .

 

[mioque]

Indeed.

 

[nate]

Originally posted by procyon:
For those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and realise that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, smoking is a SIN. I hope Spurgeon stopped when he realised this!
I'm sure he must have stopped because it was SIN, it is SIN and will always be SIN.

As long as one didn't become addicted to the nicotene how can it be a sin.

 

[procyon]

I would like to know how many of those who responded to my topic actually smoke. I suppose all of you imagine that you will be smoking in heaven? [As far as I know, hell is the place for smoking....and, heck, [cough, gasp, sputter, hiss!] for choking!

 

[Rachel]

Originally posted by Johnv:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Cross Man:
Isn't smoking a Baptist mortal sin?

Everything is a Baptist mortal sin, it seems. </font>[/QUOTE]It does. I thought that was funny yet sad because it seems to be that way.

 

[hillclimber]

Originally posted by PastorSBC1303:
I am not sure why anyone in ministry today would smoke a cigar,pipe, etc...there are enough problems in ministry as it is without adding more to the mix.

In addition to my fear of getting hooked, that is my biggest fear also, but only in the light of it being a stumbling block to a weaker brother. Simple pleasures are certainly permissable in this age of grace, and to be encouraged. I stop my truck in mid California on my way home, and I get a most delicious shower, followed by a good meal, and I'd love to smoke a bowl as I open the scriptures before retiring.

 

[mioque]

procyon
"I would like to know how many of those who responded to my topic actually smoke."
"
I never have.

To give you prior warning in case you want to start a thread about alcohol consumption, I do drink the occasional glass of wine, or beer.

 

[hillclimber]

Originally posted by procyon:
For those of you who don't or won't understand, look at it like this:

Do you think that with a cigar or cigarette in your mouth [or even a pipe!], you can be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Check out Gal 4.19 and 1 John 3.2.

If you believe that the Spirit of Jesus Christ is dwelling in you [Col 1.27], you will hate smoking for the sin that it is!

This is precisely the attitudes Paul had to so adamantly fight against. Drag your law over to the precipice and push it off. Allow me to live my life unto the Lord and I'll afford you the same courtesy.

 

[HankD]

There is a similar thread going on in the Baptist only forums.

My point of view is that it may or may not be a sin for a given individual according to the following scriptural principles:

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Romans 14
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

NKJV 1 Peter
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

In my own life I was led of the Spirit to eliminate my strong desire for tobacco which served no other purpose than to gratify my flesh by quiting and thereby breaking the bondage.

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

In my case, it would have been sin to continue in this bondage.

It is a matter of the faith principle of Christian liberty and/or giving offence to the brethren or encouraging those who are not sure to violate their conscience.

The Scriptures don't tell us whether the act of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is sinful.

However I can thank God for and eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to His glory, but I personally coudn't light up a cigarette and do the same.

HankD