1ST CORINTHIANS 6:12-20 "UNMATCHED VALUATION
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LAST WEEK
LAST WEEK
We looked at a very controversial text.
A text that many Christians use to point out certain people and certain sins.
But a text that actually points to how Great God is to save
A text that points to a process that puts God in the center of the redemption process.
It makes the Gospel so hopeful for everyone.
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
We all fell in this category, because at the end of the day, we all know that there is not one righteous no not one.
THIS WEEK
THIS WEEK
We are going to see Paul get real personal
He is going to open up a bit about how he handles the freedoms he has as a Christian.
He is also going to speak to some behaviors that expose some broken areas of our lives.
Maybe today you don’t feel broken, but maybe you admit you need some work.
That is all I have been praying for.
For us to be open to the word of God when it comes to these areas of opportunities in our lives.
TURN TO
TURN TO
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.
PRAY
PRAY
1 Cor 6:12
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.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU EVER BEGAN TO SPEAK WHAT YOU FEEL, AND HALF WAY THROUGH, YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF IN A DEEP HOLE?
HALF WAY THROUGH YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE IN THE FLESH AND THERE IS NO WAY OUT?
Church, I can’t tell you how thankful I am for verse 12
As a man who questions his actions all of the time
This verse has helped and is helping me process and wonder, before I act or speak.
I am nowhere near perfect, but this verse is the filter through which I function.
AS A BELIEVER, THIS VERSE SHOULD SET A PACE FOR EVERY BEHAVIORAL QUESTION REGARDING CHRISTIAN LIVING
WHENEVER YOU COME TO THE QUESTION:
“CAN I _________________________”
“IS IT OK IF I ________________________”
Our Internal Rolodex should automatically pull this reference
We must realize that although some actions are permissable, participating in these acts may not be helpful to your growth or the growth of others.
Some things may be lawful for us, but they may not be helpful.
IE
Smoking
Is it lawful?
Is it helpful?
Listening to Secular Music
Is it lawful?
Is it helpful?
Drinking alcohol?
Is it lawful?
Is it helpful?
Watching Game of Thrones
Is it lawful?
Is it
It is lawful?
You aren’t going to go to hell
Some think it’s alright
Is it helpful?
Is it helpful?
I believe it presents a worldview that is at odds with the Bible
Binging a Netflix Series when there is stuff to do around the house
Is it lawful?
I mean you can
Is it helpful?
As your wife
When it comes to our freedoms, many believers especially in the Greek Culture held on to the first part of verse 12, but didn’t consider the second part.
They went about believing “I am allowed to do anything”
What this translated to was an active participation in sexually immoral behavior
IE
Sleeping with temple prostitutes
IE Sleeping with temple prostitutes
Allowing Sexually Immoral behavior to flourish in the church
Being passive about their sexual brokenness
Not inviting the Holy Spirit to do a purifying work in the heart of the believer.
Today, we have many christians believing they can behave as the world does in this sector of life
That we can be just like the secular
Not just in behavior, but in winking an eye at sexual immorality
Not just in what we practice, but in what we approve and cheer on
Paul brings up a couple of good points in verse 12
Personally Speaking
Though something may be permissable, it may not help further the Kingdom of God in you
Though something is allowed, it may not aide what the Holy Spirit is trying to produce in you
These
When it comes to the Whole Kingdom
You participating in your freedoms may not help others consider Jesus
You participating in your freedoms may give off the impression that Jesus is unnecessary.
Another thing to consider is this:
If we are vessels through which God works, what are we promoting within our choices and behaviors?
If we are housing the Holy Spirit
If we are the Temple in which God resides
Is there order? Or is their chaos?
Is there Humility? Or Pride?
Is there Purity? Or is there Defilement?
Why is this so important to understand?
Do some inventory today
Reconcile the books
Why should we challenge the things we give permission to exist within our being?
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.
1 Cor 6:13-
FRIENDS THIS IS MUCH LARGER THAN FOOD & SEX
When Paul was talking about Food being made for the Stomach
When Paul was talking about Food being made for the Stomach
The Greek culture knew exactly what He was saying
It was common in this Culture to believe that the Body was made for one thing
As the Stomach was made for Food and Food for the Stomach
Giving it a singular function
The Greek Culture believed “The Body for Sex and Sex for the Body”
All the men said “Amen”
Giving the Proposed Temple of God, one function, Sex & Reproduction.
