Smoking

[SlightlyConfused]

ok...is smoking cigarettes a sin...i KNOW its a bad habit and i know its bad for you...but is it a sin?
some people say yes because the bible says"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..."
but if that were true then wouldnt eating fast food be a sin???

P.S dont tell me the obvious answer(yes)
think about it

[watchinginawe]

Hello SlightlyConfused. I think smoking in most instances is an addiction of some sort. Those who are addicted are held in a kind of bondage to the behaviour and/or physical effects of smoking. Certainly if one becomes convicted over their smoking then to them it is a sin. However, I don't believe that smoking is necessarily hypocritical behavior or that NOT smoking should be singled out as a characteristic of all Christians. That said, I don't think the issue is a vanilla "Ford/Chevy" choice that carries no negative implications for the believer in Christ. I believe we are led to be free from addictions as Christians and becoming free from smoking is a potential victory for the believer.

Is this particular issue a stumbling block to you or someone you konw?

God Bless!

[markinro]

ok...is smoking cigarettes a sin...i KNOW its a bad habit and i know its bad for you...but is it a sin?
some people say yes because the bible says"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..."
but if that were true then wouldnt eating fast food be a sin???

P.S dont tell me the obvious answer(yes)
think about it

The verse you quoted taken in context is related to sexual immorality - not diet.

We all know that eating food high in fat is bad for your heart. It's just common sense. Same with smoking - you almost have to force yourself to start smoking. I doubt anyone who has taken their first puff, doesn't cough. We've known for 30 years smoking can cause lung cancer - yet people still - for some reason - decide to start smoking.

[watchinginawe]

I had a further thought I wanted to offer. I have known some folks who have stated that they weren't willing or yet ready to give up booze, smoking, women, drugs, fill in the blank and yield their life to Christ. In these instances, the behaviours are clearly part of what is separating them from God and is clearly sin that must be repented of. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and we have to yield to the Holy Spirit in His work in us.

God Bless!

[MrAnteater]

If it is an addiction, than yes, I would consider that a sin.

If you are addicted to a drug, nicotine included, I think the same scripturers that apply to drunkenness also are relevant. Drugs were not in the ancient Hebrew culture, however, it's reasonable to assume we should follow the same approach as what the bible tells us about excessive alcohol drinking.

So as with drinking in moderation, I think smoking in moderation is acceptable. Only you and the holy spirit can ultimately decide what's moderation verses an addiction.

[markedward]

I'd say, in total, that smoking as a whole is sinful.

Smoking is addictive (mentally and physically - both can be damaging to a person's health), and it serves only one purpose, being to ruin your lungs. Smoking is entirely unhealthful, in every way possible.

So yes, it is a sin, because as you said in your OP, it is damaging your body.

Fast food? Hm... this is a tough one to answer, I'd say. God did create the ability to taste things for a reason, so perhaps fast food in moderation is just fine? A small amount of good tasting fast food is not damaging to the body. A lot of fast food is incredibly damaging to the body. As someone said earlier, alcohol is a good comparison. A little alcohol is perfectly fine and is not a sin and is not damaging to the body, but a lot is. Fast food is pretty much the same, so I would rank fast food as an "it depends on how much" before it becomes sinful.

[apothanein kerdos]

No, smoking is not a sin (you're going to get a variety of opinions from Christians).

What it boils down to is this - does the Bible forbid smoking, either explicitly or implicitly? The answer is no. Though it can become addictive, so can many other common elements of one's day (such as chocolate or caffeine).

Some of the greatest Protestant and Catholic thinkers and evangelists - such as Chesterton, Spurgeon, Lewis, and others - smoked in some variety (mostly cigars and pipes).

Now, I think it is a disgusting habit to have and quite absurd (much like eating fast food is disgusting and absurd), but this does not make it a sin. It is unwise, but not a sin.

[The Preacher]

ok...is smoking cigarettes a sin...i KNOW its a bad habit and i know its bad for you...but is it a sin?
some people say yes because the bible says"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..."
but if that were true then wouldnt eating fast food be a sin???

P.S dont tell me the obvious answer(yes)
think about it

The greek word for sin is "harmatia" it means to "miss the mark"
Anything you do that isn't on mark with God's will in your life is sin.
Is smoking God's mark for your life? If it is then it is not sin. However,if it's not then it is sin.

