First Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 6
After having urged the Corinthians to not associate with those who claim to be brothers and yet embrace sin and immorality, Paul continues on with a series of questions in regards to lawsuits amongst believers: “If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” (1 Corinthians 6:1-3). Paul does not understand why the Corinthians have resorted to taking each other to court over disagreements and disputes among themselves when as believers we have been given the wisdom of God’s Word in order to discern His will in this life. To powerfully illustrate this point Paul references the Scriptures which proclaim that the saints will judge the world when Christ comes again. Christ Himself said, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). Daniel also prophesied: “The saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever…the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High” (Daniel 7:18, 27). These are references to the kingdom to come under Jesus Christ, and how at that time the saints (all believers) will receive power and authority to judge. It is difficult to say what exactly this judging will all entail, but some clues come from Daniel where it says that we will “possess” the kingdom and have sovereignty, power, and greatness. Adding to this Paul’s words we can see that we will be making determinations of God’s will for a given situation. Therefore Paul is simply saying, “If we are going to be given responsibility over the whole kingdom in the life to come, why do we somehow think we are incapable of deciphering God’s will in this life (at least more adequately than unbelievers when we have been given the very words of God)?” Throughout his letters Paul repeatedly implores us as Christians to “prove”, “test”, “find out”, and “discern” the will of God: “Do not conform any longer 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” (Romans 12:2). “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10). “Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8-10). So what does it mean to “prove” the will of God? It means that we “renew our minds” in Christ Jesus by immersing ourselves in the Word of God. When we write the Word of God on our hearts it will begin to govern and lead our discernment and thoughts so that we will be given God’s wisdom to discern His will. As our faith and love grow and mature thru God’s Word and as we continue in the light of Christ we will see more and more clearly what God desires for us in any given situation. It is therefore essential that we daily feed our minds and hearts with Holy Scripture so that we may find God’s perfect and pleasing will instead of falling prey to our flesh and Satan who are eagerly standing by to fill in when we starve ourselves of God’s Word.
Continuing on Paul sarcastically asks if it is possible that there is not a single competent judge amongst the Corinthians: “Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!” (1 Corinthians 6:4-6). Paul thinks it is disgraceful and a terrible witness to the world for believers to go to court against each other. Instead of searching for God’s will in the situation the Corinthians were busy trying to get the courts to give them their own selfish will. This loudly says to the unbeliever that we are “no different” than the rest of the hostile world that is angry and greedy and fully consumed with “me.” Christ however clearly told us how His true disciples would be known by the world: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
In light of this immutable truth that the followers of Christ will be known by their love, Paul continues his admonishment: “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers” (1 Corinthians 6:7-8). Paul alludes to the fact that he may be beginning to doubt the faith of the Corinthians because of their outrageous and unloving behavior. Instead of bearing with one another they were too concerned with getting their own way and “rights.” They refused to turn the other cheek even for each other (fellow believers!) and instead opted to cheat and take advantage of each other in selfishness as they returned evil for evil. Paul words to the Romans are clear: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17, 21). The Corinthians however were clearly not following this directive as they were even seeking revenge towards their fellow believers in the church; imagine how they must have treated those outside of the church! Seeing this spiritual immaturity, worldliness, and lack of love Paul determines the need for some harsh law of God towards the Corinthians.
