In another thread Paris makes this comment: "I wrote a story on here about my addiction to smoking.....how I felt and delt (sic) with my guilt until I was delivered from that sin."
I found it interesting that for her smoking was a sin.
I am wondering how many people here see it as a sin or rather a bad addiction. I had this conversation years ago with a man who believed only non-smokers would be saved. I questioned him as to why he felt this way and his belief was that smoking is bad for our body which is our temple and to violate that is sin. This man had a weight issue and I questioned him as to whether the amount of food he ate was also sin as it was damaging in probably more ways to his body than smoking is.
I have often looked down on people smoking driving down the road, but then wonder how they feel towards me as they see me eating (what I don't need)- is one addiction worse then the other?
April
"I am wondering how many people here see it as a sin or rather a bad addiction."
I would see it as a sin and it is a sin I am delivered from thank the Lord. But oh how I struggled for years to be free. I think God has the power to deliver with out a doubt I know all kinds of people that have been set completely free when they were saved and never when back. I know others that have struggled with it and it took a number of tries before they got free.
"I have often looked down on people smoking driving down the road, but then wonder how they feel towards me as they see me eating (what I don't need)- is one addiction worse then the other?"
I think eating is a function that we naturally have as is sleeping and that other desire. I think that smoking is an unnatural thing and quite a bit different. Also some people that are over weight have a gland problem and gain weight by drinking water or have a depression problem and eating takes away depression.
Also not all pigs are fat ones. Some young piglets are over eating just as much as the older pigs, it just doesn't stick to them. I think what the piglets are doing is jsut as bad as the older pigs. Temperance and moderation should not be gauged by the weight of a person as we all have different metabolism.
The Bible teaches us to be temperance (2Pet 1:6) and to let our moderation be known to all (Phil 4:5).
I think we need to work on losing weight. As long as we are on the making progress and we are not going two steps forward and three backward God is long suffering and so should his people be.
People that may not have the victory they should have in eating will have areas in their life where they are doing better than some of those thin ones that pull up to the buffet and wolf down 3 heaping plates and then look down on those that have one plate and are over weight.
Temperance – in eating, sleeping, working, talking, and things you enjoy (Phil 4:5); mind the things of the Spirit not the pleasures of this world and your flesh (Rom 8:5); your spirit must rule over the flesh; they that live after self and the flesh will die spiritually (Rom 8:13).
Humility – have a proper attitude toward the weaknesses and failings you see in others and discuss them with God only; don’t be proud about any abilities or understanding you have (Jam 4:6); if discussing your spiritual victories with others temper them with your needs and a request for prayer; shun the praise of men, love to be unknown, unseen, and seek God’s favor not man’s (Joh 5:44); love to be instructed (Pro 12:1); don’t dress to be noticed; remember God will judge you the way you judge others (Mat 7:2); don’t think more highly of your self that you should (Rom 12:3); you should profess you are a unprofitable servant and you have only done that which was your duty (Luk 17:10); the more spiritual you become the less spiritual you will realize you are; the wisest people are those that know they know very little; when you realize you are weak then you are strong (2Cor 12:10); you are not capable of doing anything, any capacity you have comes from God (2Cor 3:5).
Just for the record, I don't think that smoking is a sin unless 'you' meaning the individual thinks it is. Then for them it is a sin. Smoking felt like a sin to me because when I smoked I could feel the Holy Spirit convicting me to not do it. I don't judge others for smoking although I do wish they wouldn't because they could get cancer from it.
>>>I don't judge others for smoking although I do wish they wouldn't because they could get cancer from it.<<<
I don't know if you heard it or not, but I have been hearing on tv lately that people who use cell phones are a lot more at risk of getting cancer than those who smoke cigarettes!
Some "professionals" agree with this, and some don't.
Boy, if that's true then there sure are going to be a lot of sinners around!
I wish I could get my whole family to believe that having a cell phone was a sin,,it would save me about $225.00 dollars a month. I tried to scare them with the news of the cancer and cell phone research, but they don't care.
Churchill, that is a good question, I know there is some scripture to support that worry is a sin (well actually I don't know if the Scripture says it's literally a "sin").
Once we had a guy in our small group bible study who was a psychologist and he could not reconcile that worry was a sin because he saw it in a lot of people who actually had mental sicknesses that revolved around worry.
"I am very concerned and careful not to sin but my motivation is not so I don't lose my salvation but so I won't be unfaithful to the love of my life."
Qwerty, about the sin of not knowing you're sinning, have you considered this one? Because when it comes to spiritual things, many times what is considered a sin is righteousness, and what is considered righteousness is a sin.
BrentU
"Qwerty, about the sin of not knowing you're sinning, have you considered this one?"
I don't believe there are unwillful sins and you have to be tempted before you sin and win sin comes condemnation (unless your heart is seared). I am how ever concerned about my lacks, faults, and mistakes in opinion and practice.
"Because when it comes to spiritual things, many times what is considered a sin is righteousness, and what is considered righteousness is a sin."
"Because when it comes to spiritual things, many times what is considered a sin is righteousness, and what is considered righteousness is a sin."
"Could you give me an example of this please?"
