Dr. Jack L. Arnold Equipping
Pastors International Questionable
Practices
Lesson 7
Christians
for centuries have been saying that smoking is bad for oneÕs health and the
world has looked upon them as ÒsquaresÓ ÒalarmistsÓ and Ònegativists.Ó King James in the sixteenth century
said, ÒSmoking is loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the
braine, dangerous to the lungs, and the blacke, stinking fume.
. .Ó Now, however, there is a
sound scientific basis for the belief that smoking is harmful to the
health. U.S. Surgeon General C:
Everett Koop stated of smoking, Ò... the chief, single, avoidable cause of
death in our society, and the most important health issue of our time.Ó This is true of every society in the
world.
Christian
parents who have encouraged their children to avoid smoking have been very
Biblical, sensible and scientific, even though twenty-five years ago they were
thought to be narrow minded. Science, in many ways, is helping substantiate
Christian beliefs:
ADVANTAGES TO SMOKING
There
is a great deal of pleasure for a person, who already smokes.
There
is a certain form of relaxation for a person who is active and nervous.
It
may give one some security if the crowd he runs with are smokers.
It
gives a self-conscious person something to do with his hands.
It
may keep down weight.
DISADVANTAGES TO SMOKING
Harmful to the Body. The AMA and the American Cancer Society, in their
recent reports on smoking, have shown conclusively that smoking is detrimental
to a personÕs health.
Lung
cancer rarely shows up in non-smokers: The risk of dying in the prime of life (forties
and fifties) is more than twice as great for smokers than non-smokers. On the average, a smoker at the age of
25 who smokes a pack or more a day can expect 6 ½ years less of life
than men who have never smoked regularly.
Cigarette
smokers carry a greater risk for mouth, larynx, tongue, lip, and pancreatic and
bladder cancer.
Smoking
is also thought to be responsible for the disease of the heart and emphysema
which accounts for multi-thousands of premature deaths: Death from heart
disease were nearly twice as frequent among cigarette smokers as among
non-smokers: Smokers are more affected by ulcers, chronic bronchitis and
tuberculosis: In America it is estimated that there are at least 320,000 deaths
each year either caused by smoking or are smoking related, and 20% donÕt know
it can cause cancer at all. Other
cultures are experiencing millions of more deaths do to smoking.
Other
chronic conditions are associated with cigarette smokers which would probably
not exist if no one smoked cigarettes, such as coughing, shortness of breath,
headache, indigestion, frequent fatigue, insomnia, dizziness, etc., Smokers
spend more time in the hospital and away from their jobs than do non-smokers.
While
some lung cancer is due to air pollution, cigarette smoking is still the main
cause. Both city and country smokers get the disease more often then either
city or country non-smokers.
Habit
Forming. Nicotine is habit forming
and a mild drug. Tobacco is more than a pleasurable habit; it is an addiction.
This is why no one gives up the habit easily. Cigarette tobacco contains about
1.5% nicotine and the smoke from an average cigarette may yield 6-8 mg. of the
drug. A fatal dose is approximately 60 mg.
Affects
Others. When one smokes, he is not
just hurting himself but others. Smoking not only causes the eyes of others to
water, make it hard to breath, brings on allergies, and makes clothes smell,
but now we know smokers cause others who inhale secondary tobacco smoke. Some have claimed they have come down
with cancer because of secondary smoke.
Expensive. The average smoker
probably, spends hundreds of dollars a year on cigarettes. If both the man and
the woman smoke, this makes a big dent on the family budget.
Affects
Pregnancy. Smoking in pregnant women increases the risk of miscarriage,
lowers birth weight (about 6 oz.), and raises the babyÕs chances of
complications at delivery and the likelihood of health problems during infancy.
In a recent study, children at age seven of mothers who smoked during pregnancy
were shorter in average stature, tended to have retarded reading ability and
rated lower in social adjustment than children of mothers who had not smoked
during pregnancy.
Dirty
Habit. Cigarette butts on the floor,
ashtrays filled, the smell of smoke in the air and in clothes can become quite
unbecoming to a person. Besides there is the problem of bad breath, smokerÕs
taste, stained teeth and fingers, and spark burns on clothes and furniture.
Annoying. Often
some smokers are quite inconsiderate of others who do not smoke and this
becomes very annoying, even at times to the place of disgust. A smoker wants
tolerance from the nonsmoker, but the smoker should also be considerate of
those who do not smoke.
Starts with Wrong Motives. Almost
every person who ever started smoking did so to prove to others that he was
grown up or mature. He wanted to look and feel adult. There is really no
positive reason for starting to smoke. Someone has said that a man spends the
first 20 years of his life smoking to prove that he is a man, and he spends the
next 20 years trying to quit to prove the same thing.
Deceptive
Advertisement. The tobacco industry spends millions of
dollars each year to brainwash the public that. smoking
is desirable, healthful, youthful and contributing to or reflecting success.
Time
Loss. Industry loses money on smokers. Smokers probably work 30
minutes less a day than non-smokers because smokers need more breaks.
Fires.
Careless smokers start more fires than any other reason.
DISADVANTAGES OF CHEWING (Smokeless
tobacco)
Constant
chewing produces leukoplakia (white, leathery patches inside the mouth). About
5% of diagnosed cases develop into oral cancer.
Chewing
lessens oneÕs ability to taste or smell; therefore, the person needs more salt
and sugar, which are unhealthy if used in quantities.
Receding
gums, wear and tear on tooth enamel, tooth decay, discoloring of teeth and bad
breath are all the results of smokeless tobacco, not to mention the uncouth act
of spitting.
SMOKING FROM A BIBLICAL STANDPOINT
Smoking
is a doubtful thing or questionable practice because nothing is said for or
against it in Scripture. The right or wrong of this issue must be solved on
biblical principles.