Because they were taking advantage of and making a mockery of the gospel, Paul reminds them of the wrath of God towards sin and sinners: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). We must not deceive ourselves, the immoral and wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. We cannot embrace sin and any of its manifestations and still inherit God’s kingdom; God is a just God who hates sin and wants nothing to do with it. After this much needed admonition however Paul does not stop, but he continues on to remind the Corinthians of the beautiful gospel message by which they can alone stand before God: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Though we are sinners we have one who has gone to God on our behalf and who has justified us by His blood. Though we have been the very wicked men who could never inherit the kingdom of God, Jesus Christ has come along and washed us with His Baptism and justified us with His blood on the cross. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27). Though the Corinthians faltered greatly and have been spiritually immature and weak in faith, Paul never gives up hope in the power of God’s gospel. Despite all their failures Paul knows that the blood of the Lamb is far more powerful than even our greatest sins. Therefore he implores them (and us!) to look to Christ alone and the immutable work of grace, forgiveness, redemption, justification, and reconciliation given to us in the manger, cross, and empty tomb. We need to especially notice Paul’s purposeful use of past tense (were washed, were sanctified, were justified) and his exclusive focus on what Christ has already done. Paul does not point us to any decision or choice of our own or to anything that we do today; he instead points to the past, to what God has already done on our behalf, the grace of the past that stands true, immovable, and unchangeable for all time. Though we stumble and fall let us always cling to the fact that we have One who has already picked us up, carried us, and defended us before the Father: Jesus Christ, the Righteous Lamb of God who has paid for and taken away our every sin and the sins of the entire world. “God has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Timothy 1:9). “If anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).
After having admonished the Corinthians in regards to their lawsuits Paul continues on to address how we must not abuse the freedom of the Gospel by making it an excuse to live in our selfish lusts and desires. “‘Everything is permissible for me’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible for me’—but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). As men who have been freed by the blood of Christ everything that is outside the clear proclamation of the Word of God is now permissible; we are now free to live unrestrained and unfettered for God’s will. In Christ nothing is inherently “wrong”, i.e. sex is blessed and good within marriage, all foods are healthy and nourishing in moderate proportions, etc. Even things that we tend to think of as “anti-Christian” are even blessed in certain situations. Hatred for instance is notoriously “anti-Christian” and yet Christ and Paul both implore us to hate evil, sin, and even our own life. The famous “a time for everything” passage in Ecclesiastes illustrates this balance and freedom, also pointing very clearly to the polarity of law and gospel. God’s law is the place for breaking down and the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified is where we are rescued and built up. Let us read the passage looking at its clear and proper balance of law and gospel: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born [gospel] and a time to die [law], a time to plant [gospel] and a time to uproot [law], a time to kill [law] and a time to heal [gospel], a time to tear down [law] and a time to build [gospel], a time to weep [law] and a time to laugh [gospel], a time to mourn [law] and a time to dance [gospel], a time to scatter stones [law] and a time to gather them [gospel], a time to embrace [gospel] and a time to refrain [law], a time to search [gospel] and a time to give up [law], a time to keep [gospel] and a time to throw away [law], a time to tear [law] and a time to mend [gospel], a time to be silent [law] and a time to speak [gospel], a time to love [gospel] and a time to hate [law], a time for war [law] and a time for peace [gospel]” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Clearly everything has a time and place under the cross of Jesus Christ and within the will of God. It is with this in mind that Paul is imploring us to not be mastered by any one thing. Paul implores us to use temperance and moderation in regards to these areas of freedom, for even though we are free, not everything is beneficial or edifying. No matter how good or clean something is if we obsess and consume ourselves with it then it becomes perverted thru slavery and idolatry against God. “As I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18-19). Paul clearly realizes that if we take any one thing to extreme that we will begin to hold that obsession up as our idol and god as we become enemies of the cross of Christ. Therefore we need to see all things within the context of God’s will, so that we will discern and prove what His will is by seeing a time and place for both law and gospel and for all things of His good creation. “Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4-5). Thru Jesus Christ and the Word of God all things in creation are good and nothing is to be inherently rejected. The commands of God therefore lay out His immutable will and desires for how His creation is to be used for good with thanksgiving and prayer. When our undivided devotion is set on Jesus Christ and His will, then God’s Word consecrates and makes everything good and holy for our uses.
