An Earthly Body with a Heavenly Purpose
- Jul 16, 2009 -
Sermon Outline
Flee from sexual immorality! “Every sin a person can commit is outside the body,” but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Context
In these verses, the Apostle Paul warns the people of Corinth to flee from sexual immorality. The reasoning behind his admonition is that through faith in Christ their bodies had become temples in which either self or God in the person of the Holy Spirit is enshrined. The presence of the Spirit is made possible only when a person has been redeemed by the blood of Christ from the marketplace of sin. Just as a slave was purchased on the auction block by another person, we have been bought by Christ. Like the slave, we are not the owner of our life. We are His by right of redemption, called to glorify Him in every aspect of life.
Introduction
Sexual purity is not something we hear very much about these days, neither in the media nor in the marketplace. That which entices and lures people into sexual immorality is the tool most often used to draw attention by the media mogul and the marketer. The old adage that “sex sells” has proven itself true more often than we would dare attempt to count.
Almost without exception, movies that are generated by the folks in Hollywood are “sexed up” to gain an “R” rating because that will supposedly garner better attendance and, therefore, more money. Television is nearly as bad. Almost every show, even on network channels which have stricter controls than cable channels, appeals to the sensual to gain a viewing. Several magazines are required by state or local laws to be displayed in magazine racks with part of the cover obscured because of the cover image’s graphic appeal to sex to boost sales—and some that aren’t covered should be since many are getting more and more risqué every day.
Is it any wonder that those who sell clothing offer more and more that imitates that which is viewed on both the big and small screen and in the pages of some magazines? We can almost understand—but not condone—stores like Victoria’s Secret, Fredericks of Hollywood, and Abercrombie & Fitch marketing these kinds of things. But until recently, most of the major retailers carried clothing that was more modest. Many of them now are offering more revealing clothing with the excuse that this is all people will buy.
But some are beginning to take a stand and call for more modest fashions. Examples are the singing group Barlow Girl (OS1) and the teenagers known as Youth for Modesty in Gilbert, Arizona (OS2). David and Diane Vaughn, in their book The Beauty of Modesty: Cultivating Virtue in the Face of a Vulgar Culture (Cumberland House, 2005), say, “What we do with our bodies, and yes, even how we clothe them, reflects our worldview, our spirituality, and our virtue. Of course, a carnal person may dress in a modest manner. External modesty may be used as a mere façade. But a spiritual person will not dress immodestly. A person who is dressing or acting in a wanton or ostentatious fashion is someone with an inner problem, either emotional, moral, or spiritual. And that inner problem is manifesting itself in the appearance” (OS3).
1. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (19a). Also see 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:19-22; and Acts 17:24.
- In the Old Testament, the temple was a place of worship—not self-gratification. (CC2)
- The word used by Paul (naos) referred to the Holy of Holies—the inner sanctuary where the ark resided—not the whole temple (hieron). (WS1, CC1, OS5)
- The Holy of Holies was where God manifested His presence—where He lived.
- Defiling the temple was something God did not take lightly (Lev. 15:31; 20:3; and Ezek. 20:7, 18).
- In New Testament times, the temple where God resides is the body of the person who professes faith in Christ.
- In the same way as in Old Testament times, defiling God’s temple is a serious matter (1 Cor. 3:17; Mark 7:18-23).
- In Mark 7, Jesus includes “lewdness” as one of the sins that defile a person. Lewdness includes any behavior that suggests sexual looseness, including immodest dress.
- Believers must take seriously the fact that they are the temple of God. (CC3)
2. Our body belongs to God—not us (19b-20a). Also see 1 Cor. 3:17; 2 Cor. 6:16; Heb. 8:10; and 1 Pet. 2:9.
- Paul indicates that the reason we do not control our own bodies is that we have been purchased by God at a price.
- The word Paul uses (agorazo) means to purchase something (often a slave) in the market place for one’s own use. (WS2, CC4)
- The person bought became the property of the buyer and was no longer in control of his life. (CC5, CC6)
- The believer, when he or she comes to a relationship with Christ, is no longer his own master—no longer free to choose what he or she wants. (CC7)
God, because of the price paid by His Son on the Cross, owns us.
