[XxRoosterXx]

I would like to know some opinions on smoking. I understand that our bodies are god's temple, but what exactly does that mean? I have seen many many christians that curse, drink and smoke. It's all very confusing for a person that has really no background in christianity. Actually I have went to many different churches and they all seem to believe differently which makes no sense. Yet they teach out of the same bible. Is it the way they interpret? So if the churches can not agree how can a person decide what is correct? Also, wouldn't piercings and tattoos be considered in the same light? But how many folks have their ears pierced? Thank you for your insight.:confused:

[MoonlitWaves]

1 Corinthians 6:19 "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?" God gave us our bodies. It is because of God that we are born and alive. Therefore we are not our own, we are God's.

Let me say it like this maybe this will help you understand what God means through Paul's writing. You borrow your friend's brand spanking new Jaguar. Are you going to do with his car what you please? Are you going to rip the seats, burn holes in the roof with your cigarette, leave crumbs from your big mac in the flooring? Or, are you going to respect his property and have the utmost care while using it? Of course you're going to do the latter.

Well, your body is God's. Therefore you should treat it with care. You shouldn't do anything that would intentionally harm your body. Also, if you are saved your body houses the Holy Spirit of God. This is why your body is a temple... it holds the HOLY Ghost which God has so gracefully given you.

I am going to give you what I believe to be two great pieces of advice. Firstly... Church is great. It is a place to be with fellow Christians, to help them and others and also to lean on them. Church is not only wonderful, but it is helpful to be with, and congregate with fellow Christians. Most of all church is a place to learn and grow spiritually. But here's the stickler... all of those things aren't and shouldn't be limited to just church. You are supposed to read and study the Bible outside of church. You are supposed to lean on God for knowledge and understanding, not MAN.

Even though we are listening to teachers and preachers it is not them we are learning from, it is the Spirit within us... which is God. If a pastor or teacher is truly relying on God, then they will allow God to give the sermon or lesson. The pastor or teacher is merely the vessel that God uses to teach His Word. Therefore... it is the Holy Spirit of the pastor or teacher that speaks the Word, and it is the Holy Spirit within you that takes it in and confirms it and learns from it. It is all Spiritual! Remember that always!

So here's my point to you Rooster... Don't fash yourself with what other Christians are doing or saying. What you need to do is pray to God and ask Him to teach you and to give you His Truth. And trust me... if you truly are open to the truth as God gives it... if you completely rely on Him to give it to you and NOT yourself... you'll know what truth is. And if you go to church don't just stop with what the pastor preached in the sermon. Go home and read it yourself. Sit down with God, ask Him to open your mind and heart to understand what you are reading. LET GOD TEACH YOU! At home, and at church, and at Bible studies, and in Sunday School class, and even in general conversation you may have about God with someone else.

The other piece of advice is to understand that even Christians aren't perfect. Stop worrying about them and worry about yourself and where you stand in God's eyes. When God judges you He is not going to say, "Oh, it's okay that you committed this sin because you saw this Christian do it too." You will have to answer for you, and they them.

God Bless

[Fr_Chuck]

I would like to know some opinions on smoking. I understand that our bodies are god's temple, but what exactly does that mean? I have seen many many christians that curse, drink and smoke. It's all very confusing for a person that has really no background in christianity. Actually I have went to many different churches and they all seem to believe differently which makes no sense. Yet they teach out of the same bible. Is it the way they interpret? So if the churches can not agree how can a person decide what is correct? Also, wouldn't piercings and tattoos be considered in the same light? But how many folks have their ears pierced? Thank you for your insight.:confused:

Well what you often see is people who claim to be christian drinking, cursing and smoking, merely saying you are a christian does not make you one. It is normally the life style, a christain is known by his works, not by the words of his mouth.

The real issue with smoking is just the fact that it is bad for your health, it is documented and proven that smoking hurts the smoker and other people around them. So no religious person of any faith would or should approve of doing something that is harmful to yourself or others.

Also cursing is not proper for any christain and no denomination would accept that.

