Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Permissible Versus Beneficial

I Corinthians 6:12-20


Expanded, Selective Paraphrase:

Although "all things are permissible for me," all things are not beneficial, nor will I submit to be mastered by anything but Christ. My body was not given to me to do with it anything I want, whether it be with food, with drink or with behavior. God values our bodies, as He raised Jesus bodily from death, and He will raise me bodily, too. The "one flesh" mentioned here is specifically physical, referring to the "marital act" of sexual union. We must not reason with, or argue with sexual temptation, but we must flee from it, run away from it, turn tail and skedaddle! My body is the Holy Spirit's temple; I do not belong to myself, I have been purchased, bought at such a high price! So I want to honor God with my body, as well as with my soul and my spirit; with all my heart, soul, mind and strength; my thought processes, my passions, my will and what physical strength I have.