My body. 1Corinthians 6:9-20 Christians come from a wide variety of backgrounds and as a result of sinful practices in the past, they struggle with sins that attract the body today. The list of sexual sins points out areas of excitement people engaged in before God saved them. Engaging in such things is not the purpose of the human body. Our bodies link us to the world around us but were never intended to be instruments of sin. God condemns sexual sins but He is also able and willing to cleanse the believer from sexual sins.
By the sacrifice Christ made when He gave Himself for us, He purchased us with His own blood. When a person comes to Christ "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanses us from all sin." We become a "new creature" in Christ, and are "washed... sanctified... justified." "All things are lawful to me" may have been a common phrase to the Corinthians but that does not give license to engage in immoral practices. Christian freedom does not free us to practice that which has consequences that are sinful. Whether they are the sins of the body listed in verse 9 or the sins of the spirit in verse 10, these are not consistent with one who has received the divine nature.
Our permissive society has changed what was once unlawful to be lawful because of the attraction of sin to the majority of people. A Christian who before salvation had been involved in a promiscuous lifestyle and had practiced immoral sins of mankind now has the responsibility to remain celibate for the kingdom of God's sake or choose the biblical lifestyle in spite of what they think is normal for them. When a person is sanctified by the name (the authority) of the Lord Jesus, we need to ask ourselves, "Is this profitable for me?" - not “Is this excitable” or “Does this make me feel good?” Excitement does not strengthen us nor does it benefit us over the course of our whole life. The creation of our bodies suited us to certain sexual practices that are held in constraint to the benefit of the whole person - not just to create short-term excitement. We do not have the right to fulfill every desire we have.
When a believer accepts Christ as Savior and Lord, that person is bought with a price and joined to Christ. Our body belongs to Him. Our spirit belongs to Him. Our soul belongs to Him. We are enabled to glorify God in our bodies and spirits which are His because of the price of blood He paid. In the normal way of life, God made us to have experiences that are not limited just to the physical joining of the bodies of a man and woman. In fact, our enjoyment of sexual intimacy is linked to the joining of the entire personalities of two people who become one physically and emotionally. Our emotional attachment and physical attachment when put together form a commitment whether people like to admit to it or not.
When God saves a person and gives them eternal life, their life is changed. First, they now love the Lord Jesus Christ. Before one is saved, they may esteem Him, but after, they love Him. Second, they love the Bible. We learn to love His word when we realize this is God’s way of speaking to us personally. Third, we love Christians. It is a natural thing to appreciate and “love brethren” because we both have the same spiritual nature which is of greater significance than even our natural ties. The fourth change may not be so pronounced but we love our enemies in that we see the value of the person, not merely their actions. Fifth, we love the souls of everyone because we know they will be eternally saved or lost. Sixth, believers in our Lord Jesus Christ love a pure life in which they can live without shame or embarrassment. Lastly, those who know God love to talk to Him. We may not make long prayers but we appreciate being able to speak to Him at any time and know we are heard
In our surrender to Christ, we yield our body, soul, and spirit to Him. The act of entrusting ourselves to Him as a daily choice of commitment preserves us from damaging our souls and our spiritual life. Christianity includes the body as a serious part of our new life in Christ which is different from most religions that only want to admit to a "spiritual experience." Our body links us to the world. The spirit when it is made alive in Christ links us to God. Our soul links those two together. The Lord Jesus took on a body as a man so He could deal with our spiritual needs. We cannot commit sin without affecting our souls. The guilt that comes through sin affects our spiritual well-being. The senses that join these together as part of the work of the soul have a tendency to affect our physical wellness as well as our fellowship with God.
God is involved in every part of our personhood including body, soul, and spirit. He created us in the first place, so the Father is involved in the body of the believer. He has redeemed us with the precious blood of Christ so the Son of God is involved in the body of the believer. The Holy Spirit indwells our body using it for His intended purposes so He too is involved in the body of the believer. Our body is to be maintained in holiness. There is a real blessing when the unity of body, soul, and spirit is used by God for His intended purposes. There are serious negative consequences when any of this unity is infected by sin. We are affected physically and some of those results can be very serious. We are certainly affected emotionally because of the bondage of sin that claims us and people try to excuse themselves by saying, "I know it's wrong but that's just the way I am."
When we become children of God the Holy Spirit indwells us for our whole lifetime. He does not come and go. He fills us to serve Him and worship the Lord in ways acceptable to God. We are sanctified by the Spirit of God who has set us apart to live for the glory of God. It is by the power of the Spirit that we are able to produce spiritual fruit that has lasting value. We are given spiritual gifts by the Spirit of God by which we are able to bless other people, glorify God, and fulfill the purposes for which we have been called. The Holy Spirit is also the One who teaches believers as an instructor in eternal things.
Our new life in Christ can be very satisfying even when those sins of the flesh we engaged in before God saved us still tempt us. There is the joy of victory when one who was engaged in homosexual activity in the past and is still tempted to such behavior now, chooses to be celibate for the sake of Christ. In heartfelt appreciation, they yield themselves to the Spirit of God. One who may have lived promiscuously can find peace and contentment in a monogamous relationship, when they realize this is the will of God, and submit to that divine authority. Then we are able to glorify God in our bodies and spirits which are His. Then holiness is not something beyond our reach.
