Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Smoking is a DOUBLE SIN!


by Guy C. LaMar

THE FACTS are this, it's been very much proven that smoking causes cancer! Smoking IS injurious to your health! Read, in this article what your CREATOR says about smoking!


Smoking is sinful both physically and spiritually!

Yes, SMOKING IS A DOUBLE SIN!

Smoking is giving one's self over to a habit. A SINFUL habit!

No TRUE CHRISTIAN smokes.

Why!?

Because they respect God enough to NOT damage what God has given us - human life - a physical body to dwell in so that we are able to live in accordance to the will of God.

Sinners are always eager to justify their sins.

The Holy Bible does not contain a direct command - "THOU SHALT NOT SMOKE!"

Yet, for that matter, would mankind stop smoking if it did!?

The Bible DOES say, "THOU SHALT NOT MURDER!"

Has mankind stopped murdering!?

God is just as concerned about the motive behind the act as He is about the act itself! 

God DID NOT create mankind to abuse the temple of the Holy Spirit.

When a person smokes, they harm the temple of the Spirit. They harm the physical body and second-hand smoke harms others.

A smoker could be committing murder when around others while smoking, and they could be committing slow self-murder!

When our Lord Jesus Christ magnified the inexorable LAW of God (summed up in the Ten Commandments), He says, "'You have heard that it was said to those of old [those in the Old Testament], 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28) But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart'" - Matthew 5:27-28, NKJV throughout.

Our Lord Jesus Christ says what occurs in the heart of man constitutes sin - AS MUCH AS the literal act itself!

The LAW of the Eternal God says, "THOU SHALT NOT COVET" meaning "THOU SHALT NOT LUST!"

This clearly demands of us that we DO NOT DO certain things!

By doing, or committing the act - you become guilty of sin!

To LUST after something - to lust after ANYTHING - constitutes sin!

And what is sin!?

Answer: BREAKING GOD'S LAW!

"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness" - 1 John 3:4.

The apostle James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said: "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all" - James 2:10.

And in James 4:17 it says " ... to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin."

It is Almighty God who tells us - in His own living word - WHAT sin is!

God DOES NOT allow mankind to decide what is sin.

He merely allows each individual to choose for themselves whether he or she will obey God's LAW - or commit sin.

The HOLY BIBLE is a book of law!

There are laws of health, laws of farming, laws of diet, laws of marriage - laws covering every facet of human life REVEALED IN THE HOLY BIBLE!

Our Lord Jesus Christ says we are to live by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God!

He says anyone who breaks even the least of God's Commandments will be called least in the kingdom from heaven.

Smoking is a lust. A cigarette is A DRUG!

Listen, I used to smoke. It was a hand-me-down sin from my family. One that I, like most of my family members, embraced. If I could fix one mistake in my life, it would have been to have NEVER smoked. Personally, I have the strongest hatred for smoking that a person could have.

Smoking is very physically harmful and very deadly dangerous.

The desire to smoke is nothing more than following into lust.

Our Lord Jesus says, "'you shall know them by their fruit'" meaning their ways.

When you see someone who is smoking you are witnessing someone who has GIVEN themselves over to lust.

Trying to convince someone of the sin of smoking is often met with a defense of smoking - which only equals the defense of sinning.

Often I have heard all the many arguments in defense of smoking. Each is met with very spiritually weak people.

NONE have the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD that defends SIN!

God's living word says that we should become "as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance" - 1 Peter 1:14.

Smoking is a physical sin!

Our Lord Jesus shows us that it was sin that had crippled the man at the pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem. And in healing the man, Jesus said, "'See, you have been made well. SIN NO MORE, lest a worse thing come upon you'" - John 5:14.

Healing, revealed our Savior and High Priest, is the forgiveness of sin! Cf. Matthew 9:2-7.

What kind of sin!? Physical sin!

There are certain physical laws that God has set in motion. These laws regulate your physical body, your physical health, your physical life.