[ConservChrist]

ok...is smoking cigarettes a sin...i KNOW its a bad habit and i know its bad for you...but is it a sin?
some people say yes because the bible says"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..."
but if that were true then wouldnt eating fast food be a sin???

P.S dont tell me the obvious answer(yes)
think about it

I'm going to be honest with you. If you didn't already know the answer to your question, you wouldn't have asked.
For someone who isn't a Christian, most of the time, the thing holding them back is the very thing they are a slave to.
So, when someone is a slave to something, such as sex, their question would be, "Do I have to stop having sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend?"
They know the answer.
One of my friends asked me, "Do I have to give up tattoos?" Now me personally, I told him it was how it honored God. He, however, still felt convicted. Instead of giving up his bondage, he let it take him over. He gave up on Christ.

Those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

The above statement (Romans 8:5-8) is to prove what I said about those, such as my friend, who refuse to give up their bondage.

Now, about their bondage:

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

This statement (Romans 14:23) goes to say, for the Christian, that if someone does something they feel strongly is a sin, then it is indeed a sin. So if my friend had come to Christ and believed that getting tattoos was a sin, then for him to get a tattoo would indeed be sin for him. NOW, this is not to say we as Christians can pick and choose what is sin and what is not. But, as explained above, it is mostly dependent of the personal heart. If one is a slave to something, then that is sin.

[Sold Out]

ok...is smoking cigarettes a sin...i KNOW its a bad habit and i know its bad for you...but is it a sin?
some people say yes because the bible says"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..."
but if that were true then wouldnt eating fast food be a sin???

P.S dont tell me the obvious answer(yes)
think about it

The bible doesn't address smoking specifically. It's harmful to your body, but not inherently a sin. Just like eating a box of Ding-Dongs.

[Ethereal Spark]

ok...is smoking cigarettes a sin...i KNOW its a bad habit and i know its bad for you...but is it a sin?
some people say yes because the bible says"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..."
but if that were true then wouldnt eating fast food be a sin???

P.S dont tell me the obvious answer(yes)
think about it

Matt 15:11 & 12
And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Mark 7:15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

Mark 7:18
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him;Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.


1 Cor 6:9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Cor 6:12
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

From these scriptures, it's my opinion that smoking isn't a sin. It isn't in the heart. But that doesn't mean it isn't undesirable. I believe that being "brought under the power" of any-thing, is something Paul refused to do, and it's a pretty good rule to have.

Lots of people can be said to be addicted to prescription drugs, too though, such as antidepressants or pain killers, or even alli, in the sense that without these drugs they will revert to their former problem, so they keep taking them, but is that an addiction? And is addiction actually sin?

I think smoking has a purpose in medicine, because it does relive things like IBS, Tourette's Syndrome and even some types of Asthma, believe it or not; as well as other ailments (read in medical journals), but like as with many prescription drugs, the side effects can be worse than the cure. I honestly don't think it's a moral issue. I believe sin as Jesus said, comes from the heart and is listed in the scriptures above. Our bodies are going to die. There's no getting around that (unless we are part of those that are "alive and remain" when Jesus returns). And we can choose to try to make that death less painful but... I know of people who never did anything "wrong" or unhealthy and still got cancer and other things. So... who really knows but God what our actions will result in?

Just like eating junk food or sugar might make you sick and give you bad health, so can smoking, but I don't think eating cake or a Big Mac is a sin. If that were so, no one should eat or drink anything, or go on camp outs...

[Quickened]

No, smoking is not a sin (you're going to get a variety of opinions from Christians).

What it boils down to is this - does the Bible forbid smoking, either explicitly or implicitly? The answer is no. Though it can become addictive, so can many other common elements of one's day (such as chocolate or caffeine).

Some of the greatest Protestant and Catholic thinkers and evangelists - such as Chesterton, Spurgeon, Lewis, and others - smoked in some variety (mostly cigars and pipes).

Now, I think it is a disgusting habit to have and quite absurd (much like eating fast food is disgusting and absurd), but this does not make it a sin. It is unwise, but not a sin.

Thats a good post. This is one of those topics that falls under Christian Liberty.

[cdo]

I can only speak for myself 'concerning smoking'.I'm a smoker but, not one to entice others. I've been a smoker for at least the last 30 years.And in no way to lift smoking up.It's an addiction and habit and etc.....In this day & time,it is nothing to be joyful over. Things and information was at the beginning of my smoking is much different today with all the information that's available now and the past years.
Darlene