I would like to share with those of you who smoke, whether it's frequently or "occasionally" or trying to quit, some information that will hopefully help you or give you an incentive to quit. I am not writing this to condemn you as that is not my job. I do want to give you some things to think about as Christians in this dating world you find yourself in.
I would like for you to consider the statistics of smokers. In The USA only 22% of the population smokes. That includes Christians. If Christians were to be separated into a separate poll from this, I believe the statistic would be considerably less.
So please consider this.
Most Christians will not date a smoker no matter how nice they are or how good looking they are. It is usually a deal breaker. Since most Christians will not date a smoker and almost 80% of Christians do not smoke, you are limiting your field of potential mates. Think about it. You could be the nicest person in the world and also great looking, but if you smoke, you have eliminated the majority of potential candidates for dating and marriage.
I haven't even addressed the health issues of this and probably have no need to. You know how dangerous it is.
Now let me address this from a biblical perspective.
Is smoking a sin? NO!.... BUT....if it is an addiction, like anything else it becomes a sin.
Does smoking affect your witness as a Christian? Of course it does. How effective can you be when sharing the Gospel with someone who has addictions and needing deliverance. Will they not wonder why you have not been delivered from smoking. I mean how powerful is your God anyway? Why would they want to trust a God who can't deliver them from an addiction? That is just one angle to think about. But let's get deeper than that.
1Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, AND YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN.
20 For you were bought at a price; THEREFORE glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. NKJV
Now even though this passage is speaking about sexual immorality, there is a glaring principle here that you should not overlook. Our bodies, if indeed you are a Christian, do not belong to you. They belong to Christ Jesus.
Let's look at two more scriptures before I conclude.
Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine NOR DO ANYTHING...by which your brother stumbles OR IS OFFENDED or is made weak. NKJV
Do you see the principle here? We are commanded to not do anything that could cause another fellow believer to stumble, or be made weak or to become offended. Does smoking offend people? Of course it does. It is one of the most disgusting smells around.
1Cor 8:13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. NKJV
Paul was laying out this same principle here of not doing something that would cause another believer to stumble. The issue was dealing with eating meat sacrificed to idols. However we can still see the application and we can rightfully apply it to smoking, or any tobacco product or even drinking alcoholic beverages.
I think it is very important to realize that these teachings in the Epistles are not mere "suggestions" but are in fact commandments from Christ. Here's why.
1Cor 14:37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. NKJV
The things Paul writes are direct commandments from Christ our Lord and Savior.
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." NKJV
Jesus said that if we truly love Him then we will keep HIS commandments. He is talking about His NEW Testament commandments.
Do you really love Christ Jesus? Then do what you have to do to quit smoking.
Besides....kisses were meant to be sweet and not bitter. :-)
Good post! In light of recent news that there will be yet another cigarette tax increase in Illinois, the cost alone should be a deterrent if the thought of dragging around an oxygen tank with you everywhere you go isn't.
On a lighter note, I wanted to share this funny sound bite from Dr. David Jeremiah. He is the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego.
" A man approached his pastor and asked him if his smoking habit would cause him to go to hell. The pastor quickly replied, 'No. You'll just smell like you came from there'.":ROFL:
On a serious note, I have friends who are Believers who still struggle with this filthy habit. I don't judge them either, but rather, I lift them up to the Lord so they can be released from this bondage so their health can be restored.
Thanks for bringing this up. I pray that God will use your post to bring conviction to any and all in the CDFF Family to stop destroying God's temple and start living the abundant life Christ came and died for.
Here is my suggestion, non smokers and the smokers who want to quit pray for God's help to stop smoking. When you get on this site, 1st thing you should do is pray for the smokers and then begin your search for the right person to meet.
I think this also applies to christians who drink, there excuse is that Jesus drank wine. Let's also pray for them.
It is more important to worry about what you are doing to the body you are borrowing that BELONGS to Christ, than to worry about how other Christians feel about your habit.
Walter, I understand what you're trying to say. I checked "occasionally" because there wasn't a box for "trying to quit." I won't consider myself a non-smoker until I've gotten over the 6 month or more hump and I didn't want to mislead anyone.
However - 1 Corinthians 6:18 was a verse that had nothing to do with smoking. This deals with sexual immorality ONLY. Don't compare someone who is sexually immoral to someone who smokes. That's apples and oranges.
Also, the way your thread was worded was saying that if I'm a smoker, I don't really love Christ. What??? That's an insult to me and to Jesus, who died to save me. We are ALL sinners and fall short of the glory of God. It doesn't matter if you try and try and try to abstain from sin - you WILL continue to sin and God knew that. Christ's blood covers a MULTITUDE of sins.
Walter, do you have any tattoos? Have you ever overeaten? Have you ever gone to a concert where the music was so loud it might have done damage to your ears? Have you ever sat too close to the TV? These are also things that can harm the body. So this post could also be addressed to anyone that is overweight, anyone with tattoos, anyone with hearing problems or glasses. And before you tell me it's not the same thing, remember - if God sees just looking at a woman with lust being equal to committing adultry, don't you think He would feel the same way about how we treat our bodies? His ways are not our ways....
One verse that came to mind when I read your post was Luke 6:41 "Why do you look at the spec that is in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the log that is in your own eye?" What sins do you still commit in your own life?
I know you're trying to show people the harm of smoking - but be careful in your wording. I normally like reading and agree with your posts - but this one was accusatory and assuming to people you've never met - "If you really love Jesus..." was uncalled for.
But that excuse is valid, He did drink wine, he turned water into wine. I have my self an occasional beer because I enjoy the flavor, I believe as long as you obey they laws of your land(country) everything is fine in moderation, until you abuse pervert or become addicted then it becomes a sin.
John 2:10 after Jesus turned water into wine the master of the banquet said "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
That right there goes to show that Gods way is the best way,
The world has its perverted way of doing things and God has his awesome way of doing things!
sorry if I went off track a little bit but i just recently read that and I think it is awesome, I also think its hilarious earlier in the chapter when his mom comes to him when they ran out of wine and says "they have no more wine" and Jesus says "woman, why do you involve me? My time has not come yet "
