Smoking and Sin!

Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil,
       to take part in wicked deeds
       with men who are evildoers;
       let me not eat of their delicacies.

Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
       let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head.

Psalm 141:4-5a

I have a very good friend who years ago decided to quit smoking. He was ultimately successful, but the process he used was interesting and instructive. At the time he was very successful and had no lack of money, but he simply quit buying cigarettes. When he felt he needed a smoke he would “bum” one off of someone else! He is a very gregarious person which made it easier for him to ask for help, even from a stranger in maintaining his addiction.

Many Christians try to quite sinning like my friend tried to quit smoking. We don’t buy the stuff of our addiction from the world, but when we can get it for free we still imbibe! It makes them feel a little better about themselves even though they are still under the power of the “sin that so easily besets” them. Just so you don’t misunderstand I am not the man who tried to quit smoking, but I am the man who tried to quit sinning the same way. Let me save you a lot of struggle by telling you that it does not work. You can’t keep your foot dry while dipping your toe in the water.

My friend became a non-smoker because one day, and I don’t know exactly when it was, he had the urge to smoke and didn’t ask for a cigarette. Then he did it again and again until not smoking became a way of life. The same is true with sin. The day of freedom begins when you have the urge to sin and by God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit in your life you do not yield to the temptation. Then it happens again and again until righteousness becomes a way of life.

Don’t forget that non-smokers who pick of the habit again will soon be back under the power of nicotine. And non-sinners who dip their toe in the water of unrighteousness will soon be back under its power!

Many restaurants today have banned smoking altogether so that you cannot nourish your body and practice your habit at the same time. It is the same with God. Sinning and partaking of the food that nourishes your soul cannot happen at the same time. Heaven is the ultimate non-sinning restaurant!