Hello and happy Tuesday. Boy, how about some rain? It’s been a while since I’ve seen it rain like this. Yesterday the rain caused quite a bit of complications for many AT & T internet users as a lightning strike caused a fire at their main facility in Richardson and it caused the internet to go down over most of North Texas. Ours in Fort Worth went out about 11am and didn’t come back until about 10pm last night. It’s really not that big of a deal unless you work out of your home like I do. I had to scramble and do my email correspondence on my phone, but I had to cancel a video conference call as I couldn’t get it done on my phone. Makes you realize how dependent we are on this technology. It’s ironic that a technology that didn’t exist when I was a teen now dominates the world and we can’t fathom existing without it!
So, today we move on through 1 Corinthians to chapter 6. Yesterday in chapter 5 we saw Paul deal with church discipline and what to do with a member of the church that has adopted a lifestyle that embraces sin openly. Today chapter 6 moves along similar lines as Paul deals with how believers in the body of Christ should handle disagreements even to the point of lawsuits.
Christians in essence have dual citizenship. We are bound by the citizenship of Heaven and are also bound to the laws and rules of being citizens of our local government. You see, our citizenship in Heaven does not releive our responsibility to the state. In fact, we saw Paul talk about taxes back in Romans 13 and how we are to pay what tax we owe. Here Paul is addressing how the believers are to handle disputes that require mediation. Go to the believer and the church body to handle it or go straight to the secular courts?
“When one of you has a grievance against another does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the Saints?” 1 Cor. 6:1
You see Paul is saying “why are you letting the unrighteous lost people of the world settle your matters when as believers you have been blessed with a spiritual discernment that they don’t possess?” He also goes on to say that as believers we understand grace and mercy and therefore should be able to extend it much more easily than the unrighteous of the world’s courts. In case you were wondering, Paul goes on to define the unrighteous and who it is that will be judging your case if you go straight to the courts.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
Paul uses this passage to segway into how we use our bodies to glorify and witness to the Lord.
“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, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
Paul is saying that your body is not really yours. God created you and as a believer you have the Holy Spirit of God living within you. This body of flesh, bones, sinew, and organs is not your own to do with as you please, it was bought with a great price and belongs to God. So does this mean that we are only to eat lettuce, lift weights 3 times a day and run a marathon every week? No so much. Paul is specifically talking about engaging in sexual immorality with your body. In verse 6:13 Paul says, “The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord and the Lord for the body.” We are to keep our bodies pure for the Lord.
I do however think that it also bleeds over to the general health of our body and how you take care of yourself. If you systematically eat poorly, don’t exercise, smoke and use drugs and alcohol then this will take a huge toll on your body and therefore not glorify God in its use. Our body is not our own it was bought with a great price.
Well, lots of practical things today from Paul. That’s what I love about God’s Word, it meets us where we live. It covers topics today that are as practically needed as when they were written. (if not more!) God’s word is relative, its pertinent and its current. Whatever it is that you're struggling with today, turn to God’s Word and see what God has to say to you about it.
God bless your day, don’t forget you umbrella and when you get a chance, share it with someone and then use that opportunity to encourage them with God’s Words.
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