Continuing on Paul applies this truth to two of the most basic human desires: “‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food’—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:13-14). In these statements Paul is asserting that our bodies are for the Lord in all circumstances and at all times. Though we eat food in order to nourish our bodies and partake in sex within marriage these are not the owners of our bodies. Sadly however in our society people have given their bodies over to food and to sex. Food and sex oftentimes own people’s bodies and rule over their every decision. The rise in our society of overeating and overindulgence in all sorts of foods to the point of obsession and idolatry is immense, along with the increased appetite for sex and lust of all forms and manifestations. The book of Job addresses those who live by their appetites and insatiable desires: “Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. Nothing is left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him. When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows upon him” (Job 20:20-23). People look to the things of this life for satisfaction (whether food, sex, emotional highs, or even family and loved ones) when in reality nothing in this life can fill our internal void that is created by sin and our rejection of God. “Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of Yahweh's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, for it has made them stumble into sin” (Ezekiel 7:19). “You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword” (Micah 6:14). “All man’s efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). “They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough…they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain” (Isaiah 56:11). All of our efforts to be fulfilled in this life are for naught and we are utterly incapable of crossing the gaping chasm we have created with our sin and self-obsession. “People are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites” (Romans 16:18).
Paul continues on to address how we defile Christ Jesus Himself anytime we unite ourselves with sin and the lusts of our sinful nature, especially touching on the gravity of sexual immorality: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:15-17). These words should be powerful and poignant enough to stop any follower of Christ in his tracks. If we truly meditate on and takes these words seriously we should have some powerful motivation to cease any of our selfish and sinful living. We need, need, need to realize and recognize that our bodies and souls are members of Jesus Christ Himself. Whatever we ourselves partake in and subject ourselves to, we also do so to Christ Himself. If we commit sexual immorality with our bodies we are hurting Jesus Christ; if we overindulge in gluttony of food or drink we are hurting Christ Himself; if we give ourselves over to any sin of any kind we are spitting in the face of Christ and subjecting Him to our wretchedness. Would we dare carry out our lives in the same way as we do today if Christ was accompanying us in all we do? Then how do we dare do it when we know that our very bodies are members of Christ Himself??? “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Flee, flee, flee! We must not think we are strong enough to fight the temptations of sexual immorality. If we try to stay and face them, we will fail! Because Paul knows the greatness of the perversion of sexual desire he especially urges us to flee sexual immorality; when we commit sexual immorality we are sinning against our own bodies and therefore against Christ Himself.
After touching on the special depravity of sexual immorality Paul continues on to reinforce that our entire bodies are God’s and therefore it is our duty to honor Him with them in all that we do. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Seeing how our bodies were bought by the blood of Christ the importance of self restraint and self control is made very apparent. The proverbs urge us to not go to any excesses and to use drastic measures to prevent ourselves from indulging sinfully in the desires of our flesh. “Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, that you not have it in excess and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16). “Put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite” (Proverbs 23:2). Thru God’s Word we are told that all things are good and have their place within God’s will, and that keeping in line with this will that we can now focus on living in moderation and temperance for Jesus Christ who has consecrated and reconciled all things to us thru His work in the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. “All things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:16-17, 19-20).
Continuing on Paul sarcastically asks if it is possible that there is not a single competent judge amongst the Corinthians: “Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!” (1 Corinthians 6:4-6). Paul thinks it is disgraceful and a terrible witness to the world for believers to go to court against each other. Instead of searching for God’s will in the situation the Corinthians were busy trying to get the courts to give them their own selfish will. This loudly says to the unbeliever that we are “no different” than the rest of the hostile world that is angry and greedy and fully consumed with “me.” Christ however clearly told us how His true disciples would be known by the world: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
In light of this immutable truth that the followers of Christ will be known by their love, Paul continues his admonishment: “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers” (1 Corinthians 6:7-8). Paul alludes to the fact that he may be beginning to doubt the faith of the Corinthians because of their outrageous and unloving behavior. Instead of bearing with one another they were too concerned with getting their own way and “rights.” They refused to turn the other cheek even for each other (fellow believers!) and instead opted to cheat and take advantage of each other in selfishness as they returned evil for evil. Paul words to the Romans are clear: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17, 21). The Corinthians however were clearly not following this directive as they were even seeking revenge towards their fellow believers in the church; imagine how they must have treated those outside of the church! Seeing this spiritual immaturity, worldliness, and lack of love Paul determines the need for some harsh law of God towards the Corinthians.
