[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Parson

Greetings all!

I am currently doing a study of our most cherished holiness standards. My focus is to determine if the principles are placed upon solid a biblical foundation or whether the principle is more of a cultural issue.

In my study, I came across a very interesting challenge. I would certainly like to get your thoughts upon the matter.


Tobacco has been regarded as a vile practice that not only is bad for one’s health, but also one that will doom a person to hell. I cannot remember how many references to the sins of smoking, dipping, or chewing.

(Before I continue, I must assure all that I am not advocating a change in our position. I simply wish to know what is biblically correct. Truth matters. Quoting a friend from the FFC, “If truth does not matter, then nothing matters.)”

As one passionate exhorter stated, tobacco juice will never stain the streets of that (Heaven) city.

The scripture that is used to justify the anti-tobacco stance is that our bodies are the temple of God. (1 Corinthians 6:19) and must not be defiled.

Paul states 1Co 3:16-17) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

We are holy, serving a Holy God, and must not allow anything to DEFILE our bodies, the temple wherein the Spirit resides. It all seems pretty cut and dried until one considers what Christ stated.

Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
(Please pay particular attention to verse 11. I repeat the first portion for emphasis.)

NOT THAT WHICH GOETH INTO THE MOUTH DEFILETH A MAN.

The Good News Bible reads it this way.
It is not what goes into your mouth that makes you ritually unclean; rather, what comes out of it makes you unclean."

The NIV reads it this way: Matthew 15:11 (NIV)
What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' "

The GW states Matthew 15:11 (GW)
What goes into a person's mouth doesn't make him unclean. It's what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean."

Was Jesus mistaken? After all, we preach that putting tobacco in our mouths defiles (or makes us unclean) the temple

If WHAT GOES INTO A PERSON’S MOUTH DOESN’T MAKE a person UNCLEAN, how then can we state that something does…such as tobacco?

Is there a more accurate biblical foundation in which to continue the stance against tobacco than “defiling the temple?”

Thanks in advance for you input



Parson

First of all Jesus was speaking about eating food with unwashed hands. Second, defilement was speaking of the soul and sin. Sin is an action one does. Fornication is a sin. Lying is a sin. Stealing is a sin. And in the OT doing such things that the pagans did like cutting, is a sin.

Now the bible says to come out from amoung them and be separate. So at some point we need to decide of what they are doing is something we have to separate from. And in those matters only the word is our guide.

Is shooting up a sin? Is it wrong? One can make the argument perhaps from the greek word for sorcery which was a reference to drug use particularly in a religious metaphysical way...to enchant or whatever. One can see a parallel in payote use by Shamans for religious ecstatic experiences.

Other drugs were used in similiar ways.

The bible then says to be sober minded...to be right minded. Paul too speaks of not being under control of anything. So we have to ask if taking anything intentionally that alters our emotions, personality, cognitive ability or ability to think rationally is right according to the word.

Tobacco is not just cancer causing, but it's is addictive, physically and emotionally and as such means there is an alteration in our mind and bodies that are detrimental not just physically but also emotionally.

People addicted to tobacco have to have it, they have no control.

As for the cultural thing...we know this stuff is bad for you physically and emotionally and even economically now. We also know that smoking can hurt someone else via second hand smoke. Are we to be held guiltless for being a cause of someone else dying from lung cancer?

Should we, as Christians, be on the forefront of rejecting such vices and to each others? Or should we appear as unconcerned uncaring people? Would we be selfless if we did not take a stand on such things?

This seems to be sort of like the alcohol question. Remember Paul said that unto him all things are lawful but they are not all necessarily good for him either