“Don’t you know
that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have
from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.” (1
Corinthians 6:19-20 HCSB)
I can resist anything—except
temptation. Do you ever feel that
way? Then, you are in good company. Even the stalwart champion of faith, the
Apostle Paul, had his times of struggle when he found himself doing what he
didn’t want to do, and failing to do what he knew he ought to do—and feeling
utterly wretched about it (see Romans 7).
Still, he refused to
surrender to sin and, instead, in submission to the Spirit found incredible
liberty from the downward drag of the world.
What he knew in principle (his death to sin and resurrection to new
life, Rom.6) he came to know in practice (Rom.8).
A Holy God has called us to
holiness. Yet, being clean in a corrupt
culture is a constant challenge. We do
not overcome by our own effort for we are no match for the Devil. Our victory is found in Jesus—and the Devil
is no match for Him! It is like the
question posed to a young girl, “What do you do when Satan comes knocking on
the door of your heart?” She answered,
“I say to Jesus—You answer the door!”
That’s good counsel.
So, do we just, “Let go and
let God?” Yes—and no. Yes—the victory is by faith and in the power
of the Spirit. But, no—if we understand
such faith to be passive, rather than active, (faith without works is dead) and
if we fail to recognize that the Spirit works in a body surrendered to His will
and not apart from us.
Therefore, being in
Christ—and, therefore, holy in position—we can live as Christ—and be holy in
practice. Paul speaks of this synergy in
1 Corinthians 5-8. This is who we are in
Christ: “you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (6:11b) and based on that we are to live
clean as we:
“Run from sexual
immorality! ‘Every sin a person can
commit is outside the body.’ On the
contrary, the person who is sexually immoral sins against
his own body. Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy
Spirit who is in you, whom you have
from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body.” (6:18-20).
We can be holy, and we
must. How in this world can be? Paul gives some practical help in this
pursuit.
There should be DISCIPLINE IN
CHURCH as portrayed in 1 Corinthians 5.
“I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually
immoral people. I did not mean the immoral people of this world
or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters;
otherwise you would have to leave the world. But now I am writing you not to
associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is
sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler.
Do not even eat with such a person.” (v.9-11)
We are in the world, but not
of the world—that is where Jesus wants us to be and how He wants us to behave
(see John 17). We cannot be like Jesus
without associating with sinners. How
else can we reach them without being among them? Paul tells us you would have to leave the
world itself not to be around sinful people.
That will only happen when we reach the utterly pure environment of heaven. For now, we have a mission to the world. Yet, how in this world can I be holy?
This is where the discipline
of the church can help. There is to be
accountability. We are to be held to a
Biblical standard by the body of believers.
If we yield to temptation, we are to be confronted that we might confess
sin and be cleansed from it. If we
continue in that sin, then even more forceful measures are to be exercised. None of this is punitive, but always
redemptive. This is so because of its
objectives:
1)
The glory of
God. We are to reflect His holiness and
do nothing that would bring reproach to His name.
2) The testimony to sinners. How can we call on sinners to repent, if we
don’t? We are branded as hypocrites by
the world and rightfully so.
3) The safety of saints. When a church member who is tempted knows he
or she will be confronted, it gives an extra incentive to reject
temptation. The church provides an
environment where germs of sin are sterilized and immunity against the virus of
evil is built through a healthy Body of believers.
Like a contagion, sin becomes
an epidemic if not cleansed and threatens the very life of the Body. That was the danger at Corinth Corinth
Unrepentant sin of the
filthiest variety was being tolerated in the name of grace and love. But, it was like grape-nuts cereal—which is
neither grapes nor nuts—this was neither grace nor love. Grace lifts a person out of sin. Love recognizes that sin is destructive and
seeks to drive it out. When a church
functions in a healthy way, then a holy walk is aided.
Another practical help in
holy living is DISTINCTION IN CHARACTER as promoted in 1 Corinthians 6.
“Don’t you know that the
unjust will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be
deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or any kind of
homosexual, no thieves, greedy people,
drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit
God’s kingdom. And some of you used to be like this. 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.” (v.9-11)
Conduct is the external
manifestation of the internal motivation of character. Character is formed and fortified by
conviction—and for the Christian those convictions are based on the commandments
of Scripture. Paul is writing to them under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.7:40).
We can be consecrated to the
commandments which form conviction that determines character and directs
conduct because of conversion. The
Spirit of God has regenerated us—if we are indeed saved. He is the Holy Spirit and His business is to
make us holy. A sinning saint is a
contradiction—and may even be a counterfeit.
Capitulation to sin entirely is evidence of a false confession and
fraudulent conversion.
Our behavior toward other
believers is to be governed by the principle of humility. Paul was specifically dealing with the matter
of church members suing each other. This
was divisive to the fellowship of the church and destructive in their witness
to the world. Had there been cable news
in those days, a prominent place in the broadcast would have been given to the
brouhaha among the brethren of Corinth
We cannot make a difference
unless we are different. Our behavior
toward others is marked by the distinctiveness of humility in how we relate to
others who might take advantage of us.
Rather than take it to a civil court, we defer to the church and allow
them to render a judgment. Should this
fail—the church either refuses to deal with it or makes the wrong judgment—we
put it in God’s hands and move on. He is
the ultimate righter of wrongs.
