Is Smoking A Sin?

[mattlad22]

WoF'er means Word of Faith. Are you part of teh word of faith movement?

If i am, i had no idea.
Im just Matt as far as i know, i dont belong to a group of anything but the kingdom of God through Christ Jesus.
Im not even going to bother looking that up amazzin, the word of faith movement.

[Rufus]

Yes but you dont hear what im saying, there is no need for Him to get me to follow Him more on this, i know Him, i know through the Holy Spirit that through faith in Christ, smoking s not unclean, that what eneters my mouth does not defile me, therefore smoking does not defile me through the Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing that needs to change regarding this for me, as we agree, its not the same for all others, and as ive staed, i wold quit if i got into a personal relationship with a woman who doesnt smoke bcause under a constant presence with her i would not desire that it could cause a stumbling block, so i would then quit for her faith in the Lord.
As I would not smoke in say example rufus presence, knowing it could cause a stumbling block for him.
Keep righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

No, I wouldn't be around you while you're smoking due to the foul smell. It would have nothing to do with any "stumbling block".

Rufus

[Rufus]

I do not smoke, I do not drink alcohol and I do not drink sodas or juice or anything with sugar (most of the time I just drink water). And none of that makes me righteous. None of that has absolutely anything to do with righteousness. Not smoking does not make me righteous. Not drinking alcohol does not make me righteous. As a matter of fact, twice a year, I drink one glass of wine, just to show God and myself, that I do not practice total abstinence from alcohol (a man-made requirement) and when I do, my wife always says: Why are you doing that? You are not going to finish it, you do not like it. And I say: I think this time I will finish the glass of wine. Last time, I did finish it. Just like not smoking does not make me righteous, smoking does not make any Christian unrighteous. If everyone in Church exchanges our self righteousness sin (totally eliminating their accusing finger and stop thinking they are better than others) for the habit of smoking, we will be in better shape.

The Old Testament is called Old because it is no longer in effect. We tried it and it did not work (Heb 10:1-3). Why would people think that the way to prefect or improve people is by adding one more law to the 613 already in the OT? The solution is to minister life to people instead of ministering death. The law ministers death to us.

2Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

The solution is more Holy Spirit, and less condemnation.

LOVE the smokers ! LOVE THEM!

Peace

Where does the Word of God fit in with all this Holy Spirit "solution"? Are you telling us the Holy Spirit is the only rule of life we have under the New Covenant? What about the Word that is inspired by the same Holy Spirit?

Rufus

[Servant89]

No, I wouldn't be around you while you're smoking due to the foul smell. Rufus

Is 65:5 Those which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

Jas 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel (and smells good), and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment (and smoking);
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the good clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

That is called, filtering the mosquito and swallowing the camel.

Rejecting people because of their habit ??? And the amazing thing to me, is that they are not ashamed of that, they are proud, that is amazing to me.

I am glad Jesus would not let the smell of tobacco keeping him afar from us, not even the pain of the cross could keep him away from saving us.

WOW !

[Servant89]

Where does the Word of God fit in with all this Holy Spirit "solution"? Are you telling us the Holy Spirit is the only rule of life we have under the New Covenant? What about the Word that is inspired by the same Holy Spirit?

Rufus

You really have to do something about that imagination of yours ... It really goes wild...

Peace

[Rufus]

No it doesnt, smoking does not affect you in the same way those narcotics you mentioned do, those narcotics affect the very way you act.
Smoking doesnt, i dont get high from smoking and im not drunk, theres a difference, in no way shape or form is what i am saying support the use of narcotics or excessive alchohol, which both can affect your very reactions in situations.

So what? Some other professing Christian can also grossly misinterpret your "nothing that goes in defiles me" passages and reach the exact same conclusion you have about cigarettes. I have already stated that there are churches out there who administer marijuana as a sacrament for the very same reason you smoke ciggys.

