1 CORINTHIANS 6
Heart Issues
Division among believers can be the most devastating blow to a non-Christian’s view of Christ. I confess that it is the easiest thing to slip into though as I always understand why non-Christians act the way they do, but I can easily pass judgment on Christians. I hold them to a higher standard and need to love them even more because they are family. I want to view them as God views them, as saints and help them recognize their identity. I do not want to further damage and hinder their sanctification. I am also challenged today that the best use of my temple is to present a living sacrifice that is available and open to God for whatever he would ask me to do. I need to be holy for that is when I can hear most clearly from the Lord.
Notes
-Lawsuits are a definite sign of division and a false view of brotherhood. Paul is appalled that they would take disputes in front of unbelievers. He was also surprised that they did not take their matter to someone in the church.
-Paul reveals here that all believers are saints in God’s eyes. We will even judge the angels one day, so why would we go outside the family of God to allow the ungodly to tell us what is right and wrong. Paul says that it would be better just to have been cheated than to cause such division and be such a horrible witness to others about the “love of Christ”.
-I love Paul’s insistence in verse 11 that this is what you were. This is not who you are now, you have been justified and sanctified by Christ. This is not who you are anymore so do not act in opposition to your identity.
-Paul refutes the popular saying of “everything is permissible” here. He adds some great one-liners to give meaning to this saying. It is not beneficial and I will not be mastered by anything. These are two of the main issues of sin and laziness. He goes quickly to sex though because it can be our greatest tempter and easiest destruction. He shows the gravity of sexual immorality as we are sinning against our own bodies and against the Lord’s spirit. We have united Christ with a prostitute when we practice sexual immorality.
-We are not our own, God has purchased us at a very high price. God is worthy of all that we can give and more. We are a temple of the Holy Spirit. This phrase has been misused for years encouraging Christians to stay in shape and take care of their temple. The most important use of this phrase is that we would keep our lives holy for through our body we offer our sacrifice of praise. It wasn’t as important about the temple that it looked good, but most importantly that it was holy.
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