KEEPING our bodies HOLY as ‘TEMPLES’ of the HOLY SPIRIT
November
21 Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians Chapters 4-6
KEEPING our bodies HOLY as ‘TEMPLES’ of the HOLY SPIRIT
"Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that
a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins
against his own body. 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? For you were bought at a price;
therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
(1 Cor. 6:18-20)
In the above
passage, Apostle Paul warns us to run
away from sexual immorality just as Joseph ran away when he was tempted to
sin by Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:1-12). Most sins have no direct effect on our bodies,
but we reap the consequence of sexual immorality in our own bodies. For
example, many of the recently discovered diseases (in most cases) like HIV AIDS
and other venereal diseases are direct after effects of unrestrained sexual
immorality. Sexual immorality truly has far-reaching effects along with great
spiritual significance and social complications.
The solemn truth that we need to comprehend
is that our bodies are ‘temples of the
Holy Spirit’. We belong to God both by
creation (when He had created us) and by
redemption (when He had bought us back through His sacrificial death on the
Cross with the price of His own precious blood). We should honor and care for
our bodies as the very sanctuaries of God so that other people may clearly see that we belong to God alone!
What a special privilege it is for
our bodies to be God’s spiritual dwelling place! This reality has huge ramifications.
God’s residence in our bodies should transform us to live in such a way that
brings glory to God. Our relationships, the way we serve our employers, the way
we use our money, the way we treat our enemies and every other facet of our
lives should reflect the wonderful reality that God resides in our hearts. Let that difference show!
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
