1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Your Body, His Temple

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Posted By: Virginia Christian Alliance April 17, 2011

From CARM

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body,” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

 holyspiritfire

 

Introduction

  1. This is a body conscious world.
    1. Many products to clean up, paint up, and fix-up.
      1. Great concern about physical shape.
        1. Diets abound: low fat this, low fat that. Diet pills.
        2. Exercise clubs, exercise machines, etc.
    2. Great concern about physical health.
      1. Watch that cholesterol, reduce that salt, eat more roughage.
      2. The Christian adds another dimension to concern for the body.
        1. The day you became a Christian, something happened to your body.   Another dimension was added to your being.

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  1. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
    1. “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?”
    2. This reminds us of the temple in the O.T.
      1. What great care was given to its design.
      2. What immense wealth was placed into its construction.
        1. “Then King David said to the whole assembly: My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced.  The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LORD God.  2With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God — gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble — all of these in large quantities.  3Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: 4three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, 5for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD?” (1 Chr. 29:1-5).
      3. The people were to know that God dwelt there.  That is why it was furnished with such greatness: because it was to be the house of God.
    3. Note the day of dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chron. 7:1-3 and 12-15).
      1. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.  The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it.  When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.”
    4. But there is no such place in the age of grace.
      1. This building we are in is not God’s temple.
        1. This building is not even a church, just the place the church meets.
    5. The eternal covenant, God’s desire to fellowship with His creation, the walk in the garden, Exodus 25:8, John 1:14, 1 Cor. 1:9.
      1. THE CROSS
      2. “Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23).
      3. Your body is the temple of God.
        1. Be careful where it goes.
        2. Be careful what it does.
        3. Be careful what it ponders.
        4. Be careful how it reacts.
  2. The Holy Spirit lives within you.
    1. “Who is in you”
      1. A person is in you.
    2. How can that be?
      1. We are not sure.  It is a mystery.
    3. See how clearly the Bible bears this truth.
      1. Jesus makes the promise (John 14:15-26)
        1. “If you love me, you will obey what I command.  16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — 17the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17).
      2. The Book of Acts describes it (Acts 2:1-4; 4:31).
        1. “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31).
      3. The epistles explain it (Rom. 8:6-17; Gal. 3:1-5; Eph. 5:18-25).
        1. “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).
    4. The result: The Holy Spirit is with you where ever you go and whatever you do.
      1. His power is available when you need it. The Scriptures are full of references to the Spirit and power.
        1. Judges 14:19 “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power…”
        2. 1 Samuel 10:6 “The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.”
        3. Micah 3:8 “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.”
        4. Luke 4:14 “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.”
        5. Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
        6. Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
        7. Ephesians 3:16 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”
    5. With the Spirit indwelling you, every word, every thought, and every deed is in His view.
      1. The Holy Spirit knows you.  He knows your strengths and your weaknesses.
      2. He knows your sinful acts and your holy deeds.
      3. He knows you better than you do.
  3. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to build you up in the body of Christ to the glory of God.
    1. He regenerates (John 3:3-5).
    2. He indwells (Rom. 8:11).
    3. He anoints (1 John 2:27).
    4. He baptizes (Acts 2:17-41).
    5. He empowers (Micah 3:8).
    6. He sanctifies (Rom. 15:16).
    7. He comforts (John 14:16-26).
    8. He gives joy (Rom. 14:17).
    9. He gives discernment (1 Cor. 2:10-16).
    10. He bears fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).
    11. He gives gifts 1 Cor. 12:3-11).

Conclusion

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views the Virginia Christian Alliance

About the Author

Virginia Christian Alliance
The mission of the VIRGINIA CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE is to promote moral, social and scientific issues we face today from a Biblical point of view. In addition we will refute and oppose, not with hate, but with facts and humor, the secular cultural abuses that have overridden laws and standards of conduct of the past. We will encourage Christians to participate in these efforts through conferences, development of position papers, booklets and tracts, radio/TV spots, newspaper ads and articles and letters-to-the editor, web sites, newsletters and providing speakers for church and civic meetings.

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