BIBLICAL BRIEFS 39
Maybe it is first and foremost important that we point out that most Christians misunderstand the concept, sin. The original meaning thereof is “missing your mark”, where ‘mark’ refers to the divine purpose or calling to which God has called you. Your question actually is: Is smoking a transgression of the law of God? Transgressions suppose a violation of a law. And the answer hereupon is: no – there is no explicit law against smoking as such. The third kind of sin that can be distinguished, is iniquities, which point to bloodline heritage which is transferred from ancestors to all people, and which – even if forgiven – could still visit the descendants (Ps. 32: 5 & 7). The new covenant only operates with the law of love (for God, for yourself and for your neighbour) as direction: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” (Luke 10:27). In Gal. 6: 2 it is called “the law of Christ”, to serve one another, to do good to others and to show goodwill as to the self as well. Everything contrary to this does not serve the law of Christ, even though it is permissible to do so. Indeed, 1 Cor. 6:12 spells this out clearly: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” All addiction to nicotine, television, medication, alcohol, pornography, exercise, food, sex, social media, or whatsoever, have almost always deep spiritual roots, often demonic possession, iniquities, woundedness or fearfulness, as root and has to be dealt with in each person. Where the Spirit of God truly lives in a person, there is liberty and no addiction (2 Cor. 3:17). Addiction is one of the most important reasons why believers cannot walk in God’s perfect plan for their lives, because they are unable to escape from their craving (Ps. 78:30), and it often leads to “a grave of lust”, the name of the place where the Israelites who yearned for Egypt’s pots of meat, died.
Dr. Tom Gouws
