I Corinthians 6:12-20
“One With Christ”
Sermon by
Mark A. Horne
When I was growing up, I loved to play sports. It did not matter what kind of sports, as long as I was playing. I was a pretty good athlete. I was not a superstar, nor was I college scholarship material. But I was pretty good. I could hold my own with athletes such as those superstars. My biggest problem wasn’t my heart or talent. It was my grace. I was probably the most ungraceful player on any of my teams. And because of that, I had had to sacrifice my body to make certain plays. For example, in baseball there were countless times that I stopped ground balls with my arm, leg, chest, or whatever it took not to let the ball get by me – it just so happened that I did not use the glove too much. I just thought more about making a play than the bruises or broken bones I would have.
In our passage this morning Paul discusses our bodies and their importance. He uses a couple of examples, that of food and sexual immorality. And from this particular passage I think we can gain three main points.
1. We have to be careful about the things we partake of.
2. We are one with the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. We are not our own.
I
We have to be careful about the things we partake of. It is hard to understand what Paul is talking about here when he says, “everything is permissible…” for it seems that Paul might be giving a license to for himself to whatever he wants, but the Corinthians could not. However, that is not it at all. I think the NIV does a good job when it puts this phrase in quotes because in the Greek that seems to be how Paul meant it. I don’t think Paul was quoting himself, but he was actually quoting some of the Corinthians – sort of mocking them. This twelfth and thirteenth verse seems to indicate some disputes the Corinthians were having among themselves about the partaking of certain meats. It is even probable that the Corinthians retained much of their pagan lifestyles and did not completely give up the morals their city dearly held on to. We know in their day that vices stalked abroad with impunity. Custom was regarded as law. So then the things that seems to satisfy was the best and you did it even if you had to make an excuse for it. Even the Christians used the heresy of liberty as a means to make almost everything allowable. And the Corinthians reveled in excess luxury and as we have learned from Paul, the church there reveled in pride as well. Paul is mocking them in these two verses, “everything is permissible for me…” you say. You say it so much that you don’t even see the sin you are involved in. You say it so much that you have allowed the term liberty to extend to even living a life of sexual impurity.
Notice how Paul tells them that these outward things are harmful. He uses a contrast of sorts. On one hand he indirectly disciplines them about their lavish ways of living. On the other hand he extols God’s liberality, which is the best directs us for moderation. I believe Paul is telling them that one is living a life of excessive sin, when one does not restrict him or herself, and set boundaries, amidst such manifold abundance.
In verse twelve Paul gives them two exceptions to his mockery: first, “all things are not beneficial…” From what we have learned thus far in Corinthians – I believe this is not just a fly by night statement where we can say “yea, yea, yea.” I believe Paul has an underlying meaning concerning the edification of our brothers and sisters. I believe Paul really wants them to understand, in light of what he has been discussing with them, that they need to consider what is profitable for our brethren. Paul will get into more detail with the warnings in chapter 10, and we know from Romans 14:13 that everyone has liberty inwardly in the sight of God, so we must restrict the use of our liberty with the view of mutual edification.
The second exception is that “I will not be mastered by anything.” Paul is saying to the Corinthians – “Look! You have puffed yourselves up and put yourselves on a big pedestal as some type of gods – but you can’t even control yourselves.” When we are in Christ we are lords over things in such a way that we should not be in bondage to them. In other words, because man has been set over creation as its ruler, the power we have should not be used in a way that we become slaves to the creation. We should not be subject to things subject to us.
Verse thirteen clearly shows that the outward things of life should be made use of as necessity. Both items, our bodies and the food, will pass away quickly. We must use the world, not abuse it. When there is dispute over corruptible things: our mind should automatically not dwell over it – liberty is one thing and the use of liberty another as Romans 14: 17 says, “The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink.”
Paul also distinguishes a line between liberty, such as having to eat, and that of outright sin. Paul has just told them that eating meats is OK if you do not make eating a gluttony. However, this sexual immorality you are living has to be done away with. God ordained food for the belly, but this sexual immorality has not been ordained as such. Paul clearly states the body is a part of the kingdom. It has an owner for use of service to Jesus – and the owner is not the person, but it is Jesus Christ.
