One of the theological tenets of most conservative (non Reformed) Christians that I am unable to swallow is the total abolition of alcohol and tobacco consumption. It is of the latter that this post is dedicated.Certainly this has been a long journey for me. Having grown up in a house where alcohol was considered evil in and of itself (in practice if not in principle), it has been a long road for my views to change so dramatically. Still, with a little hermeneutics, a little history, and a willingness to admit error (if error exists), I have changed my views. I won’t go into the details here, but if you want to hear the birth pangs of this change you can listen to some of the archives from The Sitter Downers‘ podcasts.

At this point my conclusions are as follows:

1. If you believe alcohol and tobacco consumption to be a sinful activity you should not do it.
2. If you believe alcohol and tobacco consumption to be allowed under certain conditions you are at liberty to consume them in a non-abusive manner.
3. If you believe alcohol and tobacco consumption to be allowed under certain conditions, but you are around those that do not consider it allowable you should not do it.
4. Under most circumstances you should not try to convince someone that believes alcohol and tobacco consumption to be a sinful activity that they are wrong because by doing so you are in danger of committing (ironically) the very sin that one of your supporting texts (I Corinthians 8 ) warns against.
5. If you believe alcohol and tobacco consumption to be a sinful activity and those that disagree do not partake in your presence you should reciprocate by showing them large amounts of the grace for their terribly mistaken interpretation of Scripture, and be careful not to cause division among the Body over matters that are not essential.
6. If you believe alcohol and tobacco consumption are not prohibited by Scripture, but your Father and Mother do not share that view, it may be advisable to give up these freedoms in order to show respect to your parents in the spirit of the fifth commandment.

There may be further points that will develop with time, but for now that is what I have to offer. I will close with a letter written by Charles Spurgeon to the Daily Telegraph concerning some words he had spoken during a sermon he had co-presented some days before.

To the Editor of the Daily Telegraph.

Sir,

You cannot regret more than I do the occasion which produced the unpremeditated remarks to which you refer. I would, however, remind you that I am not responsible for the accuracy of newspaper reports, nor do I admit that they are a full and fair representation of what I said. I am described as rising with a twinkling eye, and this at once suggested that I spoke flippantly; but indeed, I did nothing of the kind. I was rather too much in earnest than too little.

I demur altogether and most positively to the statement that to smoke tobacco is in itself a sin. It may become so, as any other indifferent action may, but as an action it is no sin.

Together with hundreds of thousands of my fellow-Christians I have smoked, and, with them, I am under the condemnation of living in habitual sin, if certain accusers are to be believed. As I would not knowingly live even in the smallest violation of the law of God, and sin in the transgression of the law, I will not own to sin when I am not conscious of it.

There is growing up in society a Pharisaic system which adds to the commands of God the precepts of men; to that system I will not yield for an hour. The preservation of my liberty may bring upon me the upbraidings of many good men, and the sneers of the self-righteous; but I shall endure both with serenity so long as I feel clear in my conscience before God.

The expression “smoking to the glory of God” standing alone has an ill sound, and I do not justify it; but in the sense in which I employed it I still stand to it. No Christian should do anything in which he cannot glorify God; and this may be done, according to Scripture, in eating and drinking and the common actions of life.

When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and calm, refreshing sleep obtained by a cigar, I have felt grateful to God, and have blessed His name; this is what I meant, and by no means did I use sacred words triflingly.

If through smoking I had wasted an hour of my time; if I had stinted my gifts to the poor; if I had rendered my mind less vigorous; I trust I should see my fault and turn from it; but he who charges me with these things shall have no answer but my forgiveness.

I am told that my open avowal will lessen my influence, and my reply is that if I have gained any influence through being thought different from what I am, I have no wish to retain it. I will do nothing upon the sly, and nothing about which I have a doubt.

I am most sorry that prominence has been given to what seems to me so small a matter; and the last thing in my thoughts would have been the mention of it from the pulpit; but I was placed in such a position that I must either by my silence plead guilty to living in sin, or else bring down upon my unfortunate self the fierce rebukes of the anti-tobacco advocates by speaking out honestly. I chose the latter; and although I am now the target for these worthy brethren, I would sooner endure their severest censures than sneakingly do what I could not justify, and earn immunity from their criticism by tamely submitting to be charged with sin in an action which my conscience allows.

Yours truly,
C. H. Spurgeon.
Nightingale Lane, Clapham, Sept. 23.

Note: Upon doing some research I have found that the several stories of Spurgeon giving up tobacco are apocryphal in nature.