Because they were taking advantage of and making a mockery of the gospel, Paul reminds them of the wrath of God towards sin and sinners: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). We must not deceive ourselves, the immoral and wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. We cannot embrace sin and any of its manifestations and still inherit God’s kingdom; God is a just God who hates sin and wants nothing to do with it. After this much needed admonition however Paul does not stop, but he continues on to remind the Corinthians of the beautiful gospel message by which they can alone stand before God: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Though we are sinners we have one who has gone to God on our behalf and who has justified us by His blood. Though we have been the very wicked men who could never inherit the kingdom of God, Jesus Christ has come along and washed us with His Baptism and justified us with His blood on the cross. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27). Though the Corinthians faltered greatly and have been spiritually immature and weak in faith, Paul never gives up hope in the power of God’s gospel. Despite all their failures Paul knows that the blood of the Lamb is far more powerful than even our greatest sins. Therefore he implores them (and us!) to look to Christ alone and the immutable work of grace, forgiveness, redemption, justification, and reconciliation given to us in the manger, cross, and empty tomb. We need to especially notice Paul’s purposeful use of past tense (were washed, were sanctified, were justified) and his exclusive focus on what Christ has already done. Paul does not point us to any decision or choice of our own or to anything that we do today; he instead points to the past, to what God has already done on our behalf, the grace of the past that stands true, immovable, and unchangeable for all time. Though we stumble and fall let us always cling to the fact that we have One who has already picked us up, carried us, and defended us before the Father: Jesus Christ, the Righteous Lamb of God who has paid for and taken away our every sin and the sins of the entire world. “God has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Timothy 1:9). “If anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).
After having admonished the Corinthians in regards to their lawsuits Paul continues on to address how we must not abuse the freedom of the Gospel by making it an excuse to live in our selfish lusts and desires. “‘Everything is permissible for me’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible for me’—but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). As men who have been freed by the blood of Christ everything that is outside the clear proclamation of the Word of God is now permissible; we are now free to live unrestrained and unfettered for God’s will. In Christ nothing is inherently “wrong”, i.e. sex is blessed and good within marriage, all foods are healthy and nourishing in moderate proportions, etc. Even things that we tend to think of as “anti-Christian” are even blessed in certain situations. Hatred for instance is notoriously “anti-Christian” and yet Christ and Paul both implore us to hate evil, sin, and even our own life. The famous “a time for everything” passage in Ecclesiastes illustrates this balance and freedom, also pointing very clearly to the polarity of law and gospel. God’s law is the place for breaking down and the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified is where we are rescued and built up. Let us read the passage looking at its clear and proper balance of law and gospel: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born [gospel] and a time to die [law], a time to plant [gospel] and a time to uproot [law], a time to kill [law] and a time to heal [gospel], a time to tear down [law] and a time to build [gospel], a time to weep [law] and a time to laugh [gospel], a time to mourn [law] and a time to dance [gospel], a time to scatter stones [law] and a time to gather them [gospel], a time to embrace [gospel] and a time to refrain [law], a time to search [gospel] and a time to give up [law], a time to keep [gospel] and a time to throw away [law], a time to tear [law] and a time to mend [gospel], a time to be silent [law] and a time to speak [gospel], a time to love [gospel] and a time to hate [law], a time for war [law] and a time for peace [gospel]” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Clearly everything has a time and place under the cross of Jesus Christ and within the will of God. It is with this in mind that Paul is imploring us to not be mastered by any one thing. Paul implores us to use temperance and moderation in regards to these areas of freedom, for even though we are free, not everything is beneficial or edifying. No matter how good or clean something is if we obsess and consume ourselves with it then it becomes perverted thru slavery and idolatry against God. “As I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18-19). Paul clearly realizes that if we take any one thing to extreme that we will begin to hold that obsession up as our idol and god as we become enemies of the cross of Christ. Therefore we need to see all things within the context of God’s will, so that we will discern and prove what His will is by seeing a time and place for both law and gospel and for all things of His good creation. “Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4-5). Thru Jesus Christ and the Word of God all things in creation are good and nothing is to be inherently rejected. The commands of God therefore lay out His immutable will and desires for how His creation is to be used for good with thanksgiving and prayer. When our undivided devotion is set on Jesus Christ and His will, then God’s Word consecrates and makes everything good and holy for our uses.
