HONOR GOD WITH YOUR BODY

1 Corinthians 6:1-20

Key Verse 20

“You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

Introduction

In this passage Apostle Paul talks about how to deal with dispute among believers and sexual immorality. These issues are also relevant to us today, as we live in a society where lawsuits and sexual immorality are widespread. These are practical teachings for us. As we meditate on this passage, let us think about how to honor and glorify God through our daily lives. Above all Paul reminds Corinthian believers of who they are in the Lord and tells them how they should use their body properly. May the Lord help us to renew God’s perfect standards through His holy words so that we may be continually sanctified to prepare our bodies as the bride prepares her body for her bridegroom.

1. Read Verses 1-6. Why shouldn’t we bring our dispute to the ungodly? (1-3) Why did Paul consider it to be a shameful thing among believers? (4-6)

1-1, Read Verses 1-6.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

1-2, Why shouldn’t we bring our dispute to the ungodly? (1-3)

do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

• When Corinthian believers had dispute with another, they took it before the court in the world where ungodly people made judgment instead of before the Lord’s people

• Paul seems to be talking about various kinds of civil court cases here (cf. the phrase “rather be cheated,” v. 7), not criminal cases that should be handled by the court (Ro 13:3–4). The Corinthians should take their civil cases before qualified Christians for settlement

• Lord’s people will judge the world – The believers in the position of judging the world not being judged by the world because believers have godly wisdom and justice which are superior to any judgment in the world.

• As those who share in Christ’s reign (cf. Mt 19:28; 2Ti 2:12; Rev 20:4) believers are competent to judge trivial cases. Paul views believers as fully competent to judge cases where Christians have claims against each other, because they view matters from a godly vantage point.

• In comparison with their future role in the judgment of the world and of angels (v. 3), judgments concerning things of this life are insignificant and minor.

• It is so foolish for Lord’s people to come to the ungodly for judgment. It is dishonoring God and great shame to Lord’s people.

• Do you not know that we will judge angels? – Believers will reign together with Jesus even ruling over the angels.

• God reveals what he has in mind to the believers considering them as his children and friends but not to the angels. Angels are just servants who do what they are told to do. And judging angels belongs to spiritual realm.

• Paul says in Roman 8:17, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

• As co-heirs with Christ, we will share in his authority, including his authority over the angels. As God’s children, we have dual citizenships in heaven and earth.

• How should we settle trivial disputes among us while on earth? One thing is clear. We should not take our brother or sister to the secular court for judgment. Because doing so is not only unwise and shameful, but ridiculous.

• How much more the things of this life!- It is a lot easier to judge things of this world.

1-3, Why did Paul consider it to be a shameful thing among believers? (4-6)

I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?

• There was nobody in the church who was wise enough to judge a dispute between believers even though they were proud of their wisdom.

• Apostle Paul encouraged them to grow in their maturity in the Lord so that they might not be ashamed in the world by bringing civil cases to worldly courts.

2. Read verses 7-11. Why were they already defeated by having lawsuits among them? (7a) What did Paul tell them to do instead? (7b-8) What will happen to wrongdoers? (9, 10) What should we remember in the name of Jesus Christ? (11)

2-1. Read verses 7-11.

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? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 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.

2-2. Why were they already defeated by having lawsuits among them? (7a)

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already

• They showed that they didn’t have enough wisdom and failed showing their maturity and brotherly love.

• They were defeated by their greed, retaliation and hatred, instead of practicing unselfishness, forgiveness and love—even willingness to suffer loss.

• One of them might win the dispute in the court but both of them and entire church were defeated as believers because they failed having maturity and practicing brotherly love.

• Again true believers are endowed with the Holy Spirit who resides in us and is with us in all things. The Holy Spirit in my brother and sister, regardless of how mature or immature they may be spiritually is far better judge than the outside world, which has no spirit of God in them.

• They judge from a place which no non-believer is able to rise to. They have the love and compassion of a Christian, blessed by the Holy Spirit’s presence as a measure for the truth they must judge by.

