By Sarah Wootten
If you remember from last week, we started the second half of 1 Corinthians 6 where believers are commanded to flee immorality. Paul, however, doesn’t just give the Christians a quick command to flee. Instead, he gives a list of principles to show them how immorality is unfitting for Christians. To us, this is a unique approach because many people have the idea that the Bible is just a list of commands. While there are many commands that must be followed, this isn’t the only thing that God provides for us. He also gives us principles to live by, and in this case, the principles show the “why” behind the command.
In Christ, we have redemption, but this redemption isn’t just for our souls; it includes our bodies. Christians are joined to Christ. While true that Jesus’ physical body isn’t sitting next to me as I am writing this, as a believer, my body is a member of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15). There is never a time that Christians are separate from Him because we are one in spirit with Him (v. 17). It’s this union we have with Christ that changes everything for us. In Him, we have inheritance, blessings, life, righteousness, redemption, and even bodily resurrection. Since Christ’s physical body was resurrected, Christians have assurance that our physical bodies will also be resurrected. Every part of us is bound to Him in more ways than we can imagine.
This union we have with Christ shows us a few things. First of all, how can we possibly give ourselves over to immorality when we have been united with the sinless Savior? Have you considered that? There is no part of Him that has ever sinned. So how could I possibly take this body of mine – which is a member of Christ – and give it over to sin? That’s against the very nature of the One to whom I belong (v. 15). This cannot be; to try to join the two is utterly foolish.
Second, the body of a believer “is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God,” (v. 19, ESV). If you’ll recall from the Old Testament, God had very specific instructions regarding how His temple was to be built. It was built in such a way to reflect His holy character. It was unique, perfect, and full of purpose. It was the place that God dwelt among His people. The temple of our bodies is no different. God has set us apart to be His unique and holy people. We are not yet perfect, but He will bring us to perfection someday. And now, the Christian’s body is the temple where God’s Spirit dwells. Do you think it is fitting to use the temple of God, which was where He was to be worshipped, for immorality?
Lastly, if God redeemed our bodies and if God has made us into temples for His Spirit to dwell, then you are not your own. The body is meant for the Lord (v. 13), and it was bought with a costly price – the death of the Son (v. 20a). Because God is the One who has bought us, He gets to decide how we should live our lives. It’s like the car that I bought. Who gets to decide what I do with that car? I do; I bought it.
It’s a wonderful thing to glorify God with our bodies (v. 20b). With our mouths, we can sing His praises and bless others. With our hands, we can serve those in need and work hard to provide for our families. With our eyes, we can look up at the night sky and marvel at the power of our great God who created all things. Our legs, our ears, our arms, our feet – no part of us should be used for sin. God bought it all; all of it is to be used for His glory.
Unfortunately, even Christians have bought into the lie that we can do whatever pleases us in the moment, and we regard God’s commands as too restrictive. But hopefully, you see more fully now that when God commands believers to “flee immorality,” it wasn’t just about the command to stop sinning. Immorality is completely contrary to the very nature that God has given Christians. We are given new lives and are intricately connected to Christ. How can we do anything but glorify God in all that we do?
This article originally appeared in The Clarion Newspaper.
Corinth Baptist Church 