Glorifying God 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Lesson for March 10-11, 2018 Brad Goad

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1 Introduction Glorifying God 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Lesson for March 10-11, 2018 Brad Goad I remember getting my first car, a 1969 Blue Chevelle Malibu. It was my car and I paid cash for it. Dave Ramsey would be proud----though it was only $700. I had every right to do to that car whatever I wanted because it was my car. However, there was something in the glove compartment that my dad pointed out at the time. It was the owner s manual. The owner s manual gave me clear directions on how to take care of this car that I now owned. Although I had the manual, I could have chosen to put water in the gas tank. It was my car I could do whatever I wanted to with the car since it was, in fact, my car. However, if I chose to put water in the gas tank even just a little there would be trouble with the engine, stalling, buckling, and even locking up. When Chevrolet wrote the Owner's Manual, they knew it would harm to put anything but gasoline in the gas tank. Hence there were warnings on how to protect the engine; how often to do oil changes, tire rotations, etc. Our life is not much different from a 1969 Blue Chevelle Malibu or any car for that matter. We have an owner s manual on how to live our life physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. God, the author of the owner s manual, has written down for us things that are designed for our protection and our good. God, the author, is also the creator. Our bodies were delicately and wonderfully made by God himself; listen how David describes it in Psalm 139. Psalm 139: 13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. Who better to listen to as it pertains to our bodies than the one who created our bodies? Physically God put us together in such a way that it all works together; there is nothing that is independent. God uses the bones, ligaments, and muscles to work together. God uses the vascular system to keep blood and oxygen flowing. God uses the nervous system to connect the brain to the finger tips to tell your body when you touch something too hot. And yet there are those of us who still think we know better than God. We disregard the owner s manual. We still put water in the tank instead of gasoline. This is nothing new in the scheme of human history.

2 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world (John 17:16). Today as we look at 1 Corinthians 6, we need to understand the setting of this chapter with Corinth as the backdrop. Although Corinth was the backdrop, Jesus word in John 17:16 was the expectation associated with Kingdom living. Corinth was a city that disregarded the owner s manual. There are cities today that provide a picture of what Corinth was like because those cities reputation is associated with worldly living. Las Vegas, once known as Sin City..What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas. Amsterdam was a City which exudes debauchery. "As a city, nowhere else exudes such debauchery in its reputation as Amsterdam. Prostitution and marijuana are flaunted with abandon. This is one of Europe's most iconic cities, both aesthetically, and in the glimpses of bizarreness that make it so different." (Times of Malta, September 8, 2013, Stephen Bailey) New Orleans depicts a reputation of not being family friendly during Mardi Gras Times Square New York City in the 1970 s vastly different from today. If you wrapped up all of these cities and their reputations, you would get close to understanding the reputation of Corinth in the first century. The city was notoriously corrupt. The word Corinth defined depravity in the Roman Empire. To Corinthianize meant to engage in drunkenness and debauchery. Greek plays portrayed Corinthians as drunkards. Alcohol abuse and sexual perversion were widespread. Prostitution was actively promoted in both the old and the new city. (Biff Johnson s 1 and 2 Corinthians Overview; This is where Paul helped plant a church and the events coincide with Paul s 3 rd Missionary Journey as depicted in Acts Throughout this first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wanted the church to be unified in thought, theology, and practice. The reality was that many of the new believers were trying to have one foot in the culture of Corinth where everything was accepted freely while keeping one foot in the church, which was obviously based on their new found faith in Jesus Christ. The first generation of Christ Followers in Corinth were trying to get their "footing" but many were stumbling along the way. Paul wanted to encourage and admonish. Paul, being led by the Holy Spirit was writing the Owner s Manual by writing to these Christ Followers in the church in Corinth. He gave them principles and instructions on how to be in the world but not to live according to the sinful ways of world. 1 Corinthians 6: 12 All things are lawful (permitted NIV) for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful (permitted NIV) for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food, but God will do away 2

