1Corinthians 6:9-20 MY BODY Christians come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and as a result of sinful practices in the past, they struggle with sins that affect the body today. The list of sexual sins points out areas of excitement that people engaged in before God saved them. To engage in such things is not the purpose of the human body. Our bodies link us to the world around, but we 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 cleanseth 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 what has sinful consequences. 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 being 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 exciting or does this make me feel good? Excitement does not strengthen us nor does it benefit us in 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 sexual 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 and physical attachments, when combined, form a commitment, whether people like to admit it or not.
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 our souls and spiritual life from harm. 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 human body so He could address 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 in the work of the soul tend to affect our physical well-being as well as our fellowship with God.
God is involved in every part of our personhood, including body, soul, and spirit. He has created us in the first place, so the Father is involved in the body of the believer. He has redeemed us by 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 for God and by God for His intended purposes. There are serious negative consequences when any of this unity is infected by sin. We are physically affected, and some of the 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."
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 are received from God by my spirit that others around may know.
In the interests of making connections, my soul the body does use Soul tells body what needs to be done, and what to claim or refuse In itself, it visibly expresses what the real "me" is like that lives continually inside Both what spirit and soul are like at the moment, my body is unable to hide.
Soul looks at things around; some are distasteful, and others attract Manipulated by the soul's desire, the body to its wishes reacts If the soul is not connected to the spirit, great and serious mistakes are made When done outside of God's leading, the body has a price to be paid.
When the spirit is made alive in Christ, a heavenly link is formed Soul then is changed, saved to make spiritual things the norm Through soul, spirit is able to use body for purposes that last forever And the three unified in the Lord, fulfill designated, spiritual endeavor.
The spirit receives from God, understanding of things formerly unknown The soul transmits that to the body, and in that way the Gospel is shown 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 Then, through outward consistent living, proof of new life others will see.
"Father, may this body of mine today be kept by Thy power under control so the deeds of the spirit will be able to be visibly seen. May the words spoken from my soul be to the edifying of other people as well as myself. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."