We are freed from sin, Satan, and the world and enslaved to Christ to live for Him.
3. Our body is made to honor God (18, 20b). See also 1 Cor. 6:13. Two actions are called for in honoring God.
- First, “flee from sexual immorality” (18). (CC8, CC9)
- The word “flee” in Greek is one that means “to take flight.” (WS3)
- Sexual immorality, including immodesty, is not something to play with, but to be fled from.
- The best example of this is Joseph in Genesis 39:7-12.
- First Peter 2:11 tells us to “abstain from fleshly desires.” Joseph resisted temptation by retreating from it—fast.
- Second, “glorify God in your body” (20b). (WS4, CC10, CC11)
- Glorify God with our lips (Ps. 50:15; Rom 15:6).
- Glorify God with our heart (Rom 15:6; Ps. 86:12).
- Glorify God with our whole life (Matt. 5:16; 2 Cor. 9:13; 1 Pet. 2:12).
- Glorify God in our death (John 21:19).
Conclusion
“The issue of modesty is nothing new, but it seems the church has lost its voice. There is little or no difference between what many Christians and non-Christians wear . . . Because our culture glorifies appearance and emphasizes sex appeal, we must address this issue with our children from an early age. If we want our teenagers and adult children to reflect godly morals in their dress, we must lay godly foundations when they are young.
“As Christians, our standards come from God’s Word, not from pop culture. Excessive exposure to sexual material has desensitized the church. Everywhere we look, we see people in various stages of undress. From lingerie advertisements to fellow shoppers, we see it all . . . It is our job as parents to learn what the Bible says about our clothing and appearance, implement it in our own lives, and teach it to our children.
“As believers, we are called to be holy, or set apart. This does not come naturally, nor is it always convenient. It takes time to process what the Bible says about modesty and how we will specifically apply that to our family. It also requires sacrifice, but some things are just plain wrong for Christians to wear” (OS4).
Bible verses about Sexual Purity:
Genesis 39:6-10; Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:6-20, 22-23; Leviticus 20:10-21; Deuteronomy 5:18; Deuteronomy 27:21; 1 Kings 15:11-12; Proverbs 2:16-17; Proverbs 5:3, 18-20; Proverbs 6:25-35; Proverbs 22:14; Matthew 5:27-28; Matthew 15:19; Matthew 19:3-9; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 15-16, 18; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, 9; 1 Corinthians 10:8; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3, 5; Colossians 3:5; 2 Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 4:2-3; 1 John 2:16
Word Studies (WS)
WS1—temple—“The New Testament writers used two different Greek words to describe the ‘temple’: naos and hieron. Naos refers to the actual ‘sanctuary’ of the temple, the place of God’s dwelling. Hieron refers to the ‘temple precincts’ as well as to the ‘sanctuary.’ Generally speaking, naos was used to designate the inner section of the temple known as the ‘holy place’ and the ‘holy of holies,’ whereas hieron would designate the outer court and the temple proper.
“In the Gospels, these words are usually used to describe the two parts of the temple in Jerusalem. In Paul’s Epistles, hieron and naos also carry a spiritual significance. The word naos appears six times (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21; 2 Thess. 2:4) and hieron once (1 Cor. 9:13) in Paul’s writings. When speaking of the actual physical temple, he uses the word hieron_to indicate the place where the priests offered up animal sacrifices on the altar (1 Cor. 9:13), which was situated in the outer court (Exod. 27-29, 40). He uses the word _naos—the word that designates the place of God’s presence—when referring to the abominable act of the man of lawlessness usurping God’s place in the temple (2 Thess. 2:3-4).