Furthermore nicotine does alter moods and behavior:

Nicotine meets the criteria of a highly addictive drug. Nicotine is a potent psychoactive drug that induces euphoria, serves as a reinforcer of its use, and leads to nicotine withdrawal syndrome when it is absent. As an addictive drug, nicotine has 2 very potent issues: it is a stimulant and it is also a depressant. For example, one smoker talked too lovingly about her cigarettes who are called her "best friend." They got her going in the morning, and they chilled her out during the day.

Nicotine in cigarette smoke affects mood and performance and is the source of addiction to tobacco. While cigarette manufacturers have publicly denied that nicotine is an addictive drug, recent documents disclose that they have known and used the addictive properties of nicotine since the 1950s. Unfortunately, this misinformation led to the false belief that nicotine use is a habit and not an addiction.

(I don't think I'm allowed to post links, so I haven't. If you want it, PM me.)

Did you catch that? Nicotine is a both a stimulant and depressant. Therefore, it alters moods.

]Everything you do damages what God has given you in that context, the air you breath, the food you eat, the water you drink, the steps you take.

But not everything we do is is evil, such as breathing air, drinking tap water, etc.. You have already admitted that smoking isn't good, so why participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness? What would your answer be: Because I want to participate in the dissipation and pleasures of the world?

Everything you speak of in situation is of self-righteousness, who are you to tell another how they spend thier money, have you ever bought a useless electronic? ever spend money on a sports game or a concert?
Exactly what i have been saying from the start, which your not hearing.

Isn't it you who is waxing self-righteous? You come off as having all the answers. You do not receive admonition from the brethren very well at all. In fact, you're quite defensive and close-minded.

Rufus

[Rufus]

Is taking Scripture out of context a sin?

That's an excellent question. I say it is because people who do that are either adding or subtracting to the Word. And that's a no-no. We're commanded to handle the scriptures accurately (2Tim 2:15), not in just any wllly-nilly fashion. It's incumbent upon all truth-seekers to approach the Word humbly and prayerfully.

Rufus

[Rufus]

I dont know, you brought up the addictive part, i replied to you not the Op, the addiction part is because of a chemical property inserted through taking in the tobacco through the smoke, right?
What makes that different from snake venom? its taken into the body and the chemical property is what affects you, yet through faith in Jesus the Christ we know poisin can have 0 affect on a person counterproducive to what science teaches, No?
Paul proved otherwise, right?

Are you serious? Paul survived because of a miracle. If you're such a big believer in that passage, why don't you go out and get yourself bit by rattler or cobra or whatever? Make sure no one is around for a 100 miles or so also, okay?

Rufus

[mattlad22]

So what? Some other professing Christian can also grossly misinterpret your "nothing that goes in defiles me" passages and reach the exact same conclusion you have about cigarettes. I have already stated that there are churches out there who administer marijuana as a sacrament for the very same reason you smoke ciggys.

Furthermore nicotine does alter moods and behavior:

Nicotine meets the criteria of a highly addictive drug. Nicotine is a potent psychoactive drug that induces euphoria, serves as a reinforcer of its use, and leads to nicotine withdrawal syndrome when it is absent. As an addictive drug, nicotine has 2 very potent issues: it is a stimulant and it is also a depressant. For example, one smoker talked too lovingly about her cigarettes who are called her "best friend." They got her going in the morning, and they chilled her out during the day.

Nicotine in cigarette smoke affects mood and performance and is the source of addiction to tobacco. While cigarette manufacturers have publicly denied that nicotine is an addictive drug, recent documents disclose that they have known and used the addictive properties of nicotine since the 1950s. Unfortunately, this misinformation led to the false belief that nicotine use is a habit and not an addiction.

(I don't think I'm allowed to post links, so I haven't. If you want it, PM me.)

Did you catch that? Nicotine is a both a stimulant and depressant. Therefore, it alters moods.



But not everything we do is is evil, such as breathing air, drinking tap water, etc.. You have already admitted that smoking isn't good, so why participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness? What would your answer be: Because I want to participate in the dissipation and pleasures of the world?



