“From prison to temple” (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Listen to Sermon

Pastor Tom Johnson, January 14, 2018

Consider the recent news of scandals in the film industry and others in positions of authority and privilege. It is a disturbing revelation of the abuse of power. People are having more and more courage to speak out and the courage to listen. Our Scripture from Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun. One person exploits another for gain and pleasure. That is pretty much the story of the human race from the beginning. Our Scripture warns us against this destructive and harmful behavior. In particular, sin which involves the body. Food and physical intimacy are the two examples. In particular, Paul is disturbed to hear that Christians in Corinth are pleasuring themselves through prostitution. And he wants it to stop.

What I admire so much about Paul—and what I am so thankful to the Holy Spirit who inspired him—is that he does not try to shame or guilt people into a more godly behavior. He does not threaten. Instead, he shows us that we have a higher calling. We are the people of God. We have been given something even more beautiful and priceless. But in order to draw us there, he teaches us something about sin itself. Sin is not just the act. Sin is not just the bad stuff we do. And it is not just harming others. Sin is a condition. Sin begins in our hearts—our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. It’s even worse than that. Sin holds us captive and we cannot free ourselves. And so Paul asks, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?” This is a powerful question. And the New Testament Greek anticipates a resounding yes!

You know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, don’t you? You know that your physical body is God’s gift, don’t you? You know that your body was redeemed by the blood of Jesus on the Cross, don’t you? If that is true—and it is—then would not the truth of that have a huge impact on my life? My body is Temple. The Holy Spirit lives and works there. My body is not just a bag of bones and or a piece of meat—it’s a gift of God that he created. As our Psalm says today: “You created my inmost parts…you knit me together in my mother’s womb. …I am marvelously made.” The eternal Son of God became flesh and blood and gave that flesh and blood to make us his own—to purchase us—to redeems us from the power and dominion of sin.

Sin is the anti-Gospel. We do not treat our bodies as something sacred. We treat one another’s bodies as something we consume for self-gratification. Physical intimacy becomes a transaction. We cheapen God’s gifts. And we cheat ourselves. Paul says, “I will not be dominated by anything.” And that anything is the lust and desire of the flesh. It’s a scary thing to realize that we may be dominated or ruled by sin. In other words, our bodies are more like a prison holding us captive. We cannot free ourselves from our addiction—whether it is to food, physical intimacy or anything else. We cannot help ourselves break out of the cycle of abuse or being abused. We need a Savior. Christ lived, died, and rose again so that we would be free!

I believe one breakthrough in understanding is in the wisdom of the Golden Rule: love your neighbor as yourself—with an emphasis on loving yourself. Loving yourself does not mean becoming a narcissist. It does not mean living to please one’s self. It does not mean making you and your ego the center of the universe. Loving yourself means seeing yourself as God sees you. It means having compassion for you. It means empathizing with your own plight. It means being committed to what God is committed to—he wants your very best.

You know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, don’t you? You know that your physical body is God’s gift, don’t you? You know that your body was redeemed by the blood of Jesus on the Cross, don’t you? If you do, then will see food as something you eat to live—not something you live to eat. You will see physical intimacy and affection as a beautiful expression of union, love, cherishing the other, full acceptance, and vulnerability without shame.

With that understanding, we will not exploit, abuse, or use someone else. Their body and life are also a gift. They too bear the image of God. Christ also died and rose again from the dead for them. We love them as we love ourselves. We love them as Christ loves us. We have an epiphany; we clearly understand the love of God for us in Christ. We clearly understand that our freedom has been purchased by his precious blood. The prison doors swing wide open. We are now free to be a place where the Holy Spirit dwells and reigns. We become good stewards of our own bodies. We get to embody the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world, don’t we? That is truly a holy place—a special, unique, and sacred calling—to be members of Christ’s Body to the world, isn’t it? We are instruments that draw others into the presence of God—his forgiveness, and his promise of eternal life, are we not?