12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 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.
Commentary
Vs. 12 "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
Having just addressed the seriousness of moral sins that will keep people out of the Kingdom of heaven (vs. 9-11). The Apostle Paul now lays done some principals about those things that are in effect morally indifferent. To do this Paul begins by saying, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
Notice first then that "all things are lawful for me". That is all things that are morally indifferent are lawful for us, food, drink, activities, hobbies, personal likes and dislikes, basically anything that is morally indifferent is indeed lawful for us. Thus we do not need to ask anyone about whether or not we should do this or that. If it's morally indifferent than it's lawful for you and me. That said, you and I have a responsibility to God to weigh the benefits (or potential harm) of doing something, or not doing something. For though all things are lawful for us, not all things are helpful (i.e. profitable). Junk food is lawful, but if all I do is it eat it, it certainly won't be helpful to me, or anyone else, especially if all I do is openly indulge in it while my brother or sister In Christ is dieting. Same with wine and such, it's lawful, but if I abuse it, it certainly won't be helpful to me, nor the person who has a weak conscience about it, and observes my drinking it (see Rom 14). Thus simply because something is lawful for me does not mean that it will always be helpful (i.e profitable) in every situation, especially if my doing something makes someone stumble in their own faith. Thus out of love for our brethren, and others, we are not use our liberties in Christ to the harm of anyone. That's one key principal. Now the other is how will my doing this affect me personally? For our liberties in Christ should not lead us to be brought under the power of anything. Yes we should enjoy life, and all of the wonderful things in it, yet we must not be brought under the power of anything. For food or drink, or anything else we have, or do, does not make our lives (consider Luke 12:15). If it does then we have only become subservient to it, and not to Christ, who is our life! For it is Christ alone who gives us Spiritual life and brings life and liberty into our lives. Now this He does for His own glory and eternal purposes which we are to do, pursue, and fulfill down here. Thus all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of anything. Therefore if my doing something enslaves me to it, then I don't want it anything to do with it! Similarly if something is taking me away from God's purposes for me, than such things or activities have ceased to be profitable to me, and they will always take a second place to my first love and purpose who is Christ Jesus My Lord and Savior.
Vs. 13-14 "Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
Here the Apostle Paul addresses the temporary. Food is for the stomach and the stomach was made for food, so that through them God can nourish our bodies. But beyond that both will be destroyed. Thus to live for food, and gratifying the stomach's (or my bodily) appetites is only folly. Food is to be enjoyed with all thanksgiving, not lived for. Similarly sexual intimacy has a place in a married persons life, but sexual relations should not be lived for, and thus constitute ones life. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Thus our bodies are to be sanctified to the Lord, to be His temple and His dwelling place. For our bodies were made from the very beginning for the Lord to be His dwelling place. Thus the Body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body. For it is the Lord who gives our bodies their life, dignity, and purity. Therefore our bodies should never be used for sexual immorality, rather for the Lord. Now the Apostle concludes his thought here on the temporary with the eternal by saying that just as God raised up Christ from the dead through His power, so He will raise up each one of us who believe in Him (vs. 14). The eternal then is to be our focus, with both our spirits and our bodies.
Vs. 15 "Do you not know that your bodies are members of
Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members
of a harlot? Certainly not!"
"Do you not know that your
bodies are members of Christ" The Apostle Paul's question is poignant. Because each and every believers body is sanctified to God because of our co-union with Christ. Therefore to abuse ones body through sexual immoral activities with a harlot is unthinkable! For the Corinthians in professing to be wise and understanding should
have known that everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ becomes a member
of Christ's body. And so just as the body of Christ is holy, so all
are it's members bodies. The Corinthians laxity regarding their sexual morality needed a lot of
correction, and that is what the Apostle is doing here, through his asking this
question and then promptly answering it. For cultural values aside, God's Word does
not change, and it alone is to guide our beliefs on all sexual morality.
Vs. 16-17 16 Or do you not know that he who is
joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He
says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is
one spirit with Him.
