Should a Christian work at a place that sells alcohol or tobacco?

from the old testament

• If we are not sure about our motives, such as our motive to work at a place that sells alcohol or tobacco, we should follow David’s example in Psalm 139:23-24 and invite God into the conversation: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
• Proverbs 16:1-2 says: “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” If we are unsure if we should work somewhere, we should bring our thoughts and concerns to God because He alone “weighs the spirit.”

from the new testament

• Romans 14:13–19 guides us to not pass judgment on each other as well as to "never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother." Instead, we are to "pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” While we should not pass judgment on Christians who work at places that sell alcohol and tobacco, we should also personally make every effort to not put a stumbling block in others’ lives (such as selling alcohol to an underage person). Our ultimate goal wherever we work should be to pursue “peace and mutual upbuilding.”
• Some believe using tobacco is sinful because it harms the body, the temple of God: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
• Addressing a situation regarding believers eating food sacrificed to idols, Paul said, “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Romans 14:20-23). Matters that are not prescribed in the Bible are matters where we ought to use biblical wisdom to determine our conviction on the issue.
• While it can be argued that using tobacco is sinful because it harms the body (1 Corinthians 6:19–20), the same argument can be made for those who harm their bodies through eating unhealthy food or participating in a sexually promiscuous lifestyle.
• The sin of alcohol abuse is clearly addressed in Scripture, such as in Ephesians 5:18: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” We should not work anywhere in which we are being forced to partake in drunkenness or force (or encourage) others to do so.
• No Bible passage prohibits the use of alcohol or wine. In fact, Jesus drank wine and Paul told Timothy to use wine (1 Timothy 5:23).
• Those Christians in a position to sell tobacco and/or alcohol legally to the general public must seek the counsel of God for how to address their occupation. James 1:5 tells us, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” God will provide counsel in how to proceed.

implications for today

Some believe using tobacco is sinful because it harms the body. However, more people overeat and eat unhealthy foods in abundance, committing the sin of gluttony (Proverbs 23:2, 20) than use tobacco. What are Christian waiters and fast-food workers to do? As Christians, we should (1) figure out what our personal convictions are on the matter of selling tobacco and alcohol and (2) assess if working at such a place will be beneficial to those around us.

While abusing our bodies through substances like alcohol is a sin, we should hold other areas of our life to the same standards of intentionality, such as our daily diet. As with all things that do not directly violate God’s word, it is not what we do that determines if something is a sin, but rather our intent behind it. Whether we are working at a gas station that sells alcohol and tobacco or working at a fast food restaurant, it is our heart posture God is concerned with. At the same time, we, as Christians, must establish personal convictions. While consuming alcohol, for example, might not be sinful, we must draw the line at intoxication because we know that is a sin. The primary responsibility of determining how much alcohol is too much rests with the drinker. With that being said, selling to a customer who is clearly intoxicated would be a sin. If we worked in a place that sold alcohol, could we deny selling in order to follow our own convictions? With tobacco, knowing that it is an addictive substance, could we in good conscience sell the product to someone who will get addicted to it? We need to seek biblical wisdom and counsel concerning areas where the Bible does not clearly state something. Ultimately, we can bring our concerns to God and ask Him for wisdom, knowing that He will generously give it to us (James 1:5).