Cigars
"I cultivate my flowers
and burn my weeds."
~Charles Haddon Spurgeon
I expect to receive
a certain amount of feedback in regards to this area of my site, "Cigars Etc."
based upon an erroneous view of Christian freedom. There was a time when I was practicing
abstinence. The church I attended endorsed and embraced abstinence. Many churches today
practice different types of abstinence i.e. alcohol, tobacco, television, movie theaters,
dancing etc. It is not my opinion, but the harmony of holy writ, that truly supports the
believers freedom in Christ Jesus to partake. Let me expound a bit on this comment........
1 Cor 6:12 All
things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be
brought under the power of any.
1 Cor 6:13 Meats for
the belly, and the belly for meats:
1 Cor 10:23 All things
are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all
things edify not.
Scripture implies that
all things are allowable, but all things do not (necessarily) profit the believer. John
MacArthur expounds this passage in an excellent manner. John writes, "All things
(that are) allowable, are allowable, and those things which are not allowable, are not
allowed." Those things that are legal for the believer to partake of "are
legal" and those things which are not legal, the Christian should stay away from.
Rom 14:2 For one
believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him
that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that
eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou
that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he
shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man
esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that
regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the
Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks;
and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Rom 14:7 For none of
us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
Rom 14:8 For whether
we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live
therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
1 Cor 10:29
Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other:
for why is my liberty
judged of another man's conscience?
1 Cor 10:30 For if I
by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
1 Cor 10:31 Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Col 3:17 And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God and the Father by him.
Much can be said in regards to contrasting
subjects. If smoking is in itself a sin, based upon the same premise, so is overeating.
Recent medical reports show that obesity has a higher incidence of morbidity than does,
poverty, alcohol abuse and tobacco abuse. What about the over indulgence of coffee,
television, internet or computer gaming? The Christian is not to be ruled in any fashion
by anything other than God. The sin is when something rules in the life of the believer;
the thing becomes an idol and the second commandment is broken. If living in "smog
filled" Los Angeles is detrimental to one's health, would it be sin to remain living
there?
Drunkeness is sin! Overeating leading to obesity or
hypercholesterolemia is sin. Lying on the couch like a bump on a log is a sin. Addiction
to tobacco is a sin. Addiction to Hersheys chocolate is a sin. Coffee, routinely in the
a.m. is sin if you can't do without it!
Failure to keep the issue "balanced" will
result in a prejudice or double standard.
What about the issue of stumbling a brother or
sister? This is the one issue which needs attention. This is the one case
where I believe the believer should abstain, if in fact there is a chance someone may fall
into sin based upon our utilization of a God given freedom. We must be concious and
considerate.
Paul writes:
Rom 14:15 But if thy
brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with
thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:16 Let not then
your good be evil spoken of:
Rom 14:17 For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost.
Rom 14:18 For he that
in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Rom 14:19 Let us
therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify
another.
Rom 14:20 For meat
destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who
eateth with offence.
Rom 14:21 It is good
neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or
is offended, or is made weak.
Rom 14:22 Hast thou
faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that
thing which he alloweth.
Rom 14:23 And he that
doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of
faith is sin.
Rom 15:1 We then that
are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:2 Let every one
of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
And here:
1 Cor 8:11 And through thy
knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died.
1 Cor 8:12 But when ye sin so
against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
1 Cor 8:13 Wherefore, if meat
make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my
brother to offend.
If one looks to the beginning of Romans
chapter 14, one find that these brethren are weak in faith.
Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith
receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Paul is implying that this is a young
believer; his knowledge base is shallow. He does not know he has freedom to eat the meat
that had been offered to idols.
1 Cor 8:4 As concerning therefore the
eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is
nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
1 Cor 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as
there be gods many, and lords many,)
1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in
him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
1 Cor 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of
the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being
weak is defiled.
The ultimate goal is that the stronger
believer should abstain for the time. I say "for a time". it should be the goal
of the stronger to sit with and educate the weaker. He should endeavor to reason with his
friend by "searching the scriptures". It would be almost as large an
injustice if the stronger believer was brought into bondage by the weakers conscience.
Having said this, having let scripture speak for itself, we will
continue...
~Cigars I have smoked (and some I've attempted to smoke)~
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