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Holy Smoke

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Jedi Knight, Apr 22, 2009.

  1. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    You disagree that smoking is dangerous to your health? Can you elaborate?
     
  2. historyb

    historyb New Member

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    Yes, I was waiting for someone to ask. In moderation nothing is harmful so to make a blanket statement without a qualifier would not be true, I was hoping someone would pick up on that. Smoking in and of itself is not bad, addictive smoking may be bad for your health.
     
  3. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    What is your definition of moderation?
     
  4. historyb

    historyb New Member

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    Every once in a while. Like I smoke my pipe every couple of months maybe, last time was about 4months ago.
     
  5. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    Then you get a :thumbs: from me. Not that my opinion matters ;).
     
  6. Jedi Knight

    Jedi Knight Well-Known Member
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    Besides heath,what about witnessing? Can you see your self having a cigarette and telling someone about Christ?
     
  7. historyb

    historyb New Member

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    Yes I can indeed
     
  8. Jedi Knight

    Jedi Knight Well-Known Member
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    "Yes I can indeed" I wouldn't bash you for your view,but have seen unbelievers cry"Foul" if they see a christian smoking.
     
  9. historyb

    historyb New Member

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    I have and would soundly correct them, though gently for holding a wrong view of something they know little about
     
  10. jcjordan

    jcjordan New Member

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    Summertime is almost here. I have a cigar and a good ale on my back porch along with some other baptist brothers many Saturday nights. Nothing wrong with it. I also enjoy my pipe now and then.
     
  11. Allan

    Allan Active Member

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    This is true, and is what the apostle Paul also practiced and encouraged other to walk like him as he walks like/in Christ.

    1 John 3:16 - (paraphrase) as Christ gave Himself for the church so we are to give ourselves one for another.

    I find it sad the taunting of a few on here who do some things that IS a stumbling block for other believers and claim (though unbiblically) "Christain liberty". I this because they do such KNOWING full well it IS a stumbling block to others. This according to scripture is sin to them, not because of what they are doing per-say but because of their attitude IN doing. It is an attitude of pride and self-centeredness because they do not consider the spiritual well being and spiritual grouth of the brothers and sisters in Christ as something worth more than their 'liberty'.

    But you are also correct in the fact that their witness among the lost is greatly hindered because they are not seen as seperate from the world but a partaker of the world (regarding them in the world's view). Let us not forget that Paul made it abundantly clear that though we can do all things NOT all things are 'good' for us to do. That word 'good' needs to be understood that it is not speaking about what 'we' consider good but what is considered good before God.

    Just because something isn't sinful in and of itself, the using of it can be damaging to your witness before others. Thus your Christian liberty is a good judge of where you heart truly is in regard toward others and their walk with the Lord (or potential walk yet to be).

    In other words I no declaring it to be wrong to do something but it is just as wrong or sinful to do it knowing it is a stumbling block to others and yet still flaunt your actions before them to provoke them (examples can be seen in this thread alone).
     
    #51 Allan, Apr 23, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 23, 2009
  12. TC

    TC Active Member
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    I guess y'all will never eat another cheeseburger in front of anyone again. Someone might see it and be tempted to have one and add to his or her already high cholesterol. After all, you don't want to be the cause of someone else defiling the temple.
     
  13. Jedi Knight

    Jedi Knight Well-Known Member
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    "This is true, and is what the apostle Paul also practiced and encouraged other to walk like him as he walks like/in Christ." Hey Allan,I've been praying 4 U about that opportunity.:wavey:
     
  14. Allan

    Allan Active Member

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    So you don't agree with Jesus nor Paul with regard to us and our responsibility to our weaker brothers and sisters?

    Also your argument fails greatly here because you aren't speaking about something that another believer considers to be sin which is the issue that I'm addressing. Though if I am around someone who is watching their cholesterol then no, I would not eat a cheeseburger in front of them. I personally know of no one who believes that high cholesterol is a sin. Yet what described I described previously (stopping it) is something that is done AFTER you have sat down with that person and personally disussed the issue not to convience them of your view but to see where they are and address your understanding and see where they are left. Scripture doesn't state you must NEVER do it but that was Paul decision so he would never be a stumbling block to them or anyone else. His decision was all about other believers and their relationship with him, CHrist, and the Church's testimony to the world.

    There also must a distiction about what is ligitimately considered sin by a person and scripture that is twisted to validate a persons dislike of something. (ie. like high cholesterol, fatty foods, and other such .. things). Yet still, the issue isn't 'what' we are or could be doing but for 'whom' are setting aside our temporal pleasures for and for what benifit it will for them, and by extension the Church, and the testimony of Christ's Church.

    However if a believer will not step away from something that is technically spiritually meaningless (only for fun/enjoyment) for the benifit of another believer who is weak and in need of your compassion then I must wonder if the love of Christ truly resides inside ones heart.

    The problem most have with this portion of scripture and their 'Christian liberty' is that it steps on 'Our Rights' (so called) so as to do what we want regardless of needs of our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it and we are commanded to do the same (1 John 3:16)
     
    #54 Allan, Apr 24, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 24, 2009
  15. Allan

    Allan Active Member

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    Thank you :saint:
     
  16. ShotGunWillie

    ShotGunWillie New Member

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    What I find confusing is that some of the same people that consider smoking sinful and a defiling of the body are the same people who consider drinking a choice instead of not doing it.

    Drinking alters your thinking, your mobility, and is a health risk as well, yet it is seen as okay.
     
  17. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Ah, we Baptists are a quirky bunch indeed. Drinking, smoking, cheeseburgers...and all the while one had respnded to my point about "defiling the Temple" being about sexual immorality and not (necessarily) food, drink and other things we consume.

    I understand this point but must ask: where does their ability to responably speak into my life end?

    I ask because what if someone is trying to use their status as a "weaker Christian" to get me to:
    * make my wife stop wearing jeans, shorts, and pants (i.e. dressing normal)
    * make me change Bible translations I use
    * make my children stop acting like normal 3 and 6 year olds
    * make me stop enjoying perfectly moral movies that enjoy watching
    * make me start driving a different car
    * make me do an assortment of things to alter my life to conform to their preference

    really where does it end? Because I'll tell you that while I appreciate wanting to encourage a weaker Christian, I'm not precisely sure how my social drinking causes them to sin.

    I can understand modesty issues. I get that. Yet I don't understand how I'm responsible for their over bearing attitude over a preference.

    I'm curious as to where it ends. I'm also curious to ask, how to do we respond when we know they aren't "weaker"?

    While I don't believe it is selfishness, I highly doubt that eating a cheeseburger in front of someone will cause them to walk into deep sin. That just seems like a cop out and way to get people to conform to a stupid standard that isn't biblical.
     
  18. Jedi Knight

    Jedi Knight Well-Known Member
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    I know there is NO scripture that says "Thou shalt not smoketh" But do we have Gods heart on the matter?
     
  19. jcjordan

    jcjordan New Member

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    Correction: "too much" drinking alters your thinking, your mobility, and is a health risk, just like too many cheesburgers will alter your mobility and is a health risk.
     
  20. historyb

    historyb New Member

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    Oh most that will say don't do it have a sense of pride that they are better because they don't enjoy what God created. They wish to bind others soul and sin all the while lecturing us on what they think they know about Christian liberty. It all is a bunch of poppycock.
     
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