The Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit

"The Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit" - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Once again Paul reminds the Corinthians that their calling was holy and worthy. Had they forgotten that their bodies were sanctuary (church, temple) of the Holy Spirit? This is the solemn truth (realized with great formalism) of Scripture, that every believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God.

I. How could we ever think of taking a body where the Holy Spirit dwells and using it for a vile (low, cruel) purpose?

A. Not only is our body the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, but we are also not ours.

1. It is not up to us to take our body to use it in the way we want.

2. In the last analysis, it does not belong to us; it belongs to the Lord.

3. (20) We are the Lord's both by creation and by redemption (deliverance, salvation, save, ransom).

4. Here what is particularly in view is the latter.

5. His possession of us goes back to Calvary.

6. "We were bought by price."

7. Brother: therefore, glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's; What have you done with your body?

8. On the cross we see the price tag that the Lord Jesus put on us.

9. He considered us so valuable that He was willing to pay for us the price of "His own precious blood."

10. How greatly Jesus had to love us to bear our sins in His body on the tree!

11. This being so, I can no longer consider my body as my own possession.

12. Then I have to take it as a thief, what does not belong to me.

13. No, but I must use my body to glorify God, the One to whom it belongs. Bates exclaimed, "Head! Think of Him whose brow was girded with thorns, Hands! Work for the One whose hands were nailed to the cross. Feet! Throw yourselves into doing the will of Him whose feet were pierced. My body! Be the temple of the One whose body pierced (weary, distressed) with indescribable (describe, information) pains."

14. We should also glorify God in our spirit, for both the material and the immaterial parts of man are of God.

15. (1 Corinthians 3:16) Paul reminds believers that they are God's "sanctuary" (church) and that God's Spirit dwells in them.

16. It is certain that each individual believer is also a sanctuary of God in which the Holy Spirit dwells; But this is not the thought here.

17. The apostle at this time looked upon the church as a collective (global, general) companion and desires them to realize the holiness of such a calling.

18. (Romans 5:5) Hope does not put shame.

19. The hope of our salvation will never be put to shame.

20. We will never be frustrated or find that we have rested on false confidence.

21. God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

22. The Holy Spirit that was given to us at the moment of believing floods our hearts.

23. (Ephesians 4:30) "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (salvation)."

24. He is the Holy Spirit. Everything that is not holy is displeasing to Him.

25. It is the Holy Spirit of God a member of the blessed Trinity.

26. We were sealed by Him (Holy Spirit) for the day of redemption (salvation). As already mentioned, a seal speaks of possession until Christ returns for us and our salvation is complete. Interestingly, Paul here employs the believer's eternal assurance as one of the most powerful reasons why we should not sin.

27. The fact that it can be grieved shows that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not a mere influence. It also means that He loves us, because only someone who loves can be grieved. The favorite ministry of God's Spirit is to glorify Christ and change the believer into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). When a Christian sins, He has to move from this ministry to one of restoration (repair, renewal, recovery). It pains Him to see the believer's spiritual progress interrupted by sin. Then He must lead the Christian to repentance and confession of sin. Amen