What Does the Bible Say About Tobacco — In Biblical Context

The Biblical Context

Tobacco as a substance was unknown in the biblical world and is never mentioned in Scripture. Nevertheless, the principles God has given regarding the stewardship of the body speak with considerable clarity to the question of its use. The foundational text is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, where Paul writes: '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.' This is a transformative truth: the believer's body is not personal property to be used however one pleases — it was purchased by the blood of Christ and indwelt by the Spirit of God. It is, in the deepest sense, a sacred vessel. Paul further urges in Romans 12:1 that believers present their bodies as 'a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.' A sacrifice presented to God must be without blemish; habitual tobacco use, with its well-documented harm to the lungs, heart, and broader health, is difficult to reconcile with this call to bodily holiness. The additional warning of 1 Corinthians 3:17 — 'If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are' — underscores the seriousness with which God regards the condition of His dwelling place. The Christian who takes these scriptures seriously will weigh every habit and appetite against the question: does this glorify God in my body?

Where It Sits in Scripture

Supporting Passages