tobacco – La Vista Church of Christ

Is it wrong to attend events where people might be drinking or smoking?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 00:47:00 +0000

Question:

I have had some best friends since my school days, years ago. I am the only person among them who is baptized. We all meet twice a year and during that meeting they all drink and smoke. I don't drink or smoke since I was baptized. They are all good, sincere people and don't do any bad activities, except drinking and smoking and even that is done without disturbing anyone. They don't compel me to drink. Shall I avoid those drinking meetings or can I continue?

Answer:

"I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one" (I Corinthians 5:9-11).

We can't isolate ourselves from worldly people. If we did, we would never get the Gospel taught to others. What you are describing is not bad, so long as being with them doesn't tempt you to sin. If you have no desire to drink and smoke, there is no reason not to enjoy the company of your friends on these occasions.

Still Smoking?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:16:00 +0000

by Dan S. Shipley

As a former smoker, I know how easy it is to ignore messages from the news media and the pulpit that discourage smoking. It is difficult for most of us to be objective in considering that which condemns what we want to practice. As someone as well noted, "Affection is a briber of the judgment; and it is hard for a man to admit a reason against the thing he loves, or to confess the force of an argument against an interest." Convincing Christians to give up tobacco wouldn't be nearly so hard if they could first be convinced to face the issue objectively and with an open mind. And yet, of all people, the Christian should recognize the difficulty of dealing with prejudiced and closed minds. As a follower of Christ, he knows that personal preferences must be subordinated in seeking to please the Lord. The smoking Christian owes it to himself and to the Lord to consider the evidence relative to smoking.

When he does, he will certainly consider such facts as those recently released by the Surgeon General's office in The Health Consequences Of Smoking. In the forward section of that report, Dr. E.N. Brandt, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Health, writes: "Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality in the U.S. Tobacco's contribution to all cancer deaths is estimated to be 30 percent and cigarette smokers have total cancer death rates two times greater than do nonsmokers. Heavy smokers have a three to four times greater excess risk of cancer mortality...There is no single action an individual can take to reduce the risk of cancer more effectively than quitting smoking..." According to statistics released from the Public Health Service research, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and coronary heart disease are the principal causes of death attributable to cigarette smoking, but they are not the only ones. They have concluded that the rate of early death from all causes ranges from 40 to 120 percent higher for smokers than nonsmokers, depending upon the amount smoked daily. It is not without good reason that the word "Warning" appears on the cigarette package. Those who are told to glorify God in the body (I Corinthians 6:20), should seriously consider the health hazards of smoking.

Equally important for the smoking Christian to consider is the possibility of enslavement to tobacco. To be brought under the power of a habit is to violate the principle of I Corinthians 6:12. For the smoker who wants to know, "What about the glutton, the cokeaholic, the coffeeholic?" The same principle applies equally to them! With Paul, every Christian must resolve, "I will not be brought under the power of any." Rather, "I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage" (I Corinthians 9:27).

Finally, the Christian smoker must consider the possibility that smoking may hurt his influence. Shouldn't every Christian be "an example to them that believe, in word, in manner of life" (I Timothy 4:12)? Justified or not, many are offended by the smell, the pollution, and being forced to inhale second-hand smoke. Honestly now -- everything considered, wouldn't it be better if Christians didn't smoke?

How do I defend against Satan?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 01:42:05 +0000

Question:

I was reading the article of the seven-year married woman who committed adultery with a "Christian" man and is now afraid of the possible consequences. I noticed a piece of advice that could be applied to almost anything. The advice is: "Implement plans to keep yourself pure by avoiding tempting situations."

I have an addiction problem with cigarettes. The temptations range from feeling irritable to having money standing at the checkout register, and from being around people who smoke to getting into heated conversations with my spouse.

The closest thing I know that would be even close to working in these situations is to hide God's word in my heart that I might not sin against Him (Psalms 119:11)

Do you have any advice tips I can use for studying to find the highly effective verses in God's Word to defend myself against these "schemes" and "missiles" of Satan?

Also, my wife has a mother and some friends that commit adultery, fornication, sexual immorality, and impurity in their relationships which leads to lies, stealing, deceit, and other forms of evil. These same people are quick to inform me that my wife does not do such things.

