19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Here is Paul's ultimate motivation for avoiding sexual immorality and living a holy life. Typically when we try to motivate people toward avoiding sin, we talk about the dangers of sin and the benefits of living righteously. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, Paul has already done that in this passage (6:12-18). But rarely do we go to the next step and give the higher motivation for righteous living.
My body is the very dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
This should blow our circuits. It would have blown the circuits of the average Jew, that's for sure. The temple…the holiest place on earth…the Holy of Holies…the place that could only be entered once a year and only by the high priest and only with blood…is now my body. I am God's temple. This piece of flesh. These arms, these legs, these eyes, these ears, this mouth. I am to be the holiest place on earth. I am to be the place that people meet God.
How is this possible?
For you were bought with a price.
Jesus Christ redeemed me. He bought me out of the slave market of sin…with His precious, infinite, invaluable blood. For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Through faith alone in Christ alone…I have been purchased, regenerated, redeemed.
I am no longer my own.
I can no longer claim, "Hey, it's my body. I can do what I want. Who are you to tell me what to do?" It is not my body. It is His. Actually it was never my body to begin with. It was given to me. And though it is my responsibility…it is mine…it is me. It is also under the ownership of someone else. Before Christ, it was under the ownership of sin. Now, in Christ, it is under the ownership of God.
I am under new management. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come.
Therefore glorify God in your body.
Take this piece of flesh. Take these hands, these feet, these eyes, these ears, this mouth…and yes, even these sexual parts. And use them…in God's will…with God's power…for God's glory.
And here's the awesome part…in giving myself away in obedience, I find everything that I desperately wanted in sin.
I find the beauty and joy of holiness.
God is glorified. I am satisfied.
In this holy temple of flesh.
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