• According to Paul, even if my brother and sister’s judgment seems unfair to me, it is better than bringing Christian disputes before unbelievers. Indeed, even if I am wronged, it is better than receiving my just due, if receiving my just due will dishonor the name of Christ whom I love.

2-3. What did Paul tell them to do instead? (7b-8)

‘rather be wronged? .. rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.

• It is better to be wronged and cheated instead of cheating and doing wrong to brothers and sisters because it is better to do right things before God instead of doing wrong thing to get some benefits.

• Jesus warned, “If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matt. 6:15). Instead, we must turn to godly counselors to bring reconciliation, and we must be willing to sacrifice our rights if it means protecting our testimony and the other person’s relationship with Christ.

• We could get some benefit by doing wrong thing to brothers and sisters but we are actually losing before God.

• Rather God gave his one and only son in a most unjust way, in order to pay the penalty for my sins, sins that he did not commit but sins that I committed.

• Thank God that my Lord did not exact justice from me, but pardoned me in his grace and in that way brought life and healing into my heart and my life.

• And when he bid us love each other, he did not ask for that love be done fairly. Unconditionally, is the kind of love he asks that we love each other with.

• Jesus told about a wicked servant who was forgiven abundantly for what he owed, yet who found one who had owed him little. Then he demanded that the one who owed him little to pay him what he owes. Jesus did not look kindly on that servant when he found him again.

• The Corinthian Christian were like those who need yet again to stand before the Gospel and consider again the justice they are demanding.

2-4. What will happen to wrongdoers? (9, 10)

Wrong doers will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

• They could get something such as fleshy pleasure or money or recognition through the evil doings but they will lose the kingdom of God.

• If we lose kingdom of God we are losing everything even though we could get everything on earth including pleasure.

• Something has gone wrong when someone who confesses faith in Christ continues to live according to the same sinful patterns exhibited before their salvation.

• We’d better to kingdom of God even if we could lose everything.

2-5.What should we remember in the name of Jesus Christ? (11)

you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

• We are washed, sanctified, justified in Jesus and by the Holy Spirit. Then it is not right to do wrong things before God.

• Our deeds should match with who we are in the Lord. We should keep remember who we are and what happened to us in Jesus and by the Holy Spirit.

3. Read 12-20. Why should we be careful about exercising our ‘rights’? (12) Why should we keep away from sexual immorality? (13-17) Why should we honor God with our bodies? (18-20)

3-1. Read 12-20.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 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! 16 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.”[b] 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[c]

18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

3-2. Why should we be careful about exercising our ‘rights’? (12)

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

• We have freedom in Jesus to do anything that we want but not everything is beneficial. We should be careful about what we do with our right and freedom.

• Somethings are beneficial but somethings are harmful. We should choose right things to do considering the consequence of doing them.

• We should remember that what we are doing can be our master controlling ourselves such as gambling and drug addiction. One may become enslaved by those actions in which one “freely” chooses to indulge.

• We should not do the things that could be our master later. Rather we should use our right to do the things that can please God and be beneficial to us.

3-3. Why should we keep away from sexual immorality? (13-17)

The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 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! 16 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.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

• “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” Paul quotes some Corinthians again who were claiming that as the physical acts of eating and digesting food have no bearing on one’s inner spiritual life, so the physical act of promiscuous sexual activity does not affect one’s spiritual life.

• Also some Corinthians claimed that there was no resurrection of the body (15:12), so it did not matter what one did with it.

• Paul here declares the dignity of the human body: It was intended for the Lord and will be raised. Although granting that food and the stomach are transitory, Paul denies that what one does with one’s body is unimportant.

• This is particularly true of the use of sex, which the Lord has appointed for use in the man-woman relationship in marriage.

• God raised the Lord . . . us also- As an illustration of God’s high regard for the body, Paul cites the resurrection of Christ’s body and, eventually, of the believer’s body (15:51–53). A body destined for resurrection should not be used for immorality.

