HIGHLIGHT
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (ESV): 19 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, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
EXPLAIN
In the previous chapter, Paul began addressing another big issue in Corinth Church – sexual immorality. What was truly sad was that the sexual immorality being tolerated by this church was not even accepted as proper in the secular community around them.
Chapter 6 begins with a discussion about lawsuits among believers, but since Paul returned to the issue of sexual immorality in the latter half of the chapter and then discussed principles for marriage in chapter 7, one wonders if the issue of lawsuits was in context with this particular case of sexual immorality going on in the church.
Regardless, at the end of 1 Corinthians 6 Paul laid down a sweeping principles that should govern not only our understanding of sexuality, but of all life: as Christians, we have been bought (redeemed) by the blood of Christ shed on Calvary. Therefore, our bodies, our lives, belong to the Holy Spirit. We must strive in all ways to please God.
APPLY
This scriptural principle is not new, but it is one that we should be reminded of regularly. If we are not careful, we may begin to think and act as if we are our own boss. But as followers of Jesus, we belong to Christ. We must live surrendered to the will of God at all times.
RESPOND
Heavenly Father, I thank you that I have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Help me to live always with the mindset that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. May I glorify you in all that I think, say, and do. Amen.