Question: What does the Bible say about drinking and smoking?

Answer: The Bible warns in several places about getting drunk (see Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:18), but does not prohibit drinking. As for smoking, there isn’t any direct prohibition in Scripture.

However, there is an overriding principle that says our bodies are a “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19). In other words, our bodies are the physical dwelling place of God’s spirit. So, we are not to abuse our bodies or intentionally do things that would do our bodies harm. Presumably, with all of the information we have on the health risks of smoking (as well as excessive drinking), it would seem reasonable to conclude that such behaviors are not pleasing to God.

But let’s not stop there. What about overeating? Is not obesity as much of a danger to the human body as other abuses? And then there’s the whole matter of risky sexual behavior. Set aside for a moment the fact that God designed sex for marriage. Besides the moral issue involved, there are serious health issues associated with sex outside of marriage.

The bottom line is that we are responsible to do all we can to live in a way, both physically and spiritually, that is pleasing to God. We were created to glorify God (that is, to make God look good), so let’s do all we to glorify Him in our bodies.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31