Our body is not worth very much if only figured in dollars and cents but for some reason when it comes to the body, we seldom spare any expense. Its real purpose is that through it I communicate by means of the operation of my soul, the truths I have received from God through my spirit so that others around may know the way of salvation and the blessings of life in Christ.
In the interest of making connections, the body uses my soul and my soul tells the body what needs to be done, and what to claim or refuse. In itself, my body visibly expresses what the real "me" is like that lives continually inside. What the condition of my spirit and soul are like at the moment, my body is unable to hide. My soul looks at things around me, some are distasteful, and others attractive. Manipulated by the soul's desire, the body reacts to its wishes. If the soul is not connected to the spirit, great and serious mistakes are made. When I act outside of God's leading and ignore the will of God, the body has a price to be paid.
When my spirit is made alive in Christ, a heavenly link is formed. My soul then changed and was saved to make spiritual things normal which were dead to me before God saved me. Through the soul, the spirit is able to use the body for purposes that last forever, and the three, unified in the Lord, fulfill designated, spiritual endeavors. The spirit receives from God, an understanding of things formerly unknown to my mind and heart. The soul transmits that to the body, and in that way, the Gospel is shown to be effective in changing me from the inside out. Faith from the spirit then guides, and soul and body together sound out through attitudes, actions, and words, the truth to whosoever.
God forbid that soul takes over, and without spirit controls the deeds of my body. What was bad when hidden from sight, out in the open becomes very shoddy. The unity of the three parts of me all need to work in holy harmony and then through outward consistent living, proof of new life others will see.
1 Corinthians 6:19. “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” “WHAT…?” Glorify God – is such a thing possible? Glorify God – where can I start? Glorify God – is this within my grasp or power? Glorify God – now, tomorrow, always?
He paid the price – He thought we were worth it. He paid the price – He set the value. He paid the price – only He knows really how much it cost. He paid the price – His life for mine.
My body – it seems of so little worth. My body – by itself has no use. My body – the place where I live. My body – another Holy One lives here too.
My spirit – has come alive by God’s grace. My spirit – it thinks thoughts once foreign to me. My spirit – can understand God’s things. My spirit – makes fellowship with God real.
It is all God’s – He owns it all, so I can glorify God. It is all God’s – He can use it as He will choose. It is all God’s – body, soul, and spirit. It is all God’s – so God can be glorified in all that is His.
KNOW YE NOT? [v.2] – shocked surprise that Christians looking for justice are not characterized by righteousness themselves; that they were incapable of dealing with trivial matters. Going into “small claims court” for justice in spiritual things? Come on! You’ve got to be kidding!
KNOW YE NOT? [v.3] – we will judge angels because of our union with Christ. This is an astounding truth to consider. Use someone with spiritual discernment to settle these internal disputes.
KNOW YE NOT? [v.9] – the unrighteous, whom you want to judge your matters will never be in God’s kingdom. Why would you expect them to be able to judge spiritual people in spiritual matters? You used to be like that yourselves, but because of God’s work in you, you are completely changed. Now act like it!
KNOW YE NOT? [v.15] – your bodies are not for your own use but for God. You are members of the body of Christ. Do not degrade such a holy thing as the body of Christ.
KNOW YE NOT? [v.16] – surely you know that sexual sin defiles what God has made for Himself. Your body is to function in purity. To join it with impurity endangers it physically and spiritually.
KNOW YE NOT? [v.19] – the Holy Spirit is in you. He moved in when you were saved. You have been paid for by Christ’s blood. You are God’s by redemption. Now act like you should – glorify God in every way and in every part of your life because you belong to Him.
We may not understand that the things we do in life have a measure of impact on those who only walk by sight. If we compromise our values, those who are looking on will think that Christians are just like them with no sense of right or wrong. The way I treat my Christian family is very easy to observe. What a disappointment to an assembly testimony if a court-work summons was served by one assembly believer on another. People expect much better from me than to demand my questionable rights. Even those who don't know much spiritually, expect me to walk by faith, not sight.
When problems come between me and another brother or sister in Christ, grace is expected of me. Not every issue between people can be solved only by we hear and see. There is a sense of spiritual love that enables one to bear the blame, by taking the low path and suffering loss, in order to bring honor to Jesus' name. The manifold grace of God is seen when one believer yields to another rather than claims what is rightfully his. He gives it to his brother instead of demanding what he wants because he knows he is a debtor to the grace of God which is far greater than any grace he will show.
The reality is that what we think we have gained is very easy to lose. What one may think is a victory, comes at a high cost by the action we choose. God, in His grace, has forgiven me and the cost of that was very great. I live daily in the blessings that come because the Savior was willing to pay the cost of my sins. So why should it be considered a strange response if I do not win my rights? Any little loss I might have to sustain is nothing compared to what I cost Him.