As a great preacher of old used to say: take gravity. It's real - although you can not see it, you know that you will get injured IF you violate this law of gravity by a sudden fall! A penalty is a physical pain and possible physical injury. And so it is with our physical health! 

Now, if we place wrong foods within our physical body - or even too much of the right foods - we sin against our body - and there is a penalty exacted! (Be sure to read "Is God's Biblical Food Laws Still In Effect" to help understand what wrong foods God commands us not to partake of).

Now, in some cases, the penalty may only be temporary, but in others, it may be a permanent injury or even death!

Smoking is definitely HARMFUL to the physical body!

Sadly, both of my Mother's parents were heavy smokers, and they both died from cancer. My maternal grandmother was 60 years old when she died. My maternal grandfather was 69 years old when he died. His smoking habit aged him terribly.

My Dad was a heavy smoker and it aged him terribly. He died at the age of 48 - only two months shy of his 49th birthday) from cardiac arrest. Smoking had caused his heart to develop serious atrial fibrillation - causing sudden death!

I recall how I used to beg both of my parents to quit smoking. They had given themselves over completely to their lust. They embraced their sin.

I PRAISE GOD for mercifully allowing me to understand, and not just knowing things, but ACTING on my understandings!

Notice this from the apostle Paul -

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit [which] is in you, [which] you have from God, and you are not your own? 20) For YOU were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Does it glorify God to smoke!?

Does it honor God our Creator - the very One who blesses us with every clean breath of air we breathe - to smoke!?

Are we showing ourselves to be obedient to Him, serving Him, glorifying Him when we lust for nicotine!? The main ingredient in cigarettes.

TAKE SPECIAL HEED THAT GOD'S LIVING WORD SAYS -

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31.

There is NO glorifying God with smoking or using tobacco or marijuana - EVEN FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES - it harms the physical body! It will age people more rapidly and it destroys the lungs.

And, it can be very offensive to people who DO NOT smoke - which is the greater majority of the world's population.

According to statistics - nearly one-in-four (23%) of adults throughout the world smoke tobacco. This 23% of the world's population of people are age 15 and older that smoke tobacco. There are a number of countries in which at least 40% of their population smoke tobacco, if not even a higher percentage!

God's living word clearly shows us that SMOKING IS AN ACT OF SIN! So, 23% of this world's population embraces this lustful sin!

God demands that every true Christian walk away from self-satisfying lusts!

The apostle John wrote in the Book of Revelation -

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, 'COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues" - Revelation 18:4.

And, the apostle Paul wrote -

"And DO NOT be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may PROVE what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" - Romans 12:2.

IF a person WILL NOT deny themselves then they will NEVER know Christ Jesus!

God's living word describes such sinners as "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3) unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God, 5) having a form of godliness but denying its power [the power of true godliness]. And FROM SUCH PEOPLE turn away!" - 2 Timothy 3:2-5.

Have you ever known a person who claims to be a Christian, yet smoked!? Being a true Christian and smoking DO NOT MIX!

Now, they may be a good person - worldly speaking - but they are NOT a true Christian. Because by them smoking - or using tobacco or marijuana for ANY MEDICINAL PURPOSE -  are NOT following Christ Jesus our Lord!

Our Lord Jesus clearly shows us that it is the attitude of the heart that is important - as well as the physical act itself! Having a rebellious attitude, and having a desire to give over to one's lust is an OUTRIGHT SIN! And the result of such an act may bring terrible circumstances.

The apostle Paul WARNED Christians at Ephesus, in the Book of Ephesians -

"For this you know, that no fornicator [Greek, porneia, meaning marital unfaithfulness, also a generic term for sexual sin of any kind], unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" - Ephesians 5:5.

Covetousness is also considered idolatry. Placing an object (or a person) in place of God!

Remember, the apostle James said that if we break even ONE point, we're guilty of all!

Lusting after tobacco or marijuana - IN ANY FORM - is an act of SIN!

And, it becomes a spiritual sin!

It is a sin against one's own character, as well as bringing physical harm to the physical body.

Again, notice what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Hebrews, how he showed that Moses chose to suffer the affliction with God's people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season -

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25) choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26) esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward" - Hebrews 11:24-25.