Drinking is not directly forbidden in the bible, getting drunk is but for many it is better to not even do it, since it is too easy to take it to excess.

[XxRoosterXx]

1
So here's my point to you Rooster...Don't fash yourself with what other Christians are doing or saying. What you need to do is pray to God and ask Him to teach you and to give you His Truth. And trust me...if you truly are open to the truth as God gives it...if you completely rely on Him to give it to you and NOT yourself...you'll know what truth is. And if you go to church don't just stop with what the pastor preached in the sermon. Go home and read it yourself. Sit down with God, ask Him to open your mind and heart to understand what you are reading. LET GOD TEACH YOU!! At home, and at church, and at Bible studies, and in Sunday School class, and even in general conversation you may have about God with someone else.

God Bless

Ty, no one has ever explained that to me. The teachings are coming from God himself, not necessarily from the bible or the church. That makes it a more personalized teaching. So if that is the case, what other people do may not be right for you or I but is acceptable for them and they could still be saved. Isn't that correct? Since God himself would be directing the persons thinking? I guess this is really one of the reasons I couldn't find a place is because everywhere I went it was "if you do this or don't do that you can't be saved." And they all said that they are the chosen church and every other church is wrong. I just found it very restricting and very confusing. I felt as though I just could never live up to how they felt I should be. Then when I see these "christians" that go to church every week that drink and smoke and curse and I wonder how their church feels on all that. Anyway thank you so very much for your response.

[classyT]

Hmmm? Well, I personally don't like smoking but my mother has smoked most of her life and she is a REAL Christian. It is a very bad habit but in the Lord's eyes I'd say it is no worse than being overweight, having bad cholesterol from a poor diet and no exercise. Our bodies ARE a temple and we are told to act like it. But it doesn't make someone NOT a Christian because he is addicted to nicotine... it makes him NOT very healthy or very smart.

I think swearing is inappropriate period. Our conversations are to glorify the Lord. I am guilty of not always doing that... ( although I don't swear hardly ever) I have engaged in conversation that isn't always edifying to put it mildly and yet... I am STILL a Christian. I am a work in progress.

I do think that those that call themselves Christians need to be mindful that others are watching we need to Glorify the Lord with our conduct and every Christian is guilty of not always doing that. But it should be a on going process... but thank the Lord salvation isn't dependent on me in any way... whoo hooo!

In the old testament it states not to put markings on our bodies. That is under the law and Christians today are not under the law. I personally wouldn't get a tattoo but wouldn't judge a Christian who does. I think the Holy Spirit will lead you in what is appropriate for you life and what is not. I'm talking about things that are not black and white... certainly murder, lying , stealing, fornication are no brainers and are not the same things.

[MoonlitWaves]

Our bodies ARE a temple and we are told to act like it. But it doesn't make someone NOT a Christian because he is addicted to nicotine...it makes him NOT very healthy or very smart.

I completely agree with you ClassyT.

Here's is something that people need to keep in mind, especially other judgemental Christians. God never said you must quit smoking before I will save you... He never said you must come clean of drugs before I will save you... He never told the alcoholic he must quit drinking before he would save them. God asks us to come as we are.

When someone truly wants and asks for salvation, their intentions are to do their best for God. But we still sin. Just because an alcoholic receives salvation is does not mean he will never want for alcohol again. Just because a smoker receives salvation it does not mean he will never want a cigarette again. Just because a drug addict, a sinner... you get my drift? Not sinning, no matter what it may be, is a constant battle with ALL of us. Just because the alcoholic has a weakness and starts drinking again, just because the smoker hasn't fully depended on God to help them quit completely, just because the drug addict couldn't turn away from that hit, just because you were party to an unChristian conversation, the sins go on and on... IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE NOT SAVED OR THAT YOU AREN'T CHRISTIAN.

We are all in different places in our Christian walk of life. Some of us are as infants in Christ, some of us are elders. Some of us are stronger at turning away from sin than others. This is why we need to mind our own business and stop judging others. God knows our hearts, souls and minds, that is why He is the only rightful and just judge.

