You Won't Get to Heaven That Way !!!

Silver Surfer

How come we've never had a discussion on Smoking or Drinking ?

I know of a large church in my area, which boasts of some 9,000 members.......whose Pastors have never told anyone in their congregation, that Smoking or casual drinking achohol, will keep a person out of heaven.

Where I work, there are at least 4 people I know who go to that church, Which is called, "New Life', by the way, and all four, smoke.

I even asked them if their Pastors knew they smoked, and they said yes, their pastors knew they smoked.

Incredible !!!

Apparently, those pastors do not see that that is a Salvation issue.

So, let's hear some input on what you think.....agree, or not ?
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Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

james · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject:

I agree, but feel this is a secondary issue. For only when we accept Christ can we overcome these things, through Him. Thus pointing people to Christ is an obvious primary. For if one quite smoking and drinking without Christ it profits them nothing.
This is an issue for more mature Christians those who claim Christ and live in these things setting bad examples, even Christ scolded those who claimed to be something and lived otherwise.

Silver Surfer · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject:

Zathrus · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:53 am Post subject:

When I was very young in the Lord, I simply associated smoking and drinking with being a sinner - with rebellion against God.

Of course, I was a teen then, and among my peers, smoking and drinking was an act of rebellion.

So I had my peers, who were immature brats trying to prove they were big stuff, and I had the example of a few adults in my life who ruined their lives with alchoholism and smoking. So naturally, these examples led to me forming an association between smoking /drinking and rebellion/self-destruction.

In the years since then, I've come to learn that many good hearted and level-headed people smoke. It's not an act of rebellion. Many sensible ones are trying to quit for their health.

And many good and sensible people casually drink alchohol. It's not an act of rebellion against God.

It was hard to face at first, but the fact is there is no Bible scripture specifically forbidding either one. In fact there is Biblical proof that drinking alchohol with meals was common. Jesus and the disciples even drank wine at the last supper! Some suggest it was only grape juice, but that is absurd. Why do other passages in the Bible state that it was possible to become intoxicated from it?

Some use the verse about our bodies being a temple. That verse is not specifically talking about tobacco or alchohol. People extend the principle to apply to tobacco and alchohol. That's not quite as solid as something directly addressing the issue. that principle could then be extended to anything and everything that harms the human body in any way. To the point of absurdity. That verse is not strong Biblical proof against tobacco and alchohol.

Just live responsibly, follow your doctor's recommendations, make healthy decisions, value yourself as a human being because God does, and you'll be fine.
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Establishing the law by receiving the righteousness which is by faith, without the deeds of the law!

2 Cor 3 "11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious."

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