So what are the arguments that he might use? He might point out that the body of the Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your BODY, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” And then he might twist the preceding verse in order to clinch the nail. “Flee (tobacco.) Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that (smokes or chews tobacco) sinneth against his own body.” Is the argument true? Yes, it is. Is it worthy of emphasis in the Lord’s House on a Sunday morning? I believe that it is.
In this regard he might talk about all the poisons contained in tobacco – a dozen different carcinogens. He could point out that tens of thousands of people contract and die from cancers caused by tobacco. He might suggest that since tobacco is a poison, the use of tobacco is a form of suicide – self-murder. Nearly all professing Christians say that suicide is a horrendous sin. He might even bring in pictures of people’s mouths destroyed by chewing tobacco.
Our imaginary pastor might also use the Christians shouldn’t offend argument. I don’t know how many times my wife, has glanced at a baseball game that I was watching, and asked the rhetorical question: “Why are those players always spitting? It’s disgusting!” And the truth is – it is disgusting. It is offensive to people. While it isn’t true of all ball-players, a great many of them are spitting the filthy saliva of tobacco juice. Not only that, it’s not uncommon to see them putting their fingers into their mouths or cheeks pulling out great wads of the disgusting stuff and throwing it on the playing field. If they did that on the streets of some of our cities, they could be arrested and fined.
I remember hearing my father ranting and raving about the high price of cigarettes back in the 60’s – or was it in the 50’s?. Primarily because of taxes, the price of a pack had risen to 35¢ – 70¢ every day, nearly $5.00 a week. Today, the price may be nearly ten times that much. And the preacher could talk about what that money could do if it was sent to the mission field, rather than to Barak Obama and Philip Morris. If the money spent on tobacco was applied to people’s family debts, it would improve the lives of countless numbers of people. I wonder how many Christian smokers say that they can’t tithe because they can’t afford it? For the Christian, tithing is not a matter of law, but of grateful love. Obviously, there are professing Christians who love their tobacco more than they love the Saviour.
And God has told us – “love not the world, neither the things in the world” – I John 2:15. It borders on silliness, but I can hear our fictitious preacher say, “there will be no tobacco in Heaven.” It borders on the ridiculous to picture Daniel, Elijah, John the Baptist or John the Apostle, standing on a golden street-corner, talking about their service for God, while biting off a big chaw of tobaci. It is blasphemous to picture Christ Jesus with a cigarette in His mouth. Even if chewing tobacco wasn’t sinful for several reasons, it would certainly have to be classified as worldly, and therefore forbidden to the child of God.
Conversely, that pastor could certainly apply the holiness argument: “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before foundation of world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”
I have heard preachers point out that smoking makes soul-winning much more difficult. The poisons of tobacco, whether inhaled or swallowed, burned or masticated, cling to the user’s body and his breath. If that man wants to share his faith in Christ with another person, he has to get close enough to share his stench with that lost man. That may be unnoticed by other smokers. But unsaved non-smokers may be offended by the odor and unable to concentrate on the evangelist’s words. He may even think that he is a better person than the smoking Christian, because at least he doesn’t use that awful stuff. These are just the beginning of a long list of arguments that some preachers and parents might use against the chewing of tobacco.
And then they could be modified and used against any number of other sins and vices. Christians should not gamble or frequent the casinos for some of these same reasons. They shouldn’t use marijuana and cocaine for these reasons. They shouldn’t drink alcohol. Some of these arguments could be used against going to movies and attending dances. These things apply to sexual immorality and other sins. I suppose that we could apply them to reckless driving, dog-fighting, bear-baiting and bull-riding. I am afraid that some of these arguments can be emphasized to excess and in process loose their impact, but the fact remains that they are all basically true, and the desired goal of abstinence is worth-while.
What has this got to do with the scripture before us this morning? Not a whole lot – but let’s see if I can work it in. A couple of months ago, I said that with Romans 15:13, Paul may have been bringing his epistle to a close. Even though there is another chapter to go, we can see that verse 33 is a benediction and a kind conclusion: “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” Prior to this conclusion, Paul makes a plea for the prayer support of Christians in Rome. He is going to be carrying a great deal of money, given out of love by the people of Macedonia and Achaia, to help relieve the suffering of the starving saints in Jerusalem. Of course there is always danger in carrying large quantities of cash, and that kind of cargo is going to be hard to hide. But also when he gets to Jerusalem, there will likely be two other difficulties. The unbelieving Jews have an unabashed hatred of Paul as an ambassador of Jesus of Nazareth. Just because he changed his name, they know that the man who once spear-headed their attack against the Christians is now a Christian himself. And then on top of that, some of the Christians in Jerusalem are not very fond of Paul for taking the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles without demanding that those heathen become Jewish proselytes. Paul requests the prayers of the Roman saints – “That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints.” And “that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.”
Paul uses two arguments to encourage these people in their prayers for him. They are arguments which our fictitious preacher might have used in his sermon against tobacco. They are arguments which could be used against things which Christians should avoid, and also in things which they SHOULD do for the glory of the Lord. And that is how they are brought to us in this context. “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.” For the sake of Christ and for the love of the Spirit please give up your tobacco, your alcohol and your cursing and swearing. The glory of Christ and the love of the Spirit, are arguments which could be use both against sins, and for the direct service of the Lord.
This kind of idea proves that we haven’t begun to understand the depth to which God went – or the price which Christ paid to purchase our redemption. Let’s say that a big, ugly spider has crept into the nursery, and as you come in to check on your baby, you see it on the side of the crib ready to drop down. You may not think twice about slapping that spider onto the floor and then stomping on it with your foot. You don’t know if it is poisonous or not, but it doesn’t matter. The life of that spider is not to be compared to the life of your baby. The happiness of that spider is not worth even waking your baby. It’s like the difference between pennies and pay-checks. Comparing your life and soul to that of the Son of God is even LESS worthy of comparison. There is NOTHING that you can EVER do to begin to repay the Saviour, even to the giving of your life.