To have sexual relations with a harlot is only to be joined to her! To be joined to a woman who knowingly and openly defiles her own body for money! Not something a man who considers his steps (and considers well the consequences of where he steps) would want to do. For as the Scripture says, "the two shall become one flesh." Thus there is a union that is made when sexual relations take place between a man and a women that will affect ones person in a very intimate way. Linking them then in a way that cannot be easily brushed aside or readily broken. That all said, there is a spiritual union that exceeds everything, and that is ones spiritual union with the Lord. Now it is because of each and every
believers personal union with Christ that makes such a union with a harlot untenable and absolutely undesirable. For to take our bodies, which are holy and united to the Lord, being sanctified by Him by His Spirit, and take them and be joined in sexual
union to a harlot is again absolutely untenable, and if you've retained any of your God given sensibilities, it is only disgusting to be defiled by a defiled woman, to become one flesh with her.
Vs. 18-20 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin
that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins
against his own body. 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.
Here the Apostle Paul could not
make it any more clear, Flee sexual immorality! For not only is it a sin
against the Lord, but sexual immorality will reek devastating effects on your person and in
your life if you partake in it; effects which will be felt in both your body and your spirit (consider
Prov. 5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:1-27; Mark 9:42-50;1 John 5:18 etc.). That is
why the Apostle Paul warns us by saying that whoever commits sexual immorality
sins against their own body (vs. 18). For though we are united
with Christ and members of His body, it will be the offender alone who will bear
the consequences of their sin (Heb. 13:4). Now to encourage their leaving their sexual immorality behind them, the Apostle Paul now asks them, "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?" vs. 19
The Corinthians ignorance again is revealed through the Apostle's familiar refrain, "Do you not know...? Thus their ignorance and lack of knowledge of just what their redeemed persons are should have been a point of humility and repentance for them, since their bodies, like all believers bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who as Paul says here lives in us, who has come to us from God, and who I might add is the seal and sanctifier of our persons, and all because we were purchased back from sin and death by the precious blood of Christ. Therefore Paul's word to us all here is just a reiteration of his early statement where he warned us all, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." 1 Cor 3:16-17
Therefore in light of such things, in our being purchased back by God and now indwelt by God's Spirit we are now to glorify God in our bodies and our spirits and have nothing to do with sexual immorality (either seeing it, or partaking of it) which only is dishonoring to God and ultimately corrupting to one's body and one's own spirit. For we who know God, know the truth about these things through God's Word, which has also set us free from sin and death and made us partakers of the Divine Nature through our co-union with Christ (2 Peter 2:14). Therefore let no who names Christ as Lord deceive themselves anymore about sexual immorality and the consequences of it (1 John 5:18). Rather let us use our bodies and spirits to glorify God, and thus pursue the things that will make for purity and peace in our own lives, and the lives of others as well (consider Isaiah 48:18).
The Corinthians ignorance again is revealed through the Apostle's familiar refrain, "Do you not know...? Thus their ignorance and lack of knowledge of just what their redeemed persons are should have been a point of humility and repentance for them, since their bodies, like all believers bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who as Paul says here lives in us, who has come to us from God, and who I might add is the seal and sanctifier of our persons, and all because we were purchased back from sin and death by the precious blood of Christ. Therefore Paul's word to us all here is just a reiteration of his early statement where he warned us all, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." 1 Cor 3:16-17
Therefore in light of such things, in our being purchased back by God and now indwelt by God's Spirit we are now to glorify God in our bodies and our spirits and have nothing to do with sexual immorality (either seeing it, or partaking of it) which only is dishonoring to God and ultimately corrupting to one's body and one's own spirit. For we who know God, know the truth about these things through God's Word, which has also set us free from sin and death and made us partakers of the Divine Nature through our co-union with Christ (2 Peter 2:14). Therefore let no who names Christ as Lord deceive themselves anymore about sexual immorality and the consequences of it (1 John 5:18). Rather let us use our bodies and spirits to glorify God, and thus pursue the things that will make for purity and peace in our own lives, and the lives of others as well (consider Isaiah 48:18).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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