Good morning!
Text: 1 Corinthians 6-8; Psalm 98
These passages in 1 Corinthians call us upward to lives of purity, lived well and unto the Lord. Two underlying premises are clearly stated in 6:19-20:
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
First of all, our physical body is a “temple”, and it is indeed inhabited by the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament temple was the one spot on earth where God took up residence so as to be with His chosen people, Israel. You and I, as believers, are the place where He lives on earth – right in our hearts. The Lord expects His home on earth to be kept clean for Him. This is serious business.
Second, we do not own ourselves. We were bought by the blood of Jesus. This idea is very challenging to us. How often do we think that of our bodies as “mine”, or that our time is our own to do with as we please? Neither of those sentiments are true. We are all His – bought and paid for.
The next time temptation to impurity comes, think about these truths.
in Him, Mike