“In all of Paul’s other passages, naos is used metaphorically—to depict a human habitation for the divine Spirit. In one instance the sanctuary image describes the individual believer’s body (1 Cor. 6:19); in every other instance the sanctuary depicts Christ’s body as ‘the church’ (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21). In arguing for sexual purity Paul asked the Corinthians, ‘Do you not know that your body is a temple [sanctuary] of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?’ (1 Cor. 6:19, NRSV). Each person who has been spiritually united to the Lord is His sanctified dwelling place; his or her body belongs to the Lord. Those now sanctified by the Lord are now His holy temple (as contrasted to a pagan temple) joined to the Lord (not to a prostitute) by virtue of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit” [Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
WS2—bought—“from agorá
WS3—flee—“apparently a primary verb; to run away (literal or figurative); by implication to shun; by analogy to vanish :- escape, flee (away)” [Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
WS4—glorify—“primarily denotes ‘to suppose’ (from doxa, ‘an opinion’); in the NT (a) ‘to magnify, extol, praise’ . . . especially of ‘glorifying’ God, i.e., ascribing honor to Him, acknowledging Him as to His being, attributes and acts” [Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
Commentary Citations (CC)
CC1—“Each Christian is a temple in which God dwells. The word is naos, referring to the sacred shrine, the sanctuary, not hieron, which includes the entire precincts [Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1983), 103].
CC2—“Christians’ bodies are God’s temple, and a temple is for worship. Our bodies, therefore, have one supreme purpose: to glorify God. This is a call to live so as to bring honor to the person of God, who alone is worthy of our obedience and adoration” [John MacArthur, First Corinthians, The New Testament Commentary (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
CC3—“The Holy Spirit takes up residence in believers, making their bodies a holy place for the dwelling of God’s special presence. That the Holy Spirit resides in believers points to the new nature of believers’ bodies. Believers’ bodies are sanctified and holy, being in union with Christ. When a person in Christ engages in sexual immorality, that immorality runs contrary to the new nature and new identity of his body. The Christian has been redeemed for good works (Eph. 2:10), so he ought to use his body for good deeds and righteousness, not for sin.”
Richard L. Pratt, Jr., I & II Corinthians (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 101-102.
CC4—“Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost—What an astonishing saying is this! As truly as the living God dwelt in the Mosaic tabernacle, and in the temple of Solomon, so truly does the Holy Ghost dwell in the souls of genuine Christians; and as the temple and all its utensils were holy, separated from all common and profane uses, and dedicated alone to the service of God, so the bodies of genuine Christians are holy, and all their members should be employed in the service of God alone . . . Ye have no right over yourselves, to dispose either of your body, or any of its members, as you may think proper or lawful; you are bound to God, and to him you are accountable” [Adam Clarke’s Commentary (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
CC5—“As the slave who is purchased by his master for a sum of money is the sole property of that master, so ye, being bought with the price of the blood of Christ, are not your own, you are his property. As the slave is bound to use all his skill and diligence for the emolument of his master, so you should employ body, soul, and spirit in the service of your Lord; promoting, by every means in your power, the honor and glory of your God, whom you must also consider as your Lord and Master” [Adam Clarke’s Commentary (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
CC6—“With a price… A price is that which is paid for an article, and which, in the view of the seller, is a fair compensation, or a valuable consideration why he should part with it; that is, the price paid is as valuable to him as the thing itself would be. It may not be the same thing either in quality or quantity, but it is that which to him is a sufficient consideration why he should part with his property. When an article is bought for a valuable consideration, it becomes wholly the property of the purchaser. He may keep it, direct it, dispose of it. Nothing else is to be allowed to control it without his consent. The language here is figurative. It does not mean that there was strictly a commercial transaction in the redemption of the church, a literal quid pro quo, for the thing spoken of pertains to moral government, and not to commerce. It means,
(1) That Christians have been redeemed, or recovered to God.
(2) That this has been done by a valuable consideration, or that which, in his view, was a full equivalent for the sufferings that they would have endured if their had suffered the penalty of the law.
(3) That this valuable consideration was the blood of Jesus, as an stoning sacrifice, an offering, a ransom, which would accomplish the same great ends in maintaining the truth and honour of God, and the majesty of his law, as the eternal condemnation of the sinner would have done; and which, therefore, may be called, figuratively, the price which was paid. For if the same ends of justice could be accomplished by his atonement which would have been by the death of the sinner himself, then it was consistent for God to pardon him.