As
many disadvantages as there are to smoking, it must be said that smoking in
itself is not sinful although it may become sinful when it becomes harmful to
the body, when our conscience is convicted that it is wrong, when it becomes a
stumbling block to others or affects oneÕs testimony to the non-Christian. Because of the scientific evidence,
smoking and chewing are doubly doubtful.
A man may smoke and be a Christian. Salvation does not depend on a
set of taboos or rules but upon saving faith in the person of Christ as Savior
from sin and Lord of the life. The sinner is never told to give up anything to
become a Christian, but is told to receive Jesus Christ, who is life eternal,
and to begin, by GodÕs grace, to live a life by faith that would please the
Lord Jesus Christ. For God
so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Whoever believes in the Son has eternal
life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for GodÕs wrath remains on
him (John 3:36). For it is by
grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it
is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph.
2:8-9). For, everyone who calls on
the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13).
A
Christian may smoke without this affecting his personal relationship to the
Lord Jesus, providing his conscience has not convicted him that it is wrong.
Whether a person does or does not smoke does not make him any more spiritual
before God. Spirituality is based on growth in the word of God and oneÕs
personal relationship to Jesus Christ by means of the Holy Spirit
But
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet.
3:18)..
Often
a new convert or an untaught Christian does not see the implications of smoking
to his personal testimony before men. However, if his conscience is convicted
that it is wrong, then it will affect his relationship with Christ.
A Christian who smokes should be allowed
to fellowship with a local assembly of believers. OneÕs fellowship in an assembly
depends upon his personal relationship with Christ and his conformity to
the biblical standards of holiness, not any man-made standards.
SMOKING FROM A TESTIMONY AND PRACTICAL STANDPOINT
Slavery.
Smoking is a mild form of addiction. A Christian who smokes
becomes a slave to a weed, which controls his life. The Christian is not to be
brought under the control of anything or anyone except Christ. Everything is permissible for
me—but I will not be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12). This is
the principle of self-control. While a Christian has liberty to smoke, this
liberty should never cause him to become a slave to any fleshly appetite. A
Christian is not to be ÒhookedÓ on any habit. A Christian who smokes must face
up to this exhortation realistically, not before men but before God. The
average smoker is ÒhookedÓ on nicotine just like the dope addict is ÒhookedÓ on
cocaine, but only to a lesser degree.
Stumbling
Block. A Christian has liberty to smoke, but this liberty, if
misused could become a stumbling block to a weaker Christian brother. If a
ChristianÕs smoking causes our brother to stumble, then it is sin. So whether you
eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether
Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everybody in
every way (1 Cor. 10:31-32). Be
careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling
block to the weak (1 Cor. 8:9).
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put
any stumbling block or obstacle in your brotherÕs way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am
fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it
is unclean (Rom. 14:13-14). If there is anything in a ChristianÕs life that would keep
another person from finding the Savior, the believer should willingly give it
up. This would be the principle of supreme sacrifice.
Lifespan. Since the medical world has proven conclusively to
all that smoking is harmful to the body, it becomes a very serious matter for
the Christian. A Christian who smokes is cutting down his efficiency,
endangering his health and shortening his life. The Christian is to use all the
years God gives him to be a faithful witness. It is possible that a Christian
smoker could cut six precious years off his life, which he could have used for
Christian service.
Expensive. Smoking
is an expensive habit, and the money spent on cigarettes or cigars could be
spent on evangelism or discipleship.
All of our money is the LordÕs and we are to use it wisely.
Example to Children in the Home. The Christian who smokes is going to have a difficult
time explaining to his children why they should not smoke. We lead children by example, not by
philosophical jargon or rationalization.
Pride. Often
a mature Christian who smokes realizes that smoking does not affect his
relationship with Christ, and yet out of spite and pride and a desire to
exercise his liberty in Christ, he does not want to bow down to some Christians
who he thinks are legalistic. We
know Òpride goes before destruction.Ó
God hates pride far more than smoking, for smoking is a questionable
practice but pride is a breaking of the moral law.
Holy Place. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought
at a price. Therefore honor God
with our body (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Over-eating, sexual perversions, evil thoughts, indulgences all take a
toll on the Christians body, which God has ordained to be holy.
CONCLUSIONS
In
light of all the facts about tobacco, it now has become evident that smoking is
doubly doubtful. Christians need
to ask themselves if they can honestly smoke or chew tobacco to the glory
of God in light of all the
scientific facts about tobacco.
While it is a matter of conscience, can the Christian use tobacco for
the glory of God? So whether
you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor.
10:31).
CAFFEINE
ADVANTAGES
It
makes us feel good. It gives
It
is a sociable, friendly habit
It
gives a physiological and psychological lift with no real harm to others
It
is a stimulant. It may produce
rapid and clear flow of thought, reduce drowsiness and fatigue
temporarily. With caffeine, one
may sense a capability for greater sustained intellectual effort, experience
keener memory and muscular coordination is enhanced.
DISADVANTAGES
It
is a drug. Coffee contains 100-150 mg. of caffeine and Coca-cola 35-55
mg. Even cocoa contains caffeine.
Depression. Excessive
amounts of caffeine can cause depression.
Sickness. Excessive
amounts of caffeine can produce loose bowels, pancreatic problems, heart
disease, and kidney ailments and other health problems. Caffeine may affect the fetus of a
pregnant mother.
Dependence. Caffeine
may produce a physiological and psychological dependence whereby a person needs
the drug to function properly.
CONCLUSION
The Christian is not to be brought under the power nor
mastered by anything except the Holy Spirit. Everything is permissible for me—but I will not
be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12).