July 16
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THE BODY BELONGS TO THE LORD
12 All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, however God will do away with both of them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? Far from it! 16 Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore, glorify God in your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
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In this letter, Paul reminds the believers that although all things are allowed, it doesn’t mean that everything is beneficial. He explains the importance of not being consumed by anything. In verse 13, he sets the boundaries for believers to remember: that food is for the stomach but the body isn’t for sexual immorality. Paul tells them that their bodies belong to Christ and since it does, they need to keep it pure and holy. In verse 15, he replicates again to them that if they belong to Christ, then their bodies are parts of Him.
Peter warns the believers that they must never ever join themselves with prostitutes. Since Christ is their husband and believers as the wife. In verse 16, Paul reiterates to them the sanctity of marriage in Genesis 2:24 says Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Just like a man and a woman becomes one, the believer is one with Christ’s spirit.
In verse 18, Paul reproves the believers to run away from any sexual immorality. He says that a sexually immoral person is committing a sin against his own body. As a servant of God, He owns us and so our bodies are not ours. We need to keep it sanctified for the Lord. ________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it important for Christians to keep their bodies pure and holy?