Today is day 21 of the #iheartBible challenge that I’m hosting. If you have joined up, hooray! I’m glad you’re here. If you want to join up, then awesomesauce! Check out the challenge post for details and join in on the linky so we can all read one another’s posts during the challenge. I love Jesus and blogging, so I’m glad to see people joining in. We’d love to have you join, too. It’s never too late!
Today’s verse is 1 Corinthians 6.19. Read it below in its context (Why do I care about context?):
12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised 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 prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
I’ve heard this verse most often during a defense against tattoos or piercings. Also, I’ve heard this in the context of discussions on sexual purity.
Once we read the context, though, we realize that this was written with a couple encouragements in mind: discerning permitted things and maintaining sexual purity. These encouragements are coupled with the concept that our body is one with Christ if we are Christians.
I’m glad I’ve learned to question the context of commonly quoted verses. Some will use this verse to say what it doesn’t: That tattoos are sinful and piercings are disgraceful. This is just a charge against sexual immorality and a challenge to consider the dangers of things that are good or permissible for us.
This means that, in the development of our relationship with Christ, we must decide the best way to treat this body, with the realization that it belongs to Christ. This is why the Bible also says to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 4.12). To throw a blanket statement out for everyone based on your own relationship with Christ leads to fall into legalism; Christ came, died, and rose again and, in the process tossed out legalism. To return to legalism is to throw out what Christ did for us.
Some exercise regularly to treat their bodies well; others take vitamins, or get enough sleep, or get tattoos to share their testimony, or avoid piercings to keep their bodies whole.
Treat the Body well.
Love,