Instead of focusing on how this and that Christian looks and acts, we need to be focusing on how God sees us and what God sees when He looks at us.

[Moparbyfar]

Understandably there would be no mention of tobacco in the bible as it is native to only Sth America, Mexico and the West Indies and wasn't introduced to the rest of the world till the mid 16th century.

That said, there are principles clearly stated in the bible that are guidelines for our conduct and morals.
2 Cor 7:1 "Cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh..."
Eph 5:3 "let uncleanness of every sort not even be mentioned among you."
James 1:21 "Put away all filthiness..."
We are commanded to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30) and this also means worshipping him with clean bodies. Tobacco fouls ones body, breath, clothing and home. Is this showing love for neighbour, which is the second commandment (Mark 12:31), by polluting the air they have to breathe too? So smoking is obviously incompatible with the greatest commandments given to Christians.

Incidentally, these "christians" that you observe doing these things are fooling themselves but not God. 1 Pet 2:16 "Be as free people and yet holding your freedom not as a blind for badness, but as slaves of God." In other words, just because we have freedom of choice doesn't mean we use it as a cloak to do what we we like.

True Christians are at one with each other and with God, having the same principles, morals and beliefs.
Matt 24:11 speaks of many false prophets arising to mislead many. But the fact that Eph 4:5 says that there is "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" proves that there can only be one true Christian religion which Jesus started. It seems reasonable then that Jesus also said few would find the road to life (Matt7:14).

Interpretation has a lot to do with some of the confusion and differences within churches today, but as MWaves says, pray to God if you are really searching for the truth and he will answer (if you have the right motives) in time.
What we do learn from the bible is not that which is acceptable to ourselves but rather to God. There can be no compromise where God's requirements are concerned. This said, God cares about us and "will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, but along with the temptation he will make the way out in order for you to endure it." (1Cor 10:13)
So if you put enough faith and hope in God and make a real effort to please Him, you will become spiritually successful and will find the True Religion. ;)

[classyT]

Understandably there would be no mention of tobacco in the bible as it is native to only Sth America, Mexico and the West Indies and wasn't introduced to the rest of the world till the mid 16th century.

That said, there are principles clearly stated in the bible that are guidelines for our conduct and morals.
2 Cor 7:1 "Cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh..."
Eph 5:3 "let uncleanness of every sort not even be mentioned among you."
James 1:21 "Put away all filthiness..."
We are commanded to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30) and this also means worshipping him with clean bodies. Tobacco fouls ones body, breath, clothing and home. Is this showing love for neighbour, which is the second commandment (Mark 12:31), by polluting the air they have to breathe too? So smoking is obviously incompatible with the greatest commandments given to Christians.

Incidentally, these "christians" that you observe doing these things are fooling themselves but not God. 1 Pet 2:16 "Be as free people and yet holding your freedom not as a blind for badness, but as slaves of God." In other words, just because we have freedom of choice doesn't mean we use it as a cloak to do what we we like.

True Christians are at one with eachother and with God, having the same principles, morals and beliefs.
Matt 24:11 speaks of many false prophets arising to mislead many. But the fact that Eph 4:5 says that there is "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" proves that there can only be one true Christian religion which Jesus started. It seems reasonable then that Jesus also said few would find the road to life (Matt7:14).

Interpretation has a lot to do with some of the confusion and differences within churches today, but as MWaves says, pray to God if you are really searching for the truth and he will answer (if you have the right motives) in time.
What we do learn from the bible is not that which is acceptable to ourselves but rather to God. There can be no compromise where God's requirements are concerned. This said, God cares about us and "will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, but along with the temptation he will make the way out in order for you to endure it." (1Cor 10:13)
So if you put enough faith and hope in God and make a real effort to please Him, you will become spiritually successful and will find the True Religion. ;)

So tell me, do you consider "these Christians" that smoke to be NOT Christians? In other words are you implying that you can't be a Christian and smoke? Because I would strongly disagree with that statement.