• Our body is meant for the Lord. We should serve the Lord with our body. He is the Lord of our body.It is not merely the spirit that is a member of Christ’s body; it is the whole person, consisting of spirit and body. This fact gives dignity to the human body.

• The Lord is for our body. God will raise us in Jesus with the power that he raised the Lord Jesus with. So our body should be kept holy and pure and well taken care of.

• Our bodies are members of Christ himself. Our body is sacred as part of Christ. We should not corrupt Jesus’ body by corrupting our body by sexual immorality.

• If we unite ourselves with a prostitute we become one with her in body. We are making ourselves part of a prostitute.

• In a sexual relationship the two bodies become one (Ge 2:24; Mt 19:4–5), and a new human being may emerge from the sexual union. Sexual relations outside the marriage bond are a gross perversion of the divinely established marriage union.

• We are united with the Lord and are one with him in spirit. This is amazing blessing and grace for us.

• There is a higher union than the marriage bond: the believer’s spiritual union with Christ, which is the perfect model for the kind of unity that should mark the marriage relationship

• We should remember that we are one with Jesus in spirit and keep us pure and holy by the power of the Holy Spirit.

3-4. Why should we honor God with our bodies? (18-20)

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

• We should flee from sexual immorality just as Joseph did. (Genesis 39:8-18) we should get rid of any hit of sexual sin from us.

• We must continually run away from sexual sinning not just one time getting away from any environment and objects that can cause sexual sin.

• Whoever sins sexually sins against their own body- sexual sin makes us dirty and impure. It hurting and destroying our body.

• All sins separates us from God, but sexual sin can deeply damage human character. Though someone may say what he is doing will not hurt anyone else, the truth is that it does.

• All sin has a ripple effect that is broad and far-reaching. Ultimately, sexual sins hinder us from being the whole, courageous, powerful witnesses God created us to be.

• Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. It is holy and sacred place where Holy Spirit dwells. Making temple dirty by committing sexual sin is serious sin that dishonors God.

• When the Spirit of God descended upon the tabernacle (Ex. 40)—and later the temple (2 Chr. 5)—in the Old Testament, it was after extensive consecration.

• Everything from the priests and their garments to the furniture, offerings, and utensils were required to be purified in a specific manner. This complete consecration happens in us when we trust Jesus as our Savior and He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

• Our bodies are sacred and are to be treated as sacred (holy). Christians should also realize that by the Spirit’s presence and power they can be helped against such sins as sexual immorality.

• We are not the owner of our body but God who bought at a huge price, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. So we have to use our body according to the will of the owner of body, the God. We should offer our body to serve his will and desire, the desire of Holy Spirit.

• Jesus wants to free you from the sins that entangle you and prevent you from being all that He has called you to be. Instead of being controlled by your sinful desires, look to Him to meet all of your deepest needs and give your life meaning and significance

• God makes us into totally new people—not by assigning us religious rituals to observe or by reforming our behavior, but by making us into completely new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). He then gives us His nature by sending His Holy Spirit to indwell us and transform us into His likeness (1 Cor. 6:19, 20)

• Since our bodies belong to God we should honor God with our bodies. When we live a holy life and use our body to do good, we can honor God with our bodies.

Conclusion

We should be mature and wise enough to handle the dispute among believers. We can judge the world and even angels with God’s wisdom and truth. Jesus also said in Matthew 5:40: “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” This is the way to grow in the image of Christ. To build a Christian community with love, we must be willing to forgo our own pride and materials to build others up rather than tear them down with things like lawsuits. We are washed, sanctified and justified in Jesus and by the Holy Spirit. We were sanctified and still are being sanctified as we continue to walk with the Lord in our life of faith and mission. We will not end up in heaven by accident. We will be with Christ in paradise because of what he did on the cross to take away our sin. Our body is God’s temple. We should honor God with our body. If one uses his or her freedom against what God has set as a boundary or an absolute, the consequences would be fatal. If one uses his or her freedom to engage in sin, he or she will become a slave again to that very sin which Jesus died for. True freedom can only be achieved in the truth of God. So we better not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

One word: Honor God with our bodies!