3 with both of them. The body is not for 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 members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 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 immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (NASB) There are times when your kids, friends, spouse or co-worker will use your words to prove their point. That is the situation captured in these verses. Paul has always been "Grace" oriented. However, Paul has also always been clear not to take advantage of the grace God gives. Romans 6: 1-3 (The Message) So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace a new life in a new land! The Christians in Corinth were using Paul's own words to justify their actions. They were using Paul s own words "All things are lawful (permitted) for me to justify their decision to put water in the gas tank. 1 Cor. 6: 12 From Paul s perspective that is correct but when used in the proper context. The Christians in Corinth were taking it to an extreme that was not in line with the Owner s Manuel. In this letter, Paul writes these words back to them with some clarification. Look at the first part of the verse.. 1 Corinthians 6: 12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. Paul is not going back on what he has taught, but notice the clarification; "not all things are profitable," i.e., good, helpful, beneficial. Its Paul s way of saying Just because you can, doesn t mean you should. Just because you can put water in the gas tank, doesn t mean you should. There are consequences when you put water in the gas tank; it isn t profitable, good or helpful. In fact, there are consequences to that kind of choice. 3

4 Look at the second part of that verse. 1 Corinthians 6: 12 b All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. When you make a choice just because you can there is a danger of being hurt by it, broken by it, burdened by it and even mastered by it. Paul is reminding them it comes down to a choice, not just clever words or sayings. We have all known people or perhaps been guilty ourselves of rationalizing our choices and decisions. We tend to focus on the grace of God without following the Owner s Manual. Consider what happens when you put water in the gas tank. The engine can still start, and it might seem like the car is working just fine for a while, but then it begins to sputter and then it feels like it is shifting gears which are never a good sign if you are driving an automatic; then it to make noise, clunking and chugging and eventually stopping. You are stranded on the side of the road because you chose to put water in the gas tank. Think about King David.he could have anything he wanted as King. Everything was Lawful for him.everything was permissible since he was King. One day he saw Bathsheba on the balcony taking a bath David could have easily turned away, stopped looking and be done. However, David took the next step and what followed was not beneficial, helpful good or profitable. One choice led to another which led to another which led to another, each step leading him further away from the Owner and the Owner s Manual (Thou shall not commit adultery). Too many times we neglect the Owner's Manual and rationalize a simple choice. I have a friend who is a recovering alcoholic, and he says it isn't the 3 rd or 4 th drink that is the problem; it's the first sip of the first drink. Paul continues with his admonishment taking their thought process from the temporary to the eternal directing them to have a different outlook on their bodies. "The Greeks always looked down on the body. There was a proverbial saying, 'The body is a tomb.' Epictetus said, 'I am a poor soul shackled to a corpse.'" (Thomas Constable, 1 Corinthians pg. 79) In that culture, everything was done "in the moment" without considering long-term consequences much less eternity. You can't blame the new believers, they were new to the faith and had been brought up in a very secular society. Paul is saying the body you have is a gift, should never be taken for granted. God has a bigger picture mind than what you can see in this finite world, all of which is temporary. The irony is that your choices have eternal consequences not merely temporary. When someone refocuses their mindset and realizes that their body is a gift from God and that God has a purpose for their body inside out their choices should be different. 4

5 Relationship with Christ Paul reminds the Corinthians of the Power of God and the Promise of this Relationship through Jesus Christ. The point of reference is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which had only happened about 20 years prior Look at vs Cor. 6: 14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. Paul is reminding them the story of Jesus and the power of Jesus does not end there at the resurrection. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that allows us to have victory over things that are not in our best interest. The same power that gives us strength not to put water in the gas tank. There are choices that knock us down; Jesus raises us up. There are choices that stall our journey; Jesus raises us up and moves us forward. There are choices that take us off course without a map; Jesus raises us up and redirects us on the right path. It's all about relationship with God through Jesus Christ, which is more powerful than water in the gas tank. The relationship with God gives us strength, power, and victory. However, with this relationship comes responsibility. We have the choice in the relationship with Christ on how close to be, how deep to be, how faithful to be, how submissive to be; it is our choice every day. Look at the first part of vs Cor. 6: 15 a Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Paul is making it very clear that the relationship with Christ is so personal it is not just spiritual, but it is mental, it is emotional and it indeed physical. Again Paul is trying to get them to refocus on their relationship with Jesus Christ and that it is all-encompassing, beyond just the intangible but includes the tangible. If we ended with that one question, it would be dramatic and thought-provoking. However, Paul did not end with that question, he takes it a step further diving right into the culture of the day in Corinth and the struggle some were having even in the early church in Corinth. 1 Cor. 6: 15 b Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? 5

