My stance on smoking is that I choose not to smoke b/c I am aware of the effect it has on the body and even though nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about “smoking” It has quite a few verses on “your body”
“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the spirit of God live in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” 1 Cor 3:16-17 (taken from Life Application Study Bible from Tyndale, New Living Translation)
“Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ?” 1 Cor 6:15 (Life Application Study Bible from Tyndale, New Living Translation)
“They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.” 1 Cor 6:13(Life Application Study Bible from Tyndale, New Living Translation)
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” 1 Cor 6:19-20 (Life Application Study Bible from Tyndale, New Living Translation)
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT TAKEN FROM “Bible Answers for Almost All Your Questions” by Elmer L. Towns (Pg 80)…
What does the Bible teach about smoking?
It has been proven that using tobacco is harmful to the body, and Christians are exhorted not to harm their bodies. Some Christians use tobacco and harm their bodies because they have not yielded this matter to God, just as other Christians have not surrendered in the matter of eating too much or the matter of eating wrong things.
The Bible teaches that the Christian should take care of his or her body because it is the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells within the heart and body of every child of God: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Cor. 3:16-17)
Notice from these verses that God insists that we do not defile ourselves in any way (including smoking) because His Holy Spirit live in us: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’” (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