(4) Nothing else could or would have done this. There was no price which the sinner could pay, no atonement which he could make; and, consequently, if Christ had not died, the sinner would have been the slave of sin, and the servant of the devil for ever.
(5) As the Christian is thus purchased, ransomed, redeemed, he is bound to devote himself to God only, and to keep his commands, and to flee from a licentious life” [Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
CC7—“We belong to Christ for we are bought with a price—even the passion and sacrifice of our Holy Redeemer. The greatness of the love is measured by the great¬ness of the price paid; and the greatness of the price paid defies all words and transcends all thought. When we try to realize it we are overwhelmed with the mystery, and we veil our faces in awe. We summon to our aid such human analogies as experience suggests or as history records. The devotion of the friend risking his life to save another life as dear to him as his own; the bravery of the captain and the crew sinking calmly and resolutely into their watery grave, without a shudder, without a regret, disdaining to survive while one weak woman or one feeble child is left in peril; the heroism of the patriot hostage condemning himself to a certain and cruel death rather than forfeit his honour on the one hand, or consent to terms disastrous to his country’s welfare on the other—all these have the highest value as examples of human courage and self-devotion But how little, after all, does any such sacrifice help us to realize the magnitude of the Great Sacrifice. The analogy fails just where we look for its aid. It is the infinity of the price paid for our redemption that is its essential char¬acteristic. It is the fact that God gave not a life like our lives, not a weak, erring, sin-stricken, sorrow-laden victim like ourselves, but gave His only-begotton Son, gave His Eternal Word, to become flesh, to work and to suffer, to live and to die, for our sakes. It is the fact that the Glory of the Invisible God condescended to visit this earth, to hunger and thirst, to ‘be despised and to be crucified.’ The sacrifice is unique, because the Person is unique. It is this divinity in the sacrifice that gives it power to reconcile and bind our hearts to God. It is God Himself proving how much He loves us by the price which He is willing to pay for us.”
James Hasting, ed., The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The Speaker’s Bible (Aberdeen, Scotland: The Speaker’s Bible Office, 1927), 136
CC8—“Paul’s counsel regarding sexual sin is the same as Solomon’s in the book of Proverbs: Flee immorality. The present imperative of the Greek indicates the idea is to flee continually and to keep fleeing until the danger is past. When we are in danger of such immorality, we should not argue or debate or explain, and we certainly should not try to rationalize. We are not to consider it a spiritual challenge to be met but a spiritual trap to be escaped. We should get away as fast as we can” [John MacArthur, First Corinthians, The New Testament Commentary (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
CC9—“The body is for the Lord; is to be an instrument of righteousness to holiness, therefore is never to be made an instrument of sin . . . The hope of a resurrection to glory, should keep Christians from dishonoring their bodies by fleshly lusts. And if the soul be united to Christ by faith, the whole man is become a member of his spiritual body. Other vices may be conquered in fight; that here cautioned against, only by flight” [Matthew Henry Concise Commentary (Austin, TX: WORDSearch 7 Electronic version, WORDSearch Corp., 2004)].
CC10—“In most Western cultures, where sexual mores have blatantly moved toward pagan standards, the doctrine of the sanctity of body needs to be heard anew within the church. Sexual immorality is sin, even though it has been justified under every conceivable rationalization. Those who take Scripture seriously are not prudes or legalists at this point; rather, they recognize that God has purchased us for higher things. Our bodies belong to God through the redemption of the cross; and they are destined for resurrection. Part of the reason why Christians flee sexual immorality is that their bodies are for the Lord, who is to be honored in the deeds of the body as well as in all other behavior and attitudes.”
Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987), 266.
CC11—“The aorist ‘glorify’ is urgent because of its tense. This tense implies that the glorification thus urged must be attained. The present imperative would not only be milder in its urgency, it would also imply a gradual process and thus leave open the question of full glorification. To glorify God in our body means so to use our earthly body that men may actually see that also these our bodies belong to God. We refuse to use them for sinful acts; we reserve them wholly for obe¬dience to God.”
