There is a trend to believe that the possibility of offending someone in teaching the Bible is to be avoided. In our society people are taught to get alone with everybody. We don’t want to hurt anybodies feelings. Brethren, we are to preach the word, not pamper the world (2 Timothy 4:2). We are to reprove, rebuke, not relax in sin, approve it, deny it, mock it, minimize it or exonerate it!
Brethren, there is an attitude, a stance, which has crept in the Lord’s church; it’s our attitude toward sin, the tolerating of sin. First, I want to say that the Lord desires that His church be pure. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27). Knowing we are to keep the church, a glorious church, pure, why do my brethren minimize sin? Let us stop treating sin lightly. Don’t my brethren realize, when we treat sin lightly, we are treating the cross lightly!
I will say this, we will cease minimizing sin when we (1) call it what it is, (2) see what it is, (3) consider what it does, and (4) think where it ends. Instead of tolerating and minimizing sin, we are to reprove it (Ephesians 5:11). Tolerance of sin is condemned (Revelation 2:20-21). And toleration of sin leads to a love of sin, the love of sin leads to a practice of sin, and the practice of sin leads to spiritual death (Romans 6:23). The church is wounded when we fail to reprove and rebuke sin. A single sin which is permitted to remain in the body will destroy the whole body (Revelation 2:1-5). When we cover up sins in the church, we corrupt the morality and virtue of the church and destroy its efficacy to honor God or to save men. Sin must be exposed and purged out of the church. God cannot be honored by covering up evil in the church. To expose sin is to proclaim to the world that they seek truth, purity, holiness, and godlikeness.
What am I talking about? I am talking about smoking; I am talking about one brought under the power of any chemical substance, legal or illegal; I am talking about alcohol. I am talking about addiction! These things are addictive. Paul writes, “…but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12 ASV). One version reads, “but I will not be enslaved by anything” (RSV). The word of God teaches that the Christian is to be God-controlled. While the Christian is a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), he is also a servant. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof:” “For sin shall not have dominion over you:” “But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:12, 14, 17-18). The Scriptures boldly proclaim that man cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). The Christian is to be under the power of divinity, first, last, and always. It is an undeniable principle in the Bible that the Christian, as a servant of God, is never to be brought under the power or control of anyone or anything.
When a Christian becomes addicted, enslaved to smoking, alcohol, or brought under the power of any chemical substance, legal or illegal, he is attempting to serve two masters and forfeits the servant-master relationship which exists between himself and God. The Christian, as he serves the eternal Master, must be free from ALL enslavement! The child of God is to be God –controlled (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Nicotine is the drug in tobacco that causes addiction; alcohol is a drug, an addictive drug; legal and illegal drugs are also addictive. Being controlled by these is in conflict with 1 Corinthians 6:12. Also smoking, alcohol, legal and illegal drugs goes against the teaching of the Scriptures that teach your body is a temple, that you are to glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Those who engage in these things use their bodies for carnal pleasures, and are in sin. Jesus Christ cannot live in the individual who is walking contrary to the principles set forth in His word. To be cleansed by the blood of Jesus the Christian must walk in the light as Jesus is in the light (1 John 1:7). Jesus tells us that we are to: “So let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Question: Can a Christian’s light shine when he disobeys God? Can a Christian’s light shine when he lives to fulfill the lust of the flesh (Romans 13:14)? Can a Christian’s light shine when he is intoxicated (Galatians 5:21)? Can a Christian’s light shine when he is controlled, mastered, by a chemical substance (nicotine etc. ;) (1 Corinthians 6:12)? Can a Christian’s light shine when he destroys, harms, the temple of the Holy Spirit which is the physical body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)? If a Christian’s light is not shining he deprives God of glory, the world of godly influence, is this not sin?
Listen, I do want to make my point; I am talking about how the church ignores these things, or supports these things. What do I mean? We have many in the Lord’s church, who are doing these sins, and we know it to be sin, instead of reproving and rebuking these members about their sin, we will ask them to be the song leader; we ask them to serve on the Lord’s Table or lead prayers. We act like nothing is wrong! These things are sin, and abomination to God: “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah” (Proverbs 17:15). Do you think God is happy when we allow such a person to lead us in worship to God? Do think God is happy when we give money to these people so they can buy a pack of cigarettes or some beer to support their sin? Do you think God is happy when members of the body of Christ go behind the church building and practice sin (smoking)? Maybe it’s alright to commit fornication, use profanity, or drink alcohol as long as it’s behind the church building?
Oh, it’s just a little sin! A tiny spark can cause a great forest fire. A little member in our body, the tongue, can send us to hell (James 3). Remember that it was a little fruit in Eve’s case, a little touch in Uzzah’s case, a little bundle of sticks in the Israelite’s case. Any sin, whether we classified it big or little, will keep a man out of heaven (Revelation 21:27). One sin unrepented of is enough to render one a sinner, and cause him to be lost (James 2:10). There is no little sin, because there is no little God to sin against. Sin is sin! But we allow such a person to lead the congregation in worship because we feel sorry for him, or we don’t want to make him mad and run him off, these things ought not to be brethren! Smoking, alcoholic beverage and drugs has many defenders but no defense.
Brethren, these things (smoking, alcohol, misusing of legal or illegal drugs) are sin! Would we allow a man living in adultery or who steals lead the congregation in worship? Then why would we allow a person who smokes, uses alcohol, or one brought under the power of any chemical substance, to lead us in worship? Is not a sin a sin? If a congregation permits such individuals to remain unchastened within its fellowship, allows such a person to lead in worship, it thereby becomes a partaker of their sin and will also drift out of favor of the Lord (Revelation 2). Sin must be exposed and purged out of the church or the church becomes corrupt and a synagogue of Satan instead of the church of Christ. We need to hate every false way (Psalm 119:140). To ignore or tolerate wrong doing among its members is not love just because you felt sorry for that person. The question is how much do you love God, His Word, the church, your brothers and sisters? “We ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). Let us pray that God will, “grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word” (Acts 4:29).