Keep the Temple Clean

Paul is continuing to address moral and ethical issues within the church.

it is important to remember the issue of sexual immorality is probably not the only issue facing the church but it is one that is prevalent in the church at Corinth.

More importantly, Paul is addressing the attitude of the heart that lies behind the issue at hand…

1 Corinthians 6:12–20 CSB

12 “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 “Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? So should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh. 17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 18 Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. 19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

We have liberty in Christ.

Paul tells us that everything is permissible for us - liberty.

Obviously, there are some things that are not permissible ie. murder, etc.

We need to be wise with our liberty in Christ.

Just because we are allowed to do it doesn’t mean that it benefits us.

Just because I can do something doesn’t mean someone else can too.

We may be allowed to do something but if it begins to take control it becomes a god or idol and is not welcome.

4 questions we should ask ourselves

Jesus saved all of us so what we do affects body AND spirit.

We may not see it right away but almost every sin can have some affect on us physically.

Think about food - we can eat just about anything we want but at some point those choices will influence our physical health.

Of all the sins, Paul warns especially against sexual immorality.

Not only does sin affect our body but it affects the body of Christ, the church.

Why would we intentionally do harm to the body of Christ? Why would you intentionally do damage to the dwelling place of God.

We are the dwelling place of God - keep the temple clean!

The glory of God dwells within us through His Holy Spirit.

We have no right to misuse the temple because it is no longer ours - Jesus has purchased us completely and we are His.

A clean temple glorifies God.