There are many Bible verses that look at the body as a temple of God. These verses highlight the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells within us and that we should treat our bodies in such a way to prevent immorality of any kind while striving to maintain purity in our thoughts and actions.
Some of these verses provide strict warnings against certain behaviors while others act as guides to direct us on how to treat our body temples.
What does ‘your body is a temple’ mean?
According to the word of God in 1 Corinthians 6:19, your body is a temple of the living God. The text states, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own”.
This simply means that your body should be treated with the highest level of respect and dignity.
You may be wondering to yourself, but how do I treat my body with respect and dignity? There is no need to worry about this question because Romans chapter 12 provides the guide you need. Treat your body and mind like a sacred vessel that the Holy Ghost dwells in.
Here is the instruction provided in Romans 12:1-2. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Bible verses about respecting your body
Both the Old and New Testaments provide advice on how to treat your body with respect.
Respecting your body includes embracing the fact that you were created in your mother’s womb in God’s image, acknowledging that you are of great value to your Creator, and abstaining from practices that will dishonor the Lord or harm you physically, spiritually, or emotionally.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” ²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 NIV
The book of Genesis not only captures the fascinating creation story but also provides some insight into the details of how humankind came about.
We are all created in God’s image and in His likeness. If that is not enough to convince you how important your body is then there is one more bit of information to consider.
At the end of each day when God looked at what He had created He remarked with satisfaction that ‘it was good’.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV
This text also acknowledges God as our creator by saying we are His handiwork. It also gave the reason why we were created.
We are God’s masterpieces. Our bodies, minds, and souls are to be used to fulfill the will of God. That means we should keep ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically fit in order to carry out the work which the Lord has prepared for us to do.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 NIV
God’s word says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. When we acknowledge that our bodies are marvelous because they were made by the Creator, we will treat our bodies with respect and embrace who we are.
Lack of self-confidence, the need to accessorize thinking that beauty comes from adornment, and harming the body with substances such as drugs and alcohol may all be remedied with this simple verse of praise.
We just need to thank the Lord, take care of our bodies, and treat them in a way that will give praise to our Creator.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
It is important to treat our bodies with respect because our heavenly Father is taking note of what we are doing. Instead of dressing to keep up with fashion trends or drinking alcohol to impress others, do things that will please the Lord.
Spend time in prayer, meditation, and Bible study as you fill your soul and fortify yourself spiritually. God wants us to cultivate the mindset and spiritual fortitude that will make us citizens of His heavenly kingdom.
Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:28 NIV
Children of God are to adhere to His commandments rather than to be influenced by worldly practices and give in to them. Seeing others doing something does not mean it is the right thing to do.
We should be guided by the word of God and live our lives to carry out His will. It is not the will of God for us to wear tattoos or cut our bodies.
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 NIV
We should strive to live godly lives and put righteousness at the forefront of everything we do. In this text we are told that godliness holds promises for both this life and the life to come and is more important than bodily training.
Don’t think about treating your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit like an arduous task but an act that will lead to a healthy life and a heavenly reward.
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV
In this text the apostle Paul gives a reminder that as a child of God your body should be treated with utmost respect.
The Son of God left the splendor of heaven, was born in a manger, and died on a cross so that you and I could be redeemed from sin and embrace His robe of righteousness.
Christ Jesus paid the price of death therefore we should honor Him with our lives.
Bible verses about putting things in your body
Putting things in our bodies is not only limited to the part of the body we use for eating and drinking. It also includes physical acts or experiences made possible through our five senses.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
This scripture passage is a great guiding point on what we should and shouldn’t allow into our bodies. If what we hear, smell, taste, see, or feel will not give glory to God then we should avoid these things.
The King James Bible notes that the ‘Spirit of God dwelleth’ in us. Therefore, we should eat, drink, and participate in things that will not force God’s Spirit to leave our body temples.
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV
It is very important to abstain from the use of illicit substances. Alcohol and drug use may lead to addiction as well as severe health problems that not only affect you and your body but also your family members, friends, and associates.
Alcohol addiction and other health related problems have both physical and spiritual effects on your body now and your eternal life when the Lord returns.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18 NIV
This text offers stern warning against sexual sin and there is a good reason. Sexual immorality defiles your body which is the temple of God.
Fleeing from it suggests that you shouldn’t allow it to enter your body in any way shape or form.
Maintaining sexual purity will require you to guard all your senses from indulging in sexual acts and sexual content that are visual, audio, printed, or conjured in the mind.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18 NIV
Self-discipline and exercising control over yourself are very important traits that will help to guide you as you decide what to put into your body.
You are a steward of your body and you need to be vigilant in what you allow in and what you keep out.
This verse is a call for each of us to be temperate as we consume certain things. Instead of overindulging on wine you should focus on being filled with the Spirit because your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church Ephesians 5:29 NIV
We should treat our bodies with love and great care because they are instruments of righteousness. Jesus Christ’s death was not just an act of redemption but a demonstration of His unconditional love for you.
The same way that Jesus expresses profound love for you, is the same way you should express love for your body when you eat and care for yourself.
Bible verses about keeping your body clean
According to the Holy Bible keeping the body clean has to do with thoughts, behavior, and discipline. If you cultivate the right thoughts then it’s easier to discipline the body and control behavior patterns.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV
Keeping your body clean is a task that requires self-discipline, determination, and practice. This text compares taking care of the body to preparing for a race or an athlete training.
Repetition is needed for you to master anything and this is quite true when it comes to caring for your body physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Athletes may win a perishable crown when they train hard and win a race. In caring for your body with diligence you not only get to enjoy good health but will receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord.
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-23 NIV
There is a line in a children’s song that says, ‘watch your eyes, watch your eyes what they see‘. This warning is not only for boys and girls but all followers of Christ who wish to keep their bodies and mind clean and focused on the Lord.
The things we focus our attention on may affect us positively or negatively. We are either adding light or darkness to our lives. Light represents godliness and darkness is a representation of sin.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5 NIV
God’s words say we should walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. In walking after the spirit, we are expected to put to death or bury all the things that belong to an earthly nature.
Idolatry, greed, evil desires, lust, impurity, and sexual immorality are some of the fleshly temptations that will desecrate our body temples. These things should be avoided at all costs to maintain purity.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV
The beautiful thing about this text is that it provides the needed instruction on how to keep the body clean. The mind has to be focused on positive things.
Things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy will allow you to have the mind of Christ while making your mind and body the perfect dwelling place for God’s presence to occupy.
Conclusion
Your body is a temple of God and this means that it should be treated with respect, you should be considerate of what you allow to go inside your body, and you should keep it clean and free from all forms of impurities.