Friends, our Temples were created for more than food and sex.
Our bodies were not created just for Sex
Limiting them to these two functions speaks to a sub par Biblical Worldview
It means we do these things to fill a temporal need
In all we do, we are called to give glory to the Lord.
It is a Survivalist Mindset that isn’t centered around joy
If you can’t enjoy food and sex, you won’t see it as a gift.
Church, this life isn’t just about surviving
If it’s not seen as a gift, we will define it on our own terms.
It will be a mere action that is centered around needs and our motives might be a bit flawed.
Paul says:
It’s about living life in light of the eternal promises we will one day inherit
What a privilege it is to give yourself over so intimately to your one and only
When we realize
It is when we realize how great a gift He has given us, we will realize how important it is to stay within the confines of God’s structure for Sex.
Paul says:
Your body was not created for Sexual Immorality
AKA Your body was not created for you to abuse this gift
AKA Your body was not created to be selfish with this desire
AKA Your body was not created for you to defile yourself
Your Body was made for the Lord, and the Lord for your body
Your body was made to glorify Jesus
Jesus was made that your body would also reign in glory.
Notice how Jesus effects every part of our lives?
VERSE 14 God, has raised up Jesus from the dead, and He will also raise us up by His Power.
Friends we have a decision to make
Do we want to glorify God in all areas of life, or just the areas that are visible to our greatest critics?
You may think, who cares?
I can do as I wish, my sexual desires were put their by God, I must satisfy them . . .
Why are we talking about this at Church?
:15
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.
Friends, this is deeper than sex
Our sexual behaviors speak to our perspective of the Kingdom
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
Do you not know that your temples, who you are, in it’s entirety belongs to the greater body of Christ?
You make up the body of Christ
If you are participating in Sexual Immorallity, you are compromising your identity, and the integrity of the greater body.
You are behaving as if Jesus is not your Lord
Paul says: Are you trying to be like the Greek Culture?
Is your allegiance with a harlot?
Do you know what says?
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Friends when we participate in Sexually Immoral behavior, we align ourselves with a subpar theology
When we, as Image Bearers, behave like the world when it comes to this area of our lives, we silence the Hope that is in us
We unsay what we say about the Gospel, when our sexual brokenness goes undealt with.
Being introduced at an early age to pornography
Having been sexually active at a young age
I had to relearn what sex was created for.
I had to relearn how to deal with my desires.
I had to relearn how to control my needs.
The question I posed to myself was this:
Is life centered around Sex or Jesus?
Hector, which one is your God?
If sex is your God, your whole life is centered around your pleasure, your needs, your desires, and you will do whatever with whomever you can to get your fix.
If Jesus is your God, your whole life is centered around Him, pleasing Him, meeting the needs of others, and enjoying the gift of sex with the person you were eternally bound to.
Paul is trying to do more than correct the sexual brokenness of the Corinthian Church
He is unveiling to them their poor theology
He is showing them that their allegiance to Jesus should transfer to a Holy Lifestyle
One that is centered around the purpose of glorifying God in all things.
Sex included.
We must remember we are not one with a harlot.
This isn’t a quicky-theology
This isn’t a one night stand
We are one with Jesus
We are talking about Eternity
We are talking about Forever
SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
WE MUST RECOGNIZE OUR WORTH . . .
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.
:18-
LET’S REVERSE ENGINEER THIS
WHEN WE RECOGNIZE OUR WORTH
WHEN WE REALIZE THE PRICE THAT WAS PAID FOR OUR LIVES
WHEN WE COME TO GRIPS WITH THAT UNMATCHED VALUATION
IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
JOSEPH KNEW THIS WORTH
HE COULD HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT BEING SOLD INTO SLAVERY
HE COULD HAVE JUST GIVEN IN WHEN TEMPTED BY POTIPHERS WIFE
INSTEAD HE RECOGNIZED HIS WORTH TO THE KINGDOM AND FLED
FLEE SEXUAL IMMORALITY
RUN AWAY UNTIL YOU CAN’T SEE IT, SMELL IT, OR REMEMBER IT