It's hard to believe what these people are telling me because of their lifestyles. The guy that considers himself to be her stepdad cheats on his current significant other and has accused me of having sexual relations with his significant other and even tried causing trouble between me and my wife. He too is one that proclaims to me that my wife does no such thing.

I keep resounding to myself the words, "evil communications corrupt good character" and "how can two walk together unless they are in agreement" and "what concord does light have with darkness" and "the same spout cannot bring forth salt water and fresh water." Is there a way that I can test the vows and bonds of my relationship without testing my wife?

Answer:

Chemically induced addictions, such as cigarette smoking, are difficult to overcome. While society has turned against smoking tobacco, the product is readily available and promoted. The chemicals in cigarettes are known to produce two addictive effects: it stimulates the brains "feel good" center while simultaneously dampening the center that throttles the effect so that it only lasts a short while. The results are runaway good feelings that last about an hour. This is why in stressful times you turn to cigarettes to give you an artificial calm. Nothing is actually solved, but you feel better about it while puffing on a cigarette.

The only people that I have known to successfully conquer cigarette addiction are those who became absolutely disgusted with themselves that some chemical is controlling their life. These people stopped cold-turkey and it was their resolution that carried them through the times of withdrawal. The verse often quoted is, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any" (I Corinthians 6:12). For some additional advice, see the answer to the question "What is wrong with smoking?"

In regards to your wife, by your argument, Jesus was a sinner because he ate with them. "Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"" (Matthew 9:10-11). You are committing the same error as the Pharisees. They had already decided that there had to be something wrong with Jesus and they bolstered their pre-drawn conclusion by looking at the company he kept.

Yes, the verses you quote indicate that evil can corrupt with exposure, but you are incorrect in assuming that it has already taken place with your wife. As I work harder in life to be like my Lord and Savior, I find it hard to hang around people of a worldly mind. I don't share the same goals, I don't look at life the same way, just the way they talk irks me, so while I work in the world, I rarely have close friends who are worldly.

But while you are worried that your wife is being influenced by her family, though you have no proof, yet you are demonstrating that the world has influenced your thinking. Here is the woman you committed your life to before the Lord and you don't trust her. "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (I Corinthians 13:4-8). Is your lack of trust from God or from Satan? I would argue that it is from the Evil One. "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church" (Ephesians 5:28-29).

Rather than questioning her every move, you should be supporting her as she must deal with corrupt relatives. You should be encouraging her to stand strong in the Lord. You can't leave the world, but you can take steps to minimize the world's influence on your thinking. "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner -- not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."" (I Corinthians 5:9-13).

What is wrong with smoking?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 03 Aug 2004 22:06:18 +0000

Question:

What is wrong with smoking?

Answer:

Perhaps I should turn the question around and ask "What is right about smoking?" After all, it is an expensive habit that is known to cause damage to the body of the smoker. So what benefit does smoking give that should cause a Christian to consider it?

Tobacco is considered to be highly addictive. Recent studies show that it affects the body in two ways. First, the chemicals in tobacco stimulate the pleasure center of the brain making the smoker feel good even while they are filling their lungs with smoke, which causes non-smokers to cough heavily in attempts to clear their lungs. Second, the brain has a natural limiter on the extent good feelings last, but nicotine blocks the "off" switch for up to an hour after smoking. Hence, the smoker continues to receive pleasurable feels for an extended period of time.

The apostle Paul declared, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything" (I Corinthians 6:12). Even if something is wrong in and of itself, it is not good for a Christian if it holds no benefit for the Christian. It can be harmful to the Christian if it rules a Christian's thoughts. Paul illustrates his point by using food, drink, or sex as ways a Christian can lose his focus on spiritual things and become concerned with worldly matters.

Consider that tobacco holds such a strong sway over the smoker that he will spend his family's food money to purchase a pack of cigarettes. I have had smokers tell me they have no money for food, clothing, or rent while I see a pack of cigarettes bulging in their shirt pocket. Tell me who is being dominated? Peter commanded, "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul" (I Peter 2:11).

Paul also warned against Christians causing harm to their bodies. "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are" (I Corinthians 3:16-17). Defiling God's temple covers a range of things from using the body to engage in sinful behavior to damaging the body so that is no longer fit for useful service.

Since there are a large number of harms and no benefits, Christians should not engage in using tobacco products.