Smoking is not illegal.
You can love Jesus and smoke cigarettes. Plenty do.
You can get into heaven and be a pack-a-day-er. Plenty have.
But over the last few days I've been wondering how my two posts about the foolishness of smoking and smokers being a sign of church health fit together.
First, if a teenage Christian started smoking, how long would it be before the church should intervene? Should it be stamped out immediately? Do you only have the "right" to chastise them until they're an adult?
If age is a determining factor, should you ever rebuke an adult believer if they decide to take up smoking? If so, again, after how long?
What about long-term believers who smoke? Should someone seriously addicted to nicotine ever be spoken to about their damaging habit? If we did that, should we not also do the same for gluttony or routinely playing poker machines?
And finally, even though it might not be near the top of things to discuss, when would it be a good time (if ever?) to confront a convert about puffing away on the smokes?
I don't know what the answers exactly are, but I also wonder what angle would I take in these conversations primarily?
Would I push the spiritual angle?
Would I push the obvious health advantages?
Would I push the financial gains?
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