What is the Christian View of Smoking?

Is Smoking a Sin?
Question: "What is the Christian view of smoking? Is smoking a sin?"

Answer: The Bible never directly mentions smoking. There are a couple of principles,
however, that definitely apply to smoking. First, the Bible commands us to not allow our
bodies to become "mastered" by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 declares, "Everything is
permissible for me" - but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"
- but I will not be mastered by anything." Smoking is undeniably strongly addictive.
Later in the same passage we are told, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of
the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your
own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians
6:19-20). Smoking is undeniably very bad for your health. Smoking has been proven to
damage the lungs, and often the heart.

Can smoking be considered "beneficial" (1 Corinthians 6:12)? Can it be said that

smoking is truly "honoring God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20)? Can a person
honestly smoke "to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31)? We believe that the answer
to these three question is a resounding "no." As a result, we believe that smoking is a sin,
and therefore should not be practiced by followers of Jesus Christ.

Some argue against this view by pointing to the fact that many people eat unhealthy
foods, which can be just as addicting and just as bad for the body. As an example, many
people are so helplessly addicted to caffeine that they cannot function without their first
cup of coffee in the morning. While this is true, how does that make smoking right? It is
our contention that Christians should avoid gluttony and excessively unhealthy eating.
Yes, Christians are often hypocritical by condemning one sin and allowing another...but
again, how does this make smoking honoring to God?

Another argument against this view of smoking is the fact that many godly men have
been smokers, such as the famous British preacher C.H. Spurgeon. Again, we do not
believe this argument holds any weight. We believe Spurgeon was wrong for smoking.
Was he otherwise a godly man and fantastic teacher of God's Word? Absolutely! Does
that make all of his actions and habits honoring to God? No.

In stating that smoking is a sin, we are not stating that all smokers are unsaved. There are
many true believers in Jesus Christ who smoke. Smoking does not prevent a person from
being saved. Nor does it cause a person to lose salvation. Smoking is no less forgivable
than any other sin, whether for a person becoming a Christian, or a Christian confessing
his/her sin to God (1 John 1:9). At the same time, we firmly believe that smoking is a sin
that should be forsaken, and with God’s help, overcome.