Continuing on Paul applies this truth to two of the most basic human desires: “‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food’—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:13-14). In these statements Paul is asserting that our bodies are for the Lord in all circumstances and at all times. Though we eat food in order to nourish our bodies and partake in sex within marriage these are not the owners of our bodies. Sadly however in our society people have given their bodies over to food and to sex. Food and sex oftentimes own people’s bodies and rule over their every decision. The rise in our society of overeating and overindulgence in all sorts of foods to the point of obsession and idolatry is immense, along with the increased appetite for sex and lust of all forms and manifestations. The book of Job addresses those who live by their appetites and insatiable desires: “Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. Nothing is left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him. When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows upon him” (Job 20:20-23). People look to the things of this life for satisfaction (whether food, sex, emotional highs, or even family and loved ones) when in reality nothing in this life can fill our internal void that is created by sin and our rejection of God. “Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of Yahweh's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, for it has made them stumble into sin” (Ezekiel 7:19). “You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword” (Micah 6:14). “All man’s efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). “They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough…they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain” (Isaiah 56:11). All of our efforts to be fulfilled in this life are for naught and we are utterly incapable of crossing the gaping chasm we have created with our sin and self-obsession. “People are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites” (Romans 16:18).
Paul continues on to address how we defile Christ Jesus Himself anytime we unite ourselves with sin and the lusts of our sinful nature, especially touching on the gravity of sexual immorality: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:15-17). These words should be powerful and poignant enough to stop any follower of Christ in his tracks. If we truly meditate on and takes these words seriously we should have some powerful motivation to cease any of our selfish and sinful living. We need, need, need to realize and recognize that our bodies and souls are members of Jesus Christ Himself. Whatever we ourselves partake in and subject ourselves to, we also do so to Christ Himself. If we commit sexual immorality with our bodies we are hurting Jesus Christ; if we overindulge in gluttony of food or drink we are hurting Christ Himself; if we give ourselves over to any sin of any kind we are spitting in the face of Christ and subjecting Him to our wretchedness. Would we dare carry out our lives in the same way as we do today if Christ was accompanying us in all we do? Then how do we dare do it when we know that our very bodies are members of Christ Himself??? “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Flee, flee, flee! We must not think we are strong enough to fight the temptations of sexual immorality. If we try to stay and face them, we will fail! Because Paul knows the greatness of the perversion of sexual desire he especially urges us to flee sexual immorality; when we commit sexual immorality we are sinning against our own bodies and therefore against Christ Himself.
After touching on the special depravity of sexual immorality Paul continues on to reinforce that our entire bodies are God’s and therefore it is our duty to honor Him with them in all that we do. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Seeing how our bodies were bought by the blood of Christ the importance of self restraint and self control is made very apparent. The proverbs urge us to not go to any excesses and to use drastic measures to prevent ourselves from indulging sinfully in the desires of our flesh. “Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, that you not have it in excess and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16). “Put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite” (Proverbs 23:2). Thru God’s Word we are told that all things are good and have their place within God’s will, and that keeping in line with this will that we can now focus on living in moderation and temperance for Jesus Christ who has consecrated and reconciled all things to us thru His work in the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. “All things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:16-17, 19-20).
1 comment:
Again, very much what I needed.
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