[XxRoosterXx]

Wow, Thank you all for your knowledge. It helps very much to learn that a person does not have to be perfect in every day life. Although I do understand that is what you strive for. It's good to know that there are Christians out there that won't judge me even if I am doing wrong in their eyes.

[Moparbyfar]

ClassyT - CHRISTIANS follow Jesus in everything. Jesus gave us those commandments to us through his Father so who am I to argue?

[classyT]

ClassyT - CHRISTIANS follow Jesus in everything. Jesus gave us those commandments to us thru his Father so who am I to argue?

Mo,
Sometimes people come to Christ after smoking for 25 years and struggle to quit. It ain't that cut and dried. I agree it isn't a "smart" thing to do. Neither is being overweight and having health problems do to obesity and yet.. there are millions of Christians with a BMI over 25... imagine that.? It is a process, no one has arrived but we strive to follow the LORD in the spirit... it is impossible to improve the flesh. That doesn't mean old habits can't be changed but when you change spirtually day by day, doing the right thing becomes easier.

[MoonlitWaves]

You want to know what I believe? I hope so, because I'm going to say it anyway.

I believe we are all going to be surprised by who we see and who we don't see in Heaven. So, for God's sake <---(literally) we should leave all judgements to Him.

It baffles me to hear anyone tell another they are going to hell or they aren't Christian if they (pick your sin and place it here). I'm not talking about the obvious here, such as the unsaved, I am talking about sin. Sin... something we ALL do.

What?. Like you sin so much less... like you need God's grace so much less than others, that you are in a place where you can RIGHTLY say whether someone's heart, soul and mind is that of a Christian?!

Does God look at your random sins and see you as being any better than someone else's habitual sin of smoking?

Non-habitual sins need forgiveness just as much as habitual sins. Yes, a person who smokes continues to commit that sin over and over with ever cigarette. Even if you don't commit the same sin over and over again you still sin over and over again... period.

That's all I am saying. Words for thought...

[Moparbyfar]

I ask myself, when judgement time arrives, did I do everything I could to please God and live within his guidelines as set out in the bible? Only he can read my heart and know if I did my very best or not, but I can certainly make a conscious effort to stand approved before my God.

Constant reminders are there for us in the bible such as the days of Noah and the flood. He was warning people of what was to come but sadly, no one except his family listened. Was he saying he was better than the rest of them? He was simply doing as God had instructed him as did the first century christians.
That is something we as christians have an opportunity to do today, as things will soon come to an end for the wicked just as in Noah's day (Matt 24:38 "For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the son of man will be."
That is a responsibility true christians have, to help others realise God's purpose for the earth and it's inhabitants by means of his Kingdom in the heavens, not to judge them. (Matt 24:14, Matt 28:19,20)
Sadly today, many prefer to worship God the way they want to, not the way He wants them to, either by taking only what they want out of the bible as truth, not all of it or by allowing it's message to be distorted by apostates.
I'll leave all the judging up to our Father and his son (Isa 33:22, Act 10:42) but meantime I believe there can be no compromise where bible standards are concerned, being that they come from God's Word of truth.

[Rocky786]

All intoxicants and gambling is prohibited, May you be guided to the right path.

[classyT]

You wanna know what I believe? I hope so, because I'm going to say it anyway.

I believe we are all going to be surprised by who we see and who we don't see in Heaven. So, for God's sake <---(literally) we should leave all judgements to Him.

It baffles me to hear anyone tell another they are going to hell or they aren't Christian if they (pick your sin and place it here). I'm not talking about the obvious here, such as the unsaved, I am talking about sin. Sin....something we ALL do.

What?..Like you sin so much less...like you need God's grace so much less than others, that you are in a place where you can RIGHTLY say whether someone's heart, soul and mind is that of a Christian?!?

Does God look at your random sins and see you as being any better than someone else's habitual sin of smoking?

Non-habitual sins need forgiveness just as much as habitual sins. Yes, a person who smokes continues to commit that sin over and over with ever cigarette. Even if you don't commit the same sin over and over again you still sin over and over agian...period.