R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians Columbus, OH: Wartburg Press, 1957), 271
Other Sources (OS)
OS1—“In a world that constantly bombards us with impurity and immodesty, we feel called to take a stand against what the world is telling us is acceptable. Especially in the area of clothing and modesty.”
“Bios,” http://www.barlowgirl.com/bios/ (Barlow Girl) [Accessed November 11, 2005]
OS2— A group of teens in Gilbert, Arizona have formed Youth for Modesty, focusing on clothing fashions for teenagers. The group, led by 17-year-old Cassi Castleton, formed out of a church youth group that was concerned with the lack of modest clothing available for purchase at the retail outlets. So far, they have raised almost 1,000 signatures on a petition that was presented to clothing stores.
“Parents and students in Valley school districts have complained in recent years that it’s been increasingly difficult to find school-appropriate clothing when retailers offer mostly low-rise jeans, sheer mini-tees and shrunken tennis skirts in their back-to-school collections.
“Most East Valley school districts, including Gilbert Public Schools, don’t allow the skimpy tops and suggestive slogan T-shirts that dominate the shelves at retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch.
“Many of the kids have resorted to layering T-shirts and tanks from their favorite stores to make sure they are school-appropriate and showing less skin.
“‘We’ve been getting calls from all over the Valley,’ said Rosanne Tidwell, one of the church youth group leaders aiding Youth for Modesty. ‘I guess that tells you how important a thing this is.’”
Excerpted from Cary Aspinwall, “Teens Seek Modest Outfits,” http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ (Arizona Republic), September 6, 2005 [Access fee required]
OS3—“What we do with our bodies, and yes, even how we clothe them, reflects our worldview, our spirituality, and our virtue. Of course, a carnal person may dress in a modest manner. External modesty may be used as a mere façade. But a spiritual person will not dress immodestly. A person who is dressing or acting in a wanton or ostentatious fashion is someone with an inner problem, either emotional, moral, or spiritual. And that inner problem is manifesting itself in the appearance.”
David and Diane Vaughn, The Beauty of Modesty: Cultivating Virtue in the Face of a Vulgar Culture (Nashville: Cumberland House, 2005), 64.
OS4—“The issue of modesty is nothing new, but it seems the church has lost its voice. There is little or no difference between what Christians and non-Christians wear . . . Because our culture glorifies appearance and emphasizes sex appeal, we must address this issue with our children from an early age. If we want our teenagers and adult children to reflect godly morals in their dress, we must lay godly foundations when they are young.
“As Christians, our standards come from God’s Word, not from pop culture. Excessive exposure to sexual material has desensitized the church. Everywhere we look, we see people in various stages of undress. From lingerie advertisements to fellow shoppers, we see it all . . . It is our job as parents to learn what the Bible says about our clothing and appearance, implement it in our own lives, and teach it to our children.
“As believers, we are called to be holy, or set apart. This does not come naturally, nor is it always convenient. It takes time to process what the Bible says about modesty and how we will specifically apply that to our family. It also requires sacrifice, but some things are just plain wrong for Christians to wear.”
Excerpted from Michelle Lippincott, “Rediscovering Modesty in an Immodest World,” http://www.lifeway.com/
OS5—“The temple consisted of three sections: 1. The Ulam or porch through which the temple proper was entered. 2. The Hekhal or Holy Place, which was lighted by clerestory windows (I Kings 6: 4). Its dimensions were 30 feet wide, 60 feet long and 45 feet high. It was paneled with cedar, with gold inlay to relieve the wooden monotony and to give the impression of grandeur. 3. The Devir or Holy of Holies (2 Chron. 3:8-13), the inner sanctum, a 30 foot cube, windowless and overlaid with gold. The floor was raised and the cubicle was reached by steps from the Hekhal. Here God especially manifested His presence by the Shekinah glory cloud.
Merrill C. Tenney, ed., The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1967), 831.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Family, Sexual Purity, Abstinence, Dating, Modesty, Pornography