Is smoking a sin?

Is smoking a sin?

As Christians our actions in public are a witness to others of our love for Jesus.

We are to live clean and holy lives with the reverence of grace that has abounded in us and we need to be an example to this world, living differently, and having Jesus as our example.

Our whole unique life was bought at a price when Jesus died on the cross for our sins and now dwells in us, in our body, in our vessel. We have two important verses that back this up and we need to heed them. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Here is a list that will make you think…

The body doesn’t need tobacco the way we need food or water.
It’s banned in public places in Scotland already and will be banned in Wales from the 2^nd of April, in Northern Ireland from the 30^th of April and in England from the 1^st of July.
It isn’t trendy or fashionable now. It’s disgusting and frowned upon.
Gives you bad skin.
Bad breath.
Bad smelling clothing and hair.
Reduced athletic performance making you puffed out a lot even walking.
Greater risk of injury and shorter healing time.
Yellow teeth.
Cancer.
More wrinkles.
Yellow tongue.
Stained fingers.
Shortened life span.
It doesn’t just affect your health - it affects the health of others around you.

Did you know each cigarette you smoke takes up to 5-25 minutes off your life?

Also disgusting are the things you inhale with every puff…

TAR: Same thing to pave streets and driveways.
HYDROGEN CYANIDE: This chemical is used to kill rats.
FORMALDEHYDE: This is what they use to preserve bodies.
CARBON MONOXIDE: It’s in a car exhaust and in cigarette smoke.

To conclude this topic you have seen the point I am making and clearly we need to discuss more and read what the Bible has to say on this issue.

A response to Jill, who wrote in: -

Hi Jill it’s great to see you post again on the boards. I am glad you see smoking isn’t healthy with nine out of ten lung cancer victims are smokers and also evidence is that smokers have a three to one chance of heart attack.

I’m not quite sure what you mean by ‘labels’ but the discussion is in regard to sin so I will respond to that element of your reply.

Remember in James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. If we know that smoking isn’t good for us and if we know that it is an addiction then we know from the above verse that Jesus sees it as sin and it will affect our relationship with Him. Remember in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 in the main post that we glorify God in our body, which belongs to the Lord. Therefore, to defile or poison that body is a sin against God to whom it belongs.

The Lord loves us so much and he sees the consequences of what smoking does to us. The Lord would want you to be free from this addiction and to have more faith in Him as we see in Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Some say nicotine is the most addictive substance in the world even more than heroin. The harshness of this problem is that it binds people and enslaves them to the sin.

When people see people smoke, even in Scotland where it is banned in public places, it does have an anti social stigma to it. It’s important as a witness for Christ to avoid such anti social habits and not be seen as someone who needs a smoke to get through the day with a buzz. Just think as well if Jesus came and met you face to face today wouldn’t you feel embarrassed at what would Jesus think of you puffing away!

Is it not possible to make an idol out of your cigarettes? Not that you might worship them but if you can’t get through a day without a ‘fix’ are you not putting those cigarettes and that addiction before God?

When you wake in the morning what’s the first thing that comes into your mind…

Praying or having a smoke?

When you sit down of an evening to relax which comes first…

A cigarette or a few moments with God?