Deference is also important
in knowing that our body is to be used for holy purposes, and not sinful
passions. Appetites are God-given—when
properly exercised. Within bounds, they
are for our good, and the gift of God.
Eating is good, if not excessive and then it becomes the sin of
gluttony. Sleep is good, if not overly
indulged in and becoming the wickedness of sloth. Sex is good, if in the bonds of holy
matrimony and outside of that it is the iniquity of immorality.
Our body is not evil. It is neutral. That body can be used for divine purposes or
it can be surrendered to defiling passions.
The child of God understands his or her body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit and acts accordingly.
You do not have the right to
do what you want with your body as a follower of Christ. You have been purchased out of the slave
market of sin—no more in bondage to the Devil—but not free to do what you
want. Now, you are a slave of
Christ. He paid an incalculable price
for you—His own body offered on the cross.
Because of this we can glorify God in our body every day and in every
way.
Here is another help to
holiness that piggybacks on the preceding truths, namely, DEVOTION TO COVENANTS
as presented in 1 Corinthians 7.
“Now in response to the
matters you wrote about: ‘It is good for a man not to have
relations with a woman.’ But because
sexual immorality is so common, each man should have his own wife, and each woman
should have her own husband.” (v.1-2)
Paul was single—and wanted
others to consider celibacy in view of devoting oneself entirely to ministry,
without the attention a spouse and children would bring. He also recognized that celibacy was a
special calling from God and not everyone could live that way. We are created as sexual beings and that
desire is strong. For most it will lead
to expression, but that can only legitimately be done in the covenant relationship
of a man and woman committed to each other for life.
Self-control is a fruit of
the Holy Spirit, and if you are unmarried, God has grace greater than your
sexual urges which would only be indulged in through a sinful manner apart from
having a spouse. Within the covenant of
marriage self-control is fortified by a husband and wife enjoying each other in
meaningful sex. Love is about giving. Lust is about getting. In marriage it is about love—freely and fully
giving of ourselves to each other in every way, including in the bedroom, and
especially there. Sex becomes a sacred
act when seen that way.
Paul says that intercourse
should be practiced frequently and only when both partners agree to seasons of
fasting and prayer to seek God, should they withdraw from physical intimacy to
pursue spiritual intimacy.
Let me be clear, there is no
excuse for infidelity, even if your spouse is as frigid as the arctic
icecap. God’s grace is sufficient. But, this doesn’t mean that you do not push
your mate to the edge of adultery by indifference to their sexual desires. In living a holy life, we have seen that the
discipline of a church can aid us, and so can the delight of a spouse in our
bed. Why should our husband or wife look
for baloney in the world when they get steak at home?
Paul also gets into other
matters of divorce and remarriage, and in particular with the issue of
believers married to unbelievers. That
is always fertile ground for problems.
Again, Paul calls for fidelity on the part of Christians. If this is your condition then be the most
faithful husband you can be to your unbelieving wife, and you might win her
soul, as well as her heart. If you are a
woman wed to a non-Christian, be the most affectionate wife you can be, and
your interest in him may lead him to interest in Christ. This faithfulness provides an environment
where children can be raised to know the Lord despite the divided household.
Life is tough. Temptation is strong. Holding on to holiness will not be easy. Commitment to the God-ordained covenant of
marriage is vital for moral purity.
We might say much more in all
these matters preceding, but there is a final point to make, and that concerns DEDICATION TO CHRIST as prescribed in 1
Corinthians 8.
“yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we [exist] for Him. And [there is] one Lord, Jesus
Christ. All things are through Him, and
we [exist] through Him.” (v.6)
This is the overarching principle that governs
the believers’ lifestyle. Our thoughts
are to be concentrated on Christ. Our
emotions are to be consumed with Christ.
Our will is to be consecrated to Christ.
He is Lord of all!
Paul says that even in the matter of diet,
love for Christ, and for those Christ died for, is fundamental. We are to set aside our rights and accept our
responsibilities. Our freedom in Christ
isn’t to do what we want to do, but what we ought to do. One thing we must seek to avoid is that which
defiles our conscience—and not just ours but another believers’ too!
We can help each other to stand and encourage
one another to overcome temptation, or we can contribute to someone
stumbling. It might even be in a matter
that we would not consider sinful, but if another person does, then I ought not
flaunt my freedom and bring them down.
If they think it is sinful to them it is.
There are weaknesses that others have which we
might not and we ought to be sensitive to that.
I think of the matter of drinking alcoholic beverages, for
instance. I will not, and let me tell
you why. It isn’t that you can find a
direct command not to drink any thing, although drunkenness is expressly
forbidden in Scripture. You might be
able to drink in moderation and never get drunk—though you are walking a
tightrope you don’t have to climb on.
But, did you know that the person you are dining with might only need
one drop to start them down a path of alcoholism? You have your refrigerator filled with beer,
and your children grow up to see that as acceptable. The culture is going to call for them to,
“Stay thirsty, my friend.” Do we want to
lead them into that temptation?
I don’t need it. I don’t want it. I don’t desire to be around it. My desire is to be a stepping-stone to help
people to holiness and not be a stumbling block to hinder them. Being a Pharisee and succumbing to legalism
is always a possibility too. I recognize
that. Yet, it is no better to be a
Sadducee and surrender to liberalism.
Grace and truth give balance—yield neither in the pursuit of
holiness. By all means, use every
means—these we have provided in this passage, and others—with a passion for
purity.
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