Prophet Moses knew that by choosing to forsake the passing pleasures that seemed so desirable he could obtain a long-lasting, MORE HAPPIER REWARD that lies beyond. Those who seek the temporary sensual pleasures are to howl for the miseries they shall reap!

Our Lord Jesus Christ says that He came "'that they may have life, and that they may have it MORE ABUNDANTLY'" - John 10:10.

Following Jesus Christ in the true Christian lifestyle equals TOTAL JOY!

A converted child of God has absolutely FORSAKEN his own way.

Isaiah chapter 55 says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon" - verse 7.

Wise King Solomon wrote, "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death" - Proverbs 16:25.

So, after conforming with the conditions, the repentant sinner is PROMISED the Holy Spirit - which is the very nature of God! - cf. Acts 2:38; 2 Peter 1:4.

If we call ourselves a true Christian, we are to GROW DAILY more like God! - cf. Matthew 5:48.

So, instead of seeking to please ourselves by the passing pleasures of sin which dissipates and can injure, we are to forsake the degenerating habits, and completely give our lives over to God! - cf. Romans 12:1.

We are bought with a price (1st Corinthians 6:20), and we are commanded to glorify God in our physical bodies!

Do we glorify God by smoking cigarettes or dipping tobacco!?

NOT AT ALL!

True Christians are to live in HARMONY with the laws of God which He set in motion - not by going contrary to those laws.

Physical as well as spiritual laws are included

In the Book of Luke, our Lord Jesus says, "'IF you then, being evil [meaning, far less than godly], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!'" - Luke 11:13.

He tells us that WE ARE HIS HOLY TEMPLE!

True Christians have His Holy Spirit abiding within them - and are bought with a price, and we literally BELONG TO GOD!

ANYONE who has God as the Center of their life CAN QUIT TOBACCO!!

My paternal grandfather smoked three packs of non-filter Old Gold cigarettes every day from his childhood until he was 58 years old! Then, one day after he learned at church services that smoking was a DOUBLE SIN, he put them down on a table and never picked up another cigarette again! He told my grandmother that it was God that helped him do away with that sin in his life!

You see, my grandfather wanted to please God more than himself! He wanted to live his life by the will of God. But sadly, the damage had already been done. His lungs and heart were compromised from years of smoking. He only lives 8 more years. But in those 8 years of his life, he lived more abundantly than at any other point in his life because of his service to God.

DO NOT allow Satan the Devil to rule you by his influence upon you!

Very clearly, God labels SMOKING AS A SIN, and tells us in the Book of Romans -

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts" - Romans 6:12.

God has decreed that "SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU, ..." - Romans 6:14.

So, by decreeing that no sin - regardless of what it may be - can "have dominion over you," God extends a definite and specific PROMISE to anyone who truly wants to quit smoking!

"If we confess our sins [to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" - 1 John 1:9.

GOD HAS OBLIGATED HIMSELF TO CLEANSE US FROM SIN if we trust and believe in Him!

God says that He will HELP US win against sin!

Smoking is a sin! Anyone can quit that does not want to sin!

Recall Lot's wife!

Once we quit a sin - DO NOT TURN BACK TO IT! 

Don't make excuses!

After the glorious truth has been given to someone and they brush that truth away, then that person has told God that they are willfully going to continue in the sin that they have been WARNED against! (Be sure to read our FREE pdf booklet "What is 'the Unpardonable Sin'?"). The results are on them at that point. When they come before Jesus Christ, this will be held against them.

Once God has intervened, as He has promised He would, and that person has SUCCEEDED in rooting out the sin, then they MUST not ever turn to it again!

"For IF, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome the latter end is worse for them than the beginning" - 2 Peter 2:20.

No matter what the sin is - once it is noticed by the true Christian seeking to serve God it is their duty to reject that sin and to focus on pleasing the will of God!

Living for the fleshly desires only equals rebellion against God.

It is either self-s way (sin), or God's Way (righteousness). □

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