There are many layers to the complexity of sexual sin. It’s not just a sin against another human being. It’s a sin against our own bodies. These are the very same bodies known to be temples for the Holy Spirit. In God’s eyes, we are showing disrespect for him by tarnishing his holy place. Had you ever thought of sexual sin like that?
God gives us the freedom to choose what we do in our life, but Paul cautions that “not everything is good for you.” God knows what is best for us, and his desires for us should matter. We may not always agree or understand fully why God wants us to act in certain ways. I, for one, want to do my best to trust God and his plan for my life.
Our bodies “were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.” Sometimes it helps to remember who we belong to. Everything belongs to God. In Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life, we are reminded God created us to worship him. How we live our lives is our act of worship. We show God how much we love him by our actions and our words. How are you showing devotion to God using your body?
There are some challenging visuals in this passage. You might even find yourself a little taken back by Paul’s bluntness. He was trying to get his point across when he had his readers imagine joining Jesus with a prostitute! Jesus may have gone out of his way to be kind and loving toward prostitutes, tax collectors, and an array of other sinners. But his mission was not self-serving, but to save them from their sin.
There is a lot of talk these days about our “right” to do things to our own bodies. People seem to be so focused on self. I feel convicted by what Paul points out here. “[F]or God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” That high price was Jesus’ life. His sacrifice changes everything. Why can’t we be grateful instead of hateful? Speak the truth in love to help others escape the traps of sin.
Let’s pray …
Father God, while I have never been a prostitute, I have misused my body in ways that are not honoring to you. Thank you for forgiving me and helping me to rid those behaviors from my life. I pray for the many people who struggle at this very moment with sexual sin. I pray that you will surround them with loving believers who can help them overcome the bondage to sin that they are not able to see. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