Isn't it you who is waxing self-righteous? You come off as having all the answers. You do not receive admonition from the brethren very well at all. In fact, you're quite defensive and close-minded.

Rufus

Really? considering im the one speaking of an open mind, you would veiw it as close-minded, interesting.

Our conversation together about this is over, your not capable of doing such a thing in love, peace and joy, thats represented well, so im going to walk away from you, you dont read my post's, you dont regard what im saying at all and your continueing in circles, thiers no production in this, so as of now i will not continue in this topic with you.

[mattlad22]

Are you serious? Paul survived because of a miracle. If you're such a big believer in that passage, why don't you go out and get yourself bit by rattler or cobra or whatever? Make sure no one is around for a 100 miles or so also, okay?

Rufus

A miracle through what Rufus?, a miracl through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Your fruit is evident by your words.

[Rufus]

Is 65:5 Those which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

Jas 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel (and smells good), and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment (and smoking);
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the good clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

That is called, filtering the mosquito and swallowing the camel.

Rejecting people because of their habit ??? And the amazing thing to me, is that they are not ashamed of that, they are proud, that is amazing to me.

I am glad Jesus would not let the smell of tobacco keeping him afar from us, not even the pain of the cross could keep him away from saving us.

WOW !

Who said I would reject Matt? I said that I would not have him around me while he's smoking, certainly nowhere indoors in any close area. The smell of the smoke is utterly disgusting and foul. I neither want to breathe it in or have the smoke stick to my clothes or hair even. Now after he finished getting all puffed out, then all would be good again.

Rufus

[Rufus]

Really? considering im the one speaking of an open mind, you would veiw it as close-minded, interesting.

Our conversation together about this is over, your not capable of doing such a thing in love, peace and joy, thats represented well, so im going to walk away from you, you dont read my post's, you dont regard what im saying at all and your continueing in circles, thiers no production in this, so as of now i will not continue in this topic with you.

You know what happens with people who have open minds? Their mind is so open they cannot filter out all the worldly garbage that rushes in, and so pollutes any good it may have had in it.

And people who have closed minds are indeed self-righteous; for they need not receive any instruction from anyone, for they have already arrived and their minds are made up.

But there's a third kind of person -- one who has a critical mind. This is the person who searches out matters carefully and with all due diligence, questioning everything and accepting only that which is good and acceptable. The Bereans were such people. I, too, make every effort to have the simple, child-like, humble spirit of a Berean and search things out carefully in the entire counsel of God before reaching any conclusions.

And by the way, I do read your posts. But they don't make much sense. Your attempt at arguing by analogy is quite bad because the logic is so flawed. And the various Gospel texts that you hang your addiction on are grossly misinterpreted. And the last straw that broke the camel's back was when you denied that nicotine is addictive. It's obvious to me, you're so close-minded your mind has closed like a steel trap around your self-destructive, addictive behavior.

And here is something you can buy for without money:

Prov 23:23
3 Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
NASB

Rufus



Rufus

[Rufus]

A miracle through what Rufus?, a miracl through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Your fruit is evident by your words.

So...in your church, do you do the snake thingies and people get bitten and stuff and they live to boast of it?

Rufus

[mattlad22]

So...in your church, do you do the snake thingies and people get bitten and stuff and they live to boast of it?

Rufus

No they dont boast about it, they praise the Lord in the church i am in and give Him glory.

So now you say i have an open mind, yet before it was a closed mind, and yet either mind is no good for you because i am a smoker and you dont believe me when i say nothing that enters the mouth into the body can defile a man through the Lord Jesus Christ, but what exits the body through the mouth and through action does because it comes from the heart.

I'm sorry rufus, but i can no longer speak with you regarding this, take care.

[nzyr]

I believe smoking is a sin. That's one of the reasons I quit many years ago.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

I'm not trying to put a guilt trip on anyone. I just want to remind people to take care of themselves. Remember tobacco is an addictive drug. And it kills about 400,000 Americans every year. Jesus never smoked. And we shouldn't either.