Sure it's scientifically proven to not be good for you. And as a Christian your bodies are "temples of the Holy Spirit. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies". (1 Corinthians 6v19-20)
Does smoking ruin your christian testimony? Make you a hypocrite? Like I said, sure it's bad... but is it any worse than judging the person that's smoking? Or gossiping? Or not paying your taxes? Or porn? Or.... the list is long. At least with smoking it's a visible sin. Does that not actually make it better? We all have "sins" that we will fight till the day we go to glory. But that's no reason not to be doing the work of the Lord. Sure, no one would be doing the Lord's work if we were waiting till we had our act together... but sure no one would be attracted to Christ if all the people that represented Him had their act together. Because really, who wants to be friends with a goody-two-shoes?! The beautiful thing about the Gospel is that not only calls us when we're dysfunctional, but He also uses us as we are, right where we are.
Is there not a place to witness while having a smoke? I can't help but think that people that smoke actually have an advantage over people that don't. The conversations you can have with a total stranger, just because you needed a light. Or when you're at your work place.
But again the question must be asked... does smoking mean you can't be a Christian?
Yes, as a christian you should be growing in your faith. I should be able to see the fruit of you faith by how you're living your life. But we're all at different stages and only God knows our hearts ("For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" 1 Samuel 16v7). So if God is convicting you that you need to give up smoking, that is where you are on you Spiritual journey. But you can't judge your brother that isn't being convicted by God to quit. You don't know where God's got them, (maybe their mission field is the smoking room at work). You have to separate your relationship with God between your relationship with your fellow man.
The same could be said for people that drink. Obviously, don't drink to get drunk, but if you can't drink socially, doesn't that make you a prig? (Likewise it should be noted that if drinking causes your brother to stumble, don't drink!)
Why is it so hard to believe that Jesus drank wine? Like the fermented stuff? (I checked, wine in ancient Rome was very alcoholic! It had to be fermented, because if it wasn't then it would just turn to vinegar.) "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery." Ephesians 5v18 Ironic really, it made people uncomfortable that He ate and drank with sinners and tax collectors."The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'" and it's still making us uncomfortable today.
Isn't it true that God cares more for your heart than for acts? "For it is by grace you been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2v8
Personal story. I had to really wrestle with God about this when I was 18 and I learned that my brother not only smoked but had a serious drink problem. At 18, I was your stereotypical "good girl". I went to church, did all the "right things". How was it possible that my brother could do those things? Does God love him any less? No. In myself righteousness, how was I actually any better than my brother? Sure anyone could see his "sin"... but did that not actually make my sin all the worse? As I posed being the perfect Christian good girl, I'd forfeited the first and greatest commandment, as well as the second, "Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.... the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself". Matthew 22v37-39
In conclusion to all this rambling, I really just want to encourage you that God can use you wherever you are in life. Don't limit God. Remember, it's His show. We just have to be willing to let Him use us, even when we think we're at our worst. Remember too, God doesn't "need" us, He wants us and He invites to be part of what He's doing.
In conclusion to all this rambling, I really just want to encourage you that God can use you wherever you are in life. Don't limit God. Remember, it's His show. We just have to be willing to let Him use us, even when we think we're at our worst. Remember too, God doesn't "need" us, He wants us and He invites to be part of what He's doing.
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