6 To be honest, just the way that is phrased makes us uncomfortable, and it should make us uncomfortable. God forgive us if we ever become complacent and apathetic to where a phrase like that doesn't make us cringe. Paul wanted them to cringe because they were struggling with something that was very "cringe-worthy." They were living in a society where it was not unusual for prostitutes to be at the Temple of Aphrodite, historians say up to 1000 prostitutes, and it was part of their culture and pagan religion. Paul needed to capture their attention, and he did so with that question. And then Paul answered it abruptly and absolutely. The last four (4) words of the verse, "May it Never Be!" The Exclamation Point is in the original text. Paul was serious about this, and he continues to cause us some discomfort as he pursues this line of thinking. 1 Cor. 6: 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. Paul goes all the way back to Genesis with this lesson. That which God intended between a husband and wife was being ignored for their temporary pleasure simply because "they could." The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. The relationship with Jesus Christ takes you to a whole new level beyond the temporary. God takes that which is temporal and makes it eternal. We are unified with Jesus in the most intimate of all relationships. Peter even addresses this in his second letter. 2 Peter 1: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. In this relationship with Jesus Christ, we have "become partakers of the divine nature." Our relationship with Jesus is truly "out of this world" it is divine, and we too often want to cheapen it and settle for the temporary, finite, earthly nature. Peter talks about escaping the corruption that is in the world by lust. We want to put water in the gas tank, neglecting the Owner's Manual, because obviously, we know better. Back to what Paul is saying; Paul then says two powerful words. Flee Immorality. You could shorten it down to simply one word: RUN! The perfect example of making godly decisions and fleeing immorality is seen in the life of Joseph. Joseph was trusted by Pharaoh but Pharaoh s wife made it clear that she wanted to have an intimate relationship with Joseph. Joseph could have very easily succumbed to the advances of Potiphar's wife. Joseph wasn't around family or friends. Joseph had been abandoned by his family. Joseph was vulnerable and this woman made advances on more than on be occasion. 6

7 Honestly, it would have been easy for Joseph to succumb to her advances and simply have sex with her; what harm would it be? Joseph refused time again and said because he understood that he was not of this world. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God? Gen. 39: 9 b Joseph even realized that the sin would be against God on a deeper level. Joseph ended up one day physically "running away".fleeing immorality. It can be done when you look at it from the proper eternal perspective. Now let s look at the last two verses. 1 Corinthians 6: 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought a price: therefore glorify God in your body. Paul is saying our bodies are not just skin and bones, ligaments and muscles, blood flowing through veins; our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. The Corinthians were accustomed to seeing the Temple of Aphrodite, but to think of a Temple being their Body was hard for us to imagine ourselves just the temple of God. As a Christ Followers, God dwells in each of us by the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 1:14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. God loves us so much that he doesn't want a long-distance relationship - Him being in Heaven and us on this earth. God sent Jesus to earth to become one of us and understand firsthand all of our temptations and struggles yet living a perfect life. God loves us so much that He allowed Jesus to be sacrificed on the Cross for our sins, once and for all, be buried in a tomb for three days, to rise with the victory (the power of the resurrection) and ascended into heaven with a promise of His return. Jesus promised He would leave a Helper, the Holy Spirit to be with us until His return. The Holy Spirit now dwells in each of us as Christ Followers to walk with us, guide us, protect us, teach us, convict us, and simply be with us every day. Salvation is a Free Gift to us, but it was bought with a price, the blood of Jesus on the cross. And through all of that God still gives us the choice of what we are going to do with our bodies. Paul simply, but emphatically says, glorify God in your body. May the fullness of who you are emotionally, mentally, spiritually and even physically glorify God. Perhaps some have forgotten to look at the Owner s Manual; perhaps leaving it in the glove compartment. Perhaps you have chosen to put water in the gas tank. The beautiful thing about God is the cleansing power of forgiveness. In fact, Peter reminded them of that fact right before these verses. Look at vs. 11 7

8 1 Corinthians 6: 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. The Owner s Manuel says you were washed, you were sanctified, and you justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. In that verse, you have the fullness of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Today would be a great time to get reacquainted with the Owner s Manual. The grace of God tells us, it is never too late! 8