Having said that, this isn’t to imply that Paul’s argument is worthless – just the opposite is true. Since it is impossible to actually repay the Lord, our obligation towards Him knows no bounds. We owe to Him the smallest things, and we owe to Him our greatest things. We owe to Him our lives, and we owe to Him our seconds. We owe to Him our dollars, and we owe to Him our pennies. He has given to us His Heaven, by taking upon Himself our Hell. He has stripped away our spiritual death, and has given to us His eternal life.
When Paul says, “for the Lord Jesus’ Christ’s sake,” he is referring to the glory and magnification of the Lord. Ultimately, whatever we can do to bring glory to our Saviour – we owe Him at least that much. Certainly that means giving up our sins – tobacco, gambling and swearing. “As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversion.” This means denying the world, the flesh and the Devil.
And it means serving the Lord. And it means assisting and encouraging others in their efforts at the glorification of the Saviour. Despite his plan to visit Rome and Spain, Paul did not really care what would become of him. He knew that unless the Lord returned quickly, he would eventually die. Christians need to know that it is quite likely that they, too, will die – it is appointed even unto them to die. But certain things about their deaths should concern them. They should definitely not want sin to kill them – their sin. Because I lived in an environment of cigarette smoke for 18 years, I might some day die of lung cancer. But it would embarrass me, because someone might suggest that I was the smoker. Please Lord, don’t let my death be in some way – even indirectly – connected to sin. I will not die of cirrhosis of the liver or cancer of the mouth, because I do not chew tobacco nor drink the poisons which usually cause such deaths. And I don’t expect to die of AIDS, because I will never commit the sins which usually cause AIDS. Unless the Lord returns soon, you and I will likely die, may it be a Christian death – a death while serving the Lord in some fashion.
Paul pleaded – “for the Lord Jesus’ Christ’s sake,” pray that I don’t die in Jerusalem, because I have a longing to preach the gospel to you in Rome and then to the heathen in Spain. It wasn’t about Paul, it was about the Saviour. It wasn’t about Paul, it was about the glory of the Saviour and the eternal needs of others.
In my preparation I took a survey of my library to see which of these interpretations was the most accepted. I noticed that some men simply chose to explain that there were two ways to look at the term – without ever suggesting that one or the other was correct (John Gill was one of them). Some didn’t think that it was important enough to elicit any comment on the subject. But the majority leaned toward the idea that this was love which the Holy created in us towards others. “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and out of the love which the Holy Spirit has stirred in your hearts toward me, that ye strive together in your prayers to God on my behalf.” I probably shouldn’t digress like this, but Robert Haldane made some comments which made me laugh. He wrote, “Love of the Spirit – Some understand this of the love which the Spirit has for Christ’s people, and others of the love to one another which the Spirit works in them. The expression is capable in itself of either sense; other considerations must determine the preference. Some unite both opinions, which is the most mischievous of all methods of interpretation, as it tends to encourage us in slothfulness with respect to the meaning of Scripture, and to a prostitution of Scripture as implying a sense which it does not truly bear. No passage unites two different senses at once. Yet those who, in interpreting Scripture, attach to it only one meaning, when, according to the best of their judgment, it is the true one, are often loudly accused of dogmatism.” Let us be dogmatic – Paul is referring to the love which the Holy Spirit instills within us.
And again, what is the argument? Every Christian, at the time of His salvation, is regenerated and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is the seal of the Lord’s salvation and the earnest of our inheritance. There has never been a Christian whom the Lord has saved, who has not been indwelt by the Spirit. And in addition to the things mentioned, the Spirit has a variety of ministries in us. He is our Comforter in the absence of the Lord Jesus. He is our Teacher, enabling us to discern spiritual things. He is the Restrainer of sin, both in our hearts and in the heart of our wicked society. He often guides us even when we aren’t conscious of that guidance. He is the great Husbandman of spiritual fruit within us. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.” In fact, it is the Spirit of God, who enables us to even remotely live a life worthy of the Christian name. It is He who teaches us and enables us to love as Christ has loved us.
But consider – Is there such a thing as “love at first sight”? If you want to use the modern definition of “love,” which means nothing more than lust, then, yes, I suppose that there is such a thing as “love at first sight.” But the kind of love which means total sacrifice of self for the object of our affection, then I’m not sure that “love at first sight” is possible. That kind of love takes time, takes development, takes the grace of God. But it is that grace of God which forms the atmosphere of the Spirit’s ministry. The first fruit of the Spirit is love.
As new-born spiritual babes mature in the Lord… As their roots grow more deeply into the Word and doctrines of God… As the Holy Spirit exercises His gifts in us… the more of the Spirit’s fruit we will demonstrate – including love.
Paul was reaching out toward the love which the Spirit was producing in the hearts of the Roman saints. He was assuming that they had a love for the Lord, a love for him, a love for other believers, and a love for the glory of Christ. Based upon that love, Paul was asking for their assistance in his ministry. “Pray for God’s blessings on my visit to Jerusalem, and upon my eventual trip into western Mediterranean.”
Why should WE strive to bring glory to the Lord? Why should WE flee sin? “For the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit.”
Our first task this morning is to examine whether or not we care about these two things. Because if we don’t, it should stir our hearts to find out why. Are you a child of God or not? The “sake of the Lord Jesus and the love of the Spirit” could be used to answer that question. Come confess your need of the Saviour, bow before His cross, repent of your sins. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”