II
This brings us to our second point; we are one with the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse fourteen Paul says, “By his Power God has raised Jesus from the Dead.” Paul shows from Christ’s condition how a person who lives a sexually immoral life can’t be loyal to Christ. For Christ our Master, who was received into the heavenly glow – cannot have anything in common with the pollution of this world. It does not make sense, more so, it is unlawful that our bodies which are consecrated to Christ, should be made impure by such terrible living when it is proved that Christ entered into heaven with his body. Also, it is a terrible thing when we pollute our bodies with the things of this world when it is destined to be a partaker along with Christ in heaven’s glory.
But verses fifteen through seventeen hones this point even sharper. Christ has joined with us and we with Him in such a way, that we become one body with Him. If we become connected with a prostitute, or dare I say adulteress, we tear Christ to pieces, so far as we are able to do so. There is no way we can draw into fellowship with our Lord when we live like this. Paul is so emphatic about this that he even uses the term, “God forbid.” Our spiritual connection not only is with our soul but it is with our body as well. It is not a matter of having spiritual cleanliness, it is a matter of being physically pure as well. Christ did not live just a pure spiritual life. He lived a pure physical life as well. He had to do it. He knew the Corinthians would be tested and He knows we are as well.
We are one with Christ in such a way that it is even more than what we know we have with our husbands and wives. Our marriage with Christ is much deeper. Our marriage with Christ takes us beyond the physical dimension to the spiritual. When we place ourselves in such positions as to commit adultery, we have corrupted a divine institution. Therefore, we must maintain the chastity and fidelity of our relationship with Christ in such a way that we do not lose sight of what He has done for us.
I read a story about a man named Fred that might illustrate this:
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Hoping for a sale, and the start of a business relationship. During Fred's presentation he noticed a funny looking fish on the owners office wall. It was the fish many Christians display on their car bumper, with the center hollow, just the outline of the fish. This was the first time he had ever seen a Christian witness symbol. Fred's boss was a crude man. The chemical business was a tough sell, but he had learned the most productive way to catch the prospects attention, proved by his own success. He passed this wisdom to his sales people. One of the main things Fred's boss focused on was humor. So he gave each of his sales people photo copies of jokes to present, to sort of break the ice, during a cold sales call. Fred kept talking with the store owner, who was a Christian. At certain points in the talk Fred would inject a cartoon in front of the prospects eyes. He would pause a moment, and let the picture with caption sink in. (Highlighting the point he was driving at.) Then he would judge the prospects face and laughter. This would give him some measure, a gauge of how well the presentation was going, and how far his foot was in the door, so to speak. The first two cartoons he injected during the presentation got no response at all. Nothing! Not a measurable look, or sound. The cartoons were sexual in format, but not explicit. Meant to relate everyday life with sexual overtones, you know, like TV. All the people Fred had ever showed these jokes, loved the humor. Men that is, Fred never tried the humor on women. Had this guy already seen these jokes? Even Fred had to laugh, though he had seen these sales ads many times. Fred tried again. He would show the trump joke he only shows at the end of his presentation, that should reach the prospect. He could wing it from then on. Upon seeing the trump joke, the store owner stood up, and burst into a hymn, loudly singing as he walked into the main store area, leaving Fred alone, mouth gaping open, and in shock. Fred heard a song of the love of God, and the blessing He pours out on those He loves. Fred's heart was pounding, to beat the band. He was in total shock. He had never seen such a display before, openly singing, well, and about God? What did this mean? Had he drove this man insane? Or was he insane before he came into the store? There were people in the store. Fred left in disbelief, and at a loss for words. Later that day Fred met with his sales manager over lunch, and related the story. When the manager heard about the fish on the wall he gave some advice. "That fish means the person is a Christian. It's a religious thing. You got to be careful what you say, don't show the jokes. They don't like them." Several months after this incident Fred became a Christian. After a few years he heard the Lord call him to the ministry. Many since have come to, and been comforted by Christ, through Fred's changed life. "The incident of this man singing, in public, about God, would not leave me be, till I faced the conviction in my heart", Fred witnessed. A seed was planted deeply. That a man would stand up and sing in public, "I have a God and He loves me, and to Him I give all my heart..." There were other seeds that were in Fred's heart concerning God's love for him also. Planted along the way by people, and prayer, Fred did not even notice at the time. Fred commented that that one incident in the store seemed to sprout a garden of growth in him. The owner of the store, who sang a hymn so boldly that day, had bought into the concept of ownership, and power. He owned the kingdom within. He paid a price of gratitude everyday, in the life he walked with the Master, his life on display before the world like a light on top of a hill. That life was a life of power, tempered by humility. Power, the stuff of the kingdom. Power to influence. Eternal power, with eternal consequences. Power that touched off the spark of fire in Fred, that later lead to his coming to Christ. Was the owner looking to evangelize Fred? No, not as we normally picture evangelism. The store owner was just being himself. Openly in love with God. Turning away from things he knew did not please Christ Jesus. Rejecting the ways of the world. Choosing, like Moses to suffer for a time, rather than partake of this worlds pleasure's, and ways. Putting away childish things, and keeping from things that had the appearance of evil. In his song to God he was doing as scripture said, and exposing, not partaking of evil. |
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III
This leads to our third and final point, we are not our own. Verses eighteen through twenty describes to us the importance of keeping our bodies pure. Sin alone puts a brand of disgrace upon the body. But the sin of sexual immorality defiles the body in such a way that a stain is impressed upon the body.
