Introduction:
The concept of harming one's body is addressed in various ways throughout the Bible. Scripture emphasizes the sanctity of the human body as a creation of God, urging believers to treat it with respect and care. The Bible provides guidance on how to maintain the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, warning against practices that defile or harm it.

Biblical Foundation:
The Bible presents the human body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, deserving of honor and care. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 , Paul writes, "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 glorify God with your body." This passage underscores the responsibility of believers to honor God through their physical bodies.

Prohibitions Against Self-Harm:
Scripture explicitly warns against practices that harm the body. In Leviticus 19:28 , God commands the Israelites, "You must not make any cuts in your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD." This prohibition reflects a broader principle of avoiding self-destructive behaviors that were common in pagan rituals.

Drunkenness and Substance Abuse:
The Bible cautions against drunkenness and substance abuse, which can lead to physical harm. Ephesians 5:18 advises, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." The emphasis is on maintaining self-control and avoiding behaviors that impair judgment and damage the body.

Gluttony and Overindulgence:
Gluttony, or excessive indulgence in food and drink, is another form of harming the body. Proverbs 23:20-21 warns, "Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags." This passage highlights the physical and spiritual consequences of overindulgence.

Sexual Immorality:
Sexual immorality is frequently addressed in the Bible as a sin that harms both the body and the spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:18 states, "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." This teaching emphasizes the unique impact of sexual sin on the individual's physical and spiritual well-being.

Care for the Body:
The Bible encourages believers to care for their bodies as an act of worship and stewardship. Romans 12:1 urges, "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." This call to present one's body as a living sacrifice reflects the importance of maintaining physical health and purity.

Conclusion:
While the Bible does not provide an exhaustive list of behaviors that harm the body, it offers principles that guide believers in honoring God through their physical well-being. By avoiding practices that defile the body and embracing a lifestyle of moderation and self-control, Christians are called to reflect the holiness and sanctity of the temple of the Holy Spirit.1 Corinthians 6:19-20
What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?
Topicalbible.org

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
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Ephesians 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
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Mark 7:18-19
And he said to them, Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive, that whatever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him;
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Isaiah 1:1-31
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
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The Creation of Moving Creatures.
... of a moving creature, [1608] since it drags itself on the body of the ... rival the crab
in cunning and industry, and abstain from harming your neighbour; this ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily vii the creation of.htm

The Widened Mission, Its Perils and Defences
... faithfulness are only corporeal, transitory, and incapable of harming the true ... 'Your
Father,' on the one hand, can destroy soul and body, therefore fear Him ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the widened mission its perils.htm

Colossians ii. 16-19
... When Christ shall be manifested, who is your life; then seek ... air, though itself be
but a small body, so too ... him to withdraw him from what was harming him; well ...
/.../homily vii colossians ii 16-19.htm

Demonstration xxi. --Of Persecution.
... to Saul his enemy; and Jesus taught, Pray for your enemies. ... Samaria; and Jesus
said:"Whosoever eateth of My body and drinketh ... 1142] From (harming) Daniel the ...
/.../aphrahat/aphrahat select demonstrations/demonstration xxi of persecution.htm

Self-Mutilation for Self-Preservation
... If members of the body are to be amputated and plucked out ... innocent it may be, per
se, it is harming me ... Do not let your Christian liberty be interfered with by ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture b/self-mutilation for self-preservation.htm

On the Feast of the Epiphany, iv.
... To confirm your hearts therefore, dearly-beloved, in the Faith and ... Let this be the
end of their harming the unwary ... so long as life remains in the body no man's ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon xxxiv on the feast.htm

On the Fast of the Tenth Month.
... who is so eager and so skilled in harming us, is ... and let all the faithful rise in
one body against these ... deed of faith also is added to all your other godly ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leo/writings of leo the great/sermon xvi on the fast.htm

Matt. v. 38, 39, 40
... but of him who by his friendship is harming us, and ... one." He did not say, "resist
not your brother," but ... enemy should wish to use thy naked body for hardships ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xviii matt v 38.htm

In the Beginning God Made the Heaven and the Earth.
... up in bodies lurks there hidden without harming them, but no ... 9. Do you suppose that
a heavier body prevents the ... Put then a limit to your thought, so that your ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily i in the beginning.htm

Matt. v. 1, 2
... on a sudden childless, and when he saw his body pouring out ... so their censure follows
of course, in no way harming you, but rather testifying your firmness. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xv matt v 1.htm

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