Does our thinking about our physical bodies mirror God’s? 1 Corinthians 6:13-20
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT) – “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (MSG) – “Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.”
1. HONOR THE HOUSE
1 Corinthians 6:13b (NLT) – “But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:13 (MSG) – “You know the old saying, “First you eat to live, and then you live to eat”? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that’s no excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor him with your body!”
Romans 12:1 (NIV) – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT) – “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Proverbs 25:16 (NLT) – “Do you like honey? Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!”
1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT) – “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
2. GUARD YOUR HEART
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) – “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NASB) – “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”
3. TAKE THOUGHTS CAPTIVE
2 Corinthians 10:5b (NIV) – “… we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
FEELINGS VS CHOICES!
1 Thessalonians 4:4 (NIV) – “That each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,”
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Psalm 56:3 (NLT) – “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.”
Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) – “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Worry is a sin and needs to be addressed with repentance!
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NLT) – “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This[c] is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
“If you don’t believe escape is possible, you won’t look for it. But God has promised that He will provide it every time.” - Rachel Gilson
Questions for discussion/reflection:
1. When making daily decisions, do you think of your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit?
2. Do you think about the care of your body as an act of worship to God and investment in Kingdom advance?
3. Share a time when you felt your heart slipping into an unhealthy place. If possible, share what thinking patterns may have contributed to that slide.
4. What tools have helped you wage the war in your mind?