That's all I am saying. Words for thought.......

I can see why non Christians are put off by SOME Christians. It is that judgemental, legallistic, pharasee spirit. I want to ask the "Christians" that think being a smoker AND a christian is an oxymoron... " so what is YOUR BMI? I mean being overweight leads to all kinds of health issues and certainly not taking care of their "Temple". Some need to get a clue and take a long hard look in the Mirror with glasses on... even a magnifying glass if they still can see and if that doesn't work... call me. Hee hee I will find something... being judgemental is EASY... finding fault in others is EASY. If we could have done this on our own, then the LORD JESUS died for nuttin. My LORD was perfect and he wasn't Judgemental. HE of all people had that RIGHT. But he wasn't. ( oh he will Judge all of us eventually but my point is while here on earth, HE wasn't. )

Striving to die to the flesh daily is what we are called to do... thinking we have arrived... is NUTS!:D

[sndbay]

In my opinion, no one should judge another. We are definitely told not to judge. As for our bodies, they will return to dust when we die, and never be used again. All souls belong to God! And God has wisely told us to fear the one that can destroy our soul.

Proverbs are teaching of wisdom. It is God's gentle, and loving way to help us. The warnings there are as a Father of love, and the beginning of our wisdom is in loving God back. Yet he gave us all Free Will to live our life on earth. Hopefully we can Live as good Christians, Righteously (meaning in good standing with God), and loving others without ever hurting anyone else.

~In Christ ~ In His Light ~ Peace

[Fr_Chuck]

Of course the most mis-used and most misunderstood, and of course most thrown at chrsitians by non christians is the "do not judge" which of course has nothing to do with a Chrsitian telling his brother about things wrong in their life, in fact if you read the entire bible, you will see that a Christian has a duty to tell his brother what is wrong with their life in regards to not living a christian life style

Correcting your brother from behavior that is already told to us as wrong, then that is not judgeing, since we merely have a written guidline from God to use..

[classyT]

Of course the most mis-used and most misunderstood, and of course most thrown at chrsitians by non christians is the "do not judge" which of course has nothing to do with a Chrsitian telling his brother about things wrong in thier life, in fact if you read the entire bible, you will see that a Christian has a duty to tell his brother what is wrong with thier life in regards to not living a christian life style

Correcting your brother from behavior that is already told to us as wrong, then that is not judgeing, since we merely have a written guidline from God to use..

WEll, again everything is should be done with wisdom, LOVE, and balance. I have a friend who is a Christian and married. She has been flirting with an old boyfriend and asked me about it. For me to say, " no harm if it is just flirting" would be STUPID and biblically incorrect. BUT I don't walk around telling my next door neighbor who lives with her guy that she is living in sin. That would be out of balance and a huge turn off. If she asked me what I thought.. I would tell her. Incidentally, this woman got saved and was in the choir at our church. I THEN told her that she shouldn't be in the choir while living with this guy. Because she know owned Christ and was in a ministry it was appropriate to do so. Did I march over there, knock on her door and Say " you are living in sin" NO. I waited for the opportunity she actually approached me and I told her what the Word said. NOT WHAT I THINK. It didn't go over big but I did tell her and I warned her that if the Pastor ever found out she wouldn't be in the Choir. The Pastor soon found out and he asked her NOT to be in that ministry until she married the guy. THAT was appropriate. It is biblical for the Church to discipline... 1 Corinthians 5 Paul addresses it. My point is WISDOM, LOVE, BALANCE, the right opportunity and circumstances.

I don't see anywhere in the Scripture that I am to tell my brother that smoking is a sin! I just don't and I won't. Some things are between them and the LORD. I wouldn't go around telling every heavy set Christian that they are FAT and it is wrong because their body is the temple.( although I know "christians" that have).completely inappropriate. Not everything is black and white. WISDOM!

[Galveston1]

Gal 5:16-18
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
(KJV)

Does this help any?

[sndbay]

Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life:

So we walk sown to the Spirit in our faith in Jesus