Paul wants us to understand that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
If you are an adult of average weight, here is what you accomplish in 24 hours:
your heart beats 103,689
times
your blood travels 168,000,000 miles
you breathe 23,040 times
you inhale 438 cubic feet of air
you eat 3.25 pounds of food
you drink 2.9 quarts of liquids
you lose 7/8 pounds of waste
you speak 4800 words, including some unnecessary ones
you move 750 muscles
your nails grow .000046 inch
your hair grows .01714 inch
you exercise 7,000,000 brain cells
The Holy Spirit cannot live in such a place that is stained and profaned. It is a great honor that God has been so gracious to us that he desires to dwell in us.
And we are not our own because of this. We are not at our own disposal. We cannot live according to our own good pleasure. The Lord has purchased us himself – with a great price. It is our Lord who paid for our redemption. Romans 14:9 says, “To this end Christ died and rose again, that he might be Lord of the Living and the dead.” This price was a dear debt paid in full. As 1 Peter 1: 18, 19 says, “You are redeemed, not with gold and silver, but with the precious blood of the Lamb, without spot or blemish.” Christ’s redemption is what one should keep bound by to live the best life we can live. Because we know Jesus paid what he paid so we can live eternally, we must commit ourselves not to live an adulteress life where we can’t focus on his goodness.
Our bodies, as well as our souls, are subject to God. Both should be devoted to bring Him glory. Just as our minds should be pure, so should our outward professions before men. We must wholly devote ourselves to God in such a way that the entirety of both body and soul is for His service.
"THE WALK"
I took a walk the other day
It was with my dearest friend
Our time together went all too fast
And too soon was at an end.
We walked through a garden, on a hill
An oasis on a barren land
Then to a village, down below
With streets of rock and sand.
A crowd had gathered along the way
My friend they came to see
They said someone would die this day
Thank God, it wasn't me.
They gave my friend a cross to bear
And said it was his own
He calmly turned and said, "Wait here,
I now must go alone."
With mounting fear, I watched Him go
I cried, "What will I do?"
He said, "Just pray, both night and day,
For today, I die for you.
This cross I bear is the sin of man
My heart is heavy with their weight,
But at my Father's call-I'll bear them all
Right up to heaven's gate.
I go to prepare a place for you
In my Father's house you'll be
And later on - though you'll know not when
I'll take you there with Me."
And as they nailed Him on the cross
I hung my head in shame,
Each nail they drove went through my heart
For I knew-I shared the blame.
My sins helped put Him there
My guilt I plainly see,
And I beg forgiveness from God's only Son,
My friend-that died for me.
By Jim Mansfield~~copyright 1996
Let us pray – Our Heavenly Father, help us to see the wickedness in our hearts today. Lord, we know the struggles we have with sin. Help us Lord to live a life worthy of your name. Help us to see both the good and the bad in the things we partake of, for we are one with you. Help us to realize that you own us and the price you paid for that ownership. Carry us Lord in our daily walk with you. In Jesus most precious name, Amen.