It is not a sin for a Christian to use tobacco if they were already addicted to tobacco before they were born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. Scripture tells us that if anyone knows what he ought to do but doesn’t do it than to that person it is sin - James 4:17. So, if you are born again and spirit filled the Holy Spirit and God’s church will let you know that tobacco is a sin.
Scripture also says “If your heart condemns you that God is greater than your heart and that God knows all things” 1 John 3:20
I know a man who smoked and he was the security guard at our church. His wife was a highly respected member of the congregation. This man was so well known and well liked that no one even questioned his cigarette usage. I, on the other hand was a young divorced mother and no one dare find out I smoked as I was already rejected by many in the church community. Thank Goodness, the Lord finally set me free. But while I was addicted I learned that the surgeon general said that cigarettes were as addicting as heroin. I conquered that devil but I had to use other nicotine products first and then slowly wean myself off of the nicotine lozenges and patches.
I also backslid really bad after I was born again and I had a terrible lifestyle of using alcohol and getting drunk quite frequently in the late eighties. I don’t know how God finally set me free after about five years of backsliding but It was nothing short of a miracle. Looking back now, I know that I was born again just as I know my name but I was just like someone who had a reprobate mind and I could not stop what I was doing even when I wanted to. There were lots of times that I wanted to but there were also times that I didn’t want to.
I remained faithful to go to church, watch Christian television and pay my tithes. But the secular lifestyle of partying and alcohol were as second nature to me my entire life as was breathing as I grew up with alcoholic parents. Alcohol was part of my life every single day of my life from as early as I can remember anything. There were always parties and tons of alcohol at my mom and dad’s home. I knew that no one at church was partying or drinking or smoking so I would get condemned every week as I went to church so very faithful.
While I was at church and all through the week I would pray for God to deliver me. But days, months and years went by and HE never did. Finally in 1995 God set me free from the biggest problem, then later in 2000 I was set free from another bad habit that had nothing to do with partying or alcohol. Then in 2001 I was set free from anther hindrance to my Christian walk and lastly I was set free from tobacco in 2007.
I might not have been the best witness for Christ during those years but no one can tell me that I wasn’t saved and baptized with the Holy Ghost throughout that time because I know that I know that I know that I was. That is why I believe it all the more important that we should not condemn or judge anyone because we don’t know the battle they are already in within themselves. I agree with you in part that it can be sin for a Christian to use tobacco or alcohol. But when one has an illness of alcohol addiction or tobacco addiction that person is pretty dependent on God and on God alone to deliver that person from alcohol or tobacco if that person was already addicted when they came to Christ Jesus.
On the other hand, if that person decides that they want to have a drink after they are already saved or to light up a cigarette after they are saved then that is when it could become sin. Noah was a God fearing man and he got drunk underneath the ark. And fermented beverages were used for healing in the bible days. However, knowing what I know about alcohol and the dangers of the drug alcohol I don't think it is ever wise for anyone to use it even if they were going to try and claim it was only for medicinal purposes. As we have just read in last week’s assignments in Health "Drugs and Society" we learned that physicians used to prescribe alcohol to their patients for different medicinal benefits. And I bet some of those same physicians were forced to prescribe alcohol to some of their patients to prevent violent and risky side effects of withdrawals like "DT's".
Interesting thoughts on tobacco and alcohol that some are open to share. I agree with some of their thoughts. I believe if a person is an alcoholic before they come to Christ or if a person is addicted to tobacco before they come to Christ that we must not cast stones of judgment against them at all. A person can genuinely be pursuing God and a change in their lifestyle while they have a gross addiction to alcohol or tobacco. And if one is accustomed to drinking enough to inebriate him before he came to Christ and he is consuming alcohol only because he is chemically addicted then he will likely consume large amounts after he comes to Christ too.
Sure Christ can reduce the desire for him to consume as much and Christ can even certainly and totally set him free from alcohol or cigarettes all together. But we must realize this is a chemical dependence in some cases who are we to cast a stone at a sick person. A person who is an alcoholic or addicted to any drug at all (even cigarettes) is a sick person and they cannot help or stop their addiction on their own. Therefore what right have we to condemn a sick person?
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