Our Bodies for God's Glory
Passage to be read: I Corinthians 6: 12 - 20
"You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit who is in you.
You have received the Holy Spirit from God.
So you do not belong to yourselves, because you were bought by God for a price.
So honor God with your bodies."
(I Corinthians 6: 19, 20)
The human body, with all the struggles and temptations within, joins the soul in the journey of being faithful on this earth. As people who believe in life after death, we know that our life of faith does not only end with the earthly life, but continues further.
At every point of our life, we remember, that our bodies are parts of Christ himself (1 Corinthians 6: 15). We also understand how precious is this body that God has given us whenever we strengthen our belief that our body is "a temple for the Holy Spirit who is in us" (1 Corinthians 6: 19). That leads us into a greater faith that, "by his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead" (1 Corinthians 6: 14). Each and everyone of our bodies are important!
Our bodies are uniquely designed by God for a special purpose. We are called to live for what God has called us for, and we know for sure, that God has installed the so many talents and abilities within our bodies, those that are needed to live this life with fulfillment, to live by His calling. Thus, at various phases of our life, we realise that our bodies have been purpose-packaged with whatever we are called to do. It could be the various abilities, the unique ways in which the bodies could work, the amazing amount of work that the body could do, and even the fine little things that the body is able to perform. There are so many of them that we realise, when we look at our own lives, and also when we appreciate and wonder at someone else.
As believers, who are with the same thought, we also have to remember that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in it. The presence of God is expected to be always in us; in our precious bodies. And those who would like to have the temples purified, cleansed and furnished with all the dirt regularly removed, should also remember that our bodies should be maintained in the same way. Our bodies should be purified, kept clean, and furnished with all goodness within and regularly removing even the slightest dust that would try to invade. It is a temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.
Looking at the two important things, we are lead into a beautiful framework, and we clearly understand the reason why our bodies are NOT for the sexual sins, but FOR the Lord (1 Corinthians 6: 13). Imagine, a handmade designed tool, in God's hands, filled with abilities and talents, and filled with the life changing power of the Holy Spirit. What else do we need? And let me tell you, my friend, that this is the exact reason why we should run away from sin and keep our bodies away from sinning, especially the sexual sins. We read in 1 Corinthians 6: 18, that "Every other sin people do is outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies." So sexual sins corrupt our own selves, our won bodies. And this temptation that comes from the body, later begins to affect the entire walk of faith.
So, there's three honest truths to realise.
Our bodies are uniquely designed by God for a purpose.
Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit in us.
Our bodies are not for the sexual sins, but for the Lord!
Giving priority to God and His beautiful plans in your life, brings down the rest of the problems to the ground level. Whenever there's temptation around, when you know that you are on the verge of falling into sin, when you know that your body is urging you with all its energy to move you, let this priority come to your mind. Give priority to God's plan with your body, than the instant plans that the pleasure-seeking body gives you. And you will find the way out.
I pray that, God will give us the strength to always do the best with our bodies with the uniqueness that God has given us, acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit who is in us, and also to run away from sexual sins, so that those sins cannot corrupt our bodies, and also because we know that our priority in our body is for God.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ,
