I do not look as this physical body as a holding cell or a physical building "temple" of the Holy Ghost… as in a container that holds something.
I feel it is referencing a more spiritual governing than physical building.... going to attempt to explain what I see it as.
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Dwell is used often as
katoikevw - to dwell, settle
a. metaph. divine powers, influences, etc., are said to dwell in his soul, to pervade, prompt, govern it
to dwell in, inhabit
b. God is said to dwell in the temple, i.e. to be always present for worshippers
1 Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
“Dwell in” here is Enoikeo to dwell in metaph. to dwell in one and influence him (for good)
We are governed or influenced by the Holy Ghost… the Spirit is present in our words, actions, deeds… it over takes the old….makes us new through changes in our behavior by influence. The Holy Ghost shouldn’t be viewed as a magic potion that “poofs” fills this physical body up and we “hold” him within us like a container and because we are “filled” we are automatically good... or produce good things. It takes action on our part... We submit to him, he takes control. I believe the initial evidence of that control is speaking in tongues…. the continued evidence is by what is revealed in our actions or “Fruit of the Spirit”
As we submit our will to him and his ways, the more we reflect Jesus Christ. We submit ourselves through prayer and applying the Word, walking in fellowship with him.
Good lord.... I said all of that to say this about smoking...
I do believe that a believer could struggle with smoking…and still be striving. Depending upon the growth level of their walk with God. I am not sure how long that could take place until which it would become an issue of not allowing the Holy Ghost to take control of their habit...resulting in death.
We are told "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"
Heb 12:1 (I take this to mean we will deal as believers with sin....it is up to us to lay it aside)
Just as with gluttony (that is far more than food) and other sins of the flesh… The sins will be revealed to you by the Spirit... it is up to us to submit those things… to offer our bodies as instruments of righteousness. The result of not submitting as with any sin is spiritual death.
Romans 6:13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 5 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
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