Is obesity a sin? What about smoking?

Sincerely, Fit As A Fiddle

Dear Fit As A Fiddle,

Physical health is important, but it shouldn’t be overemphasized. Both overeating and smoking deal with essentially the same issue – how we treat our bodies. Physical health is certainly a blessing (3 Jhn 1:2). Paul mentions that there is value, (not high value, but value nonetheless) in physical fitness training (1 Tim. 4:8). Paul told Timothy to make sure and take care of his stomach ailment (1 Tim 5:23). He also mentions that your body is a temple that ought to be used to glorify God (1 Cor 6:19-20).

On the other hand, fatness is also often associated with blessings (Pr 11:25, Pr 15:30). Everyone recognizes that a few extra pounds are a greater blessing than not enough.

The issue comes down to whether or not we care for our bodies - which are gifts from God. If someone woefully neglects their body (through gluttony, poisoning it by doing drugs or smoking, taking excessive risks of bodily injury, etc.), they are sinning. As we make decisions regarding our own health, we must be sure to avoid judging others in this area. The definition of ‘healthy’ is up for debate even among top nutritional scientists. A healthy body and lifestyle will look different for every person. All you can control is yourself. We must strive to live with a good conscience (Heb 13:18) and consider how to glorify God with our bodies.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week All the New Testament in a year

What does the Bible have to say about aliens and life on other planets? As far as I know, it is never mentioned in the Scriptures.

Sincerely, We Come In Peace

Dear We Come In Peace,

The Scriptures don’t say anything directly about aliens, but they do say several things that make sentient life on other planets highly unlikely.

1. God made mankind in His image (Gen 1:26). That is where we get our free will, reason, emotion, conscience, etc. The whole point of alien life is that there is a species of life among the stars that is equal to mankind. God says that man has no equal.
2. In the creation story found in Genesis chapter one, Earth seems to be the central focus of the story. The stars, heavenly bodies, etc. are given only a brisk overview. The implication is that Earth is the center of all organic life; it is the central purpose of the creation. It would be odd for God to leave out the part where He made other life sustaining planets with other sentient beings.
3. Jesus came to die for mankind (1 Cor 15:3) and the people of this world (Jhn 3:16). If there were aliens that had intelligence, souls, and freewill like humanity, wouldn’t God care equally for their souls? If aliens do exist… it seems that they have been left out of the blessing of forgiveness in Christ.

None of these reasons explicitly deny the existence of alien life; it just makes the chances very, very improbable. Perhaps someday we will find some plants, fungus, or bacteria on another planet, but I doubt we will ever find E.T.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week All the New Testament in a year

This relates to your post on Ida, the supposed "missing link" fossil. Would it be possible that this animal (and other fossils, dinosaurs included) never actually lived and walked the earth but were simply placed by God as fossils to test our faith? I know there is an animal in the Old Testament that sounds similar to a dinosaur, but couldn't it have been an elephant or some other large animal?

Sincerely, Planted Evidence

Dear Planted Evidence,

The problem with God placing the fossils in the earth on the first several days of Creation is that it would be a willful act on the part of God to deceive mankind. God never deceives (Tit 1:2). He also says that the Creation is evidence of His existence (Rom 1:19-20). Evolutionary “missing links” being planted in the geologic strata would be a direct contradiction of God’s promise.

No, fossils aren’t planted evidence against God. Most creation scientists will tell you that fossils are a great example of what would have happened to animals under the intense pressure created by the Great Flood of Noah’s day (Gen 7:17-24). Geology, like all fields of science, screams of God’s existence. It isn’t science that is against the Bible; it is scientists that are against the Gospel.

As for the creature from the book of Job… it isn’t necessarily a dinosaur, but it sure isn’t an elephant. Elephants don’t have tails the size of cedar trees (Job 40:17). There are no guarantees that the ‘Behemoth’ of Job 40:15-24 or the ‘Leviathan’ of Job 41:1-10 are dinosaurs, but they certainly don’t match the description of any animals we see roaming around today.