Qwerty,
Could you tell me why they called Paul and Peter and the others "evil doers"? I want to know Qwerty, and don't beat around the bush with me.
Also you would think Jesus was a saint the way people act about him today. But he was no such thing in terms of what people think is unacceptable today.
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20
"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD." Proverbs 17:15
Qwerty, if you don't get these verses right first, everything you do for the Lord will be wrong.
BrentU
Could you tell me why they called Paul and Peter and the others "evil doers"? I want to know Qwerty, and don't beat around the bush with me.
Could you give me the verses where that was said of them. Or are you asking in general for I am sure many Jews thought they were evil doers. The reason would have been of course they those that called them evil doers were deceived.
"Also you would think Jesus was a saint the way people act about him today. But he was no such thing in terms of what people think is unacceptable today."
I am not sure what you mean by the above sentence?
"Qwerty, if you don't get these verses right first, everything you do for the Lord will be wrong."
I think it is very important to realize that not every one is where you are and you are not where they are. I agree that is very wrong to call those that are saved evil, and those that are not saved good.
In what way do you feel like I could have the concepts these two verses discuss working in my soul in a greater or better way.
I added "don’t judge others by the light you have but by the light they have" in the following paragraph. This was inspired by the two scriptures you quoted.
Judging – you are to judge false preachers (Mat 7:15-17) and false professors by their fruit (Mar 4:7,18,19); the spiritual person judges all things (1Cor 2:15); hypocrites with a beam in their eye are not to judge those with a mote in their eye (Mat 7:5); God will judge you with the same measure as you judge others (Mat 7:2); when you see errors and faults in others and are inclined to judge them examine yourself to see if you have this same or similar error in your life and put the judgment on yourself; keep a mental list of your greatest spiritual blunders and mistakes and when you see errors in others consider how much worse your errors have been; remember it is easier to see errors in others than it is to see errors in yourself; there is little profit in judging others but great profit in judging yourself (1Cor 11:31); keep a mental list of the greatest sins you have committed and when you are tempted to judge the sins of others with contempt consider how wicked you were yourself before conversion (Tit 3:3); realize that things are not always as they seem and don’t judge things before you know both sides of the what happened (Pro 18:13, 17); don’t believe every report you hear and make wrong judgments (Pro 14:15); don’t judge according to appearance (Joh 7:24); don’t judge the motives of others as only God can see their heart; don’t judge others by the light you have but by the light they have.
Smoking/gluttony... I cannot with good conscience say that smoking in itself is a sin. I agree that it is bad for health, it is an addictive habit and as such it could be a sin. But smoking itself is not a biblical sin. It becomes a sin if one believes it is a sin... just as the person who believes it is a sin for a man to go topless (without a shirt on) in public.
I wish I could go back in time and follow Jesus around. I have so many questions about how they did things and there social views from that time. Oh well perhaps he will have a bit of time for me in heaven. I would love to talk to his brothers and see what he was like to grow up with. So so many questions : )
Qwerty, you have mentioned here about being a recovered addict. I'm not suprised that you have put on the weight, and I commend you for it!! Better to be clean and round than skinny and using, is what I always say.
Btw, I would really love to hear how you found freedom from the junk (in plain real words and not thirty steps ) There might be some who read here that might find it very encouraging and helpful.
Pete
"I'm not suprised that you have put on the weight, and I commend you for it!! Better to be clean and round than skinny and using, is what I always say."
I am not that over weight but I am taking up the fit for life and hiring a personal trainer and going to do up a 6pack -- perhaps.
"Btw, I would really love to hear how you found freedom from the junk (in plain real words and not thirty steps ) There might be some who read here that might find it very encouraging and helpful."
Well I was never really strung out on junk and I quite chipping around in my early 20's and when I moved location that just phased out.
I did how ever have a very bad crack habit. After getting out of E after yet another OD and mini-stoke (froze up my right side after a weekend binge) and I had ran out of dope make a decision to say no to crack. I when on medical pot and smoked bubble hash (water extraction method that produces very potent THC power) in a pipe. This gave me some thing to smoke, a glass pipe, and all the same play as a cracker but I wasn't killing myself.
I did this for a year before I moved to a congregation where I felt I could have good support. I attended the church for 3 months and gave time for the Lord to work over my heart. I then responded to a message on salvation and give my life to the Lord. When I when home I flushed my pot etc, and I have never termed back.
The Lord has keep me free for dope and sin since that time to now which was about 4 or 5 years ago. I can say today I am doing better spiritual that I have ever done before. I am not cooling down and getting lukewarm and have full victory over all sinful habits and I am working hard to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.
It was easy for me. Crack was going to kill me. I was a crackpig. It was either quit or die. One day after I have been straight for a week or so and had lots of coin in my pocket and I was thinking about going to pick up half a ball I thought about it and then said I quite. That was it, I never when back to it with the help of my medical pot (I was a compassion club care holder and helped run a 9kw grow). Later salvation took care of the pot crutch.
Now I am high on Jesus. I had a wonderful time today singing some new hymns I downloaded and praying in the holy ghost. Weeping and praying and singing -- what a good life! Woooooooooooooooooooooo!
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) There might be some who read here that might find it very encouraging and helpful.