1 Corinthians 6 is part of Paul's general rebuke against immorality in the Corinthian church. In the following verses Paul brings the focus onto sexual immorality.
Verses 9-10 give a list of multiple kinds of unrighteous persons who will not enter the Kingdom of God. Three of Paul's descriptions have to do with sex: "the sexually immoral..., adulterers..., men who practice homosexuality." Paul addresses the believers with this stern warning, and then verse 11 points to the work of Christ.
"And such were some of you." This is what God's people have been delivered from. Paul focuses on aspects of the salvation we have in Christ and what he has done for us. "You were washed", that is your sin and the filthy stain which it deserves have been taken away from you. "You were sanctified" you were set apart for a holy use. Though some of you lived previously in grievous sin God has a purpose for you and has graciously taken you out of that darkness and brought you into his kingdom. "You were justified" you are not judged by God according to your sins, but are counted as righteous before him. As David said, "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity" (Psalm 32:1-2) All of the aspects of our salvation we have received because of Christ, "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." And this salvation has been applied to us by the Spirit of God. Paul draws attention to what has been done for us because clearly looking to this and meditating on how great of a salvation we have, not of ourselves, but all of Christ should impact our behavior. It should motivate us to not live in immorality, but to live unto our Lord.
In verse 12 Paul states that he will, "not be enslaved by anything". Referencing slavery demonstrates what the reality of a life of unrighteousness is. As Paul says in another place, "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16) This also should move us to resist sin. What a sad life to live being a slave of sin which leads to death.
In Verse 13 Paul interjects a comment about food and the stomach. I don't know his reason for this for certain, but it may be that Paul is making the point that certain things are meant for each other in this case stomachs and food. And that God has authority over this, "will destroy both one and the other."
Then Paul mentions two more things that are meant for each other namely the Lord and the body. Paul further describes the meaning of this union between the Lord and the body in the remainder of the chapter. In verse 14 we see that as Christ has been raised our body shall also be raised by his power. Our union with Christ, the connection of our body with our Lord, is something eternal. What this says about our physical bodies is remarkable. Our body must be the most familiar thing in the world to us. For good or bad we know them every minute of our lives. Often we are frustrated with our bodies for various reasons. We see and deal with their imperfections every day, and at times painfully. Yet the word of God says wonderful things about our bodies. These same bodies have a purpose beyond this life. This body is meant for the Lord. In the resurrection our bodies will have a union with Christ that we can’t comprehend now. Paul goes on to say that our bodies are members of Christ (vs. 15). Our bodies are members of Christ now and how much fuller will they be in the resurrection. Also we who are joined to the Lord are one Spirit with him. How wonderful to be one Spirit with Christ we experience this now only in part, “then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Cor 13: 12). Our body is further described as the temple of the Holy Spirit within you. At the temple God drew near to man and man drew near to God. It is through our body that we now have this union with God.
What Paul says in this passage about the resurrection and our union with Christ is relevant to sexual morality. Sex is about union. What makes sex desirable in part is the desire for intimacy. The word of God attacks this desire for sexual immoral intimacy with a promise of intimacy that blows it out of the water. Look at the contrast he makes with joining with a prostitute in Vs. 15-16. Whatever sexual temptation we deal with involves becoming united. If we become one body with someone in a sinful way it is like being joined to that sinful and shameful behavior. But in this passage, as always, Christ is held up to us as our treasure and our hope. We can disobey and become one body with someone in a shameful way or we can be joined with the Lord becoming one Spirit with him. In verse 18 it says we sin against our own body. We sin against it by breaking the union with Christ our body was meant for. This is why we must flee. Sexual sin with the separation from Christ and destruction it brings should frighten the Christian, and we should flee from it like we are running for our lives.
Sexual sin can be forgiven. Remember what some of the Corinthians were (Vs. 9-11) and they were washed, sanctified, and justified. But it at least breaks our fellowship with Christ. And choosing sexual sin over union with Christ continually leads to death eternal.
Not that sex is in itself sinful of course. A man does not break union with Christ by having sex with his wife in fact sex existed before sin had even come into the world (Gen 2:24).
If we believe 1 Corinthians 6 we should have a radically different view of what our body is than the views that are common in our time. Most people assume first off that their body belongs to them. In fact the certainty of this unquestionable in the minds of most. We here that people can do what they want with “their own” bodies in discussions on morality frequently. But the word says “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price”(Vs 19-20). Furthermore many believe or at least desire that not only their own, but other peoples bodies are their possession and exist for their pleasure. But a Christian view of the body is that it belongs to the Lord and is meant for the Lord. The body’s purpose is as a member of Christ now. The body’s destiny, which we should anticipate with great hope, is to be united with Christ forever.
In this passage the mercy of God in our salvation is displayed for us. The darkness of what sexual sin is in reality is described to us. And a great hope for our bodies of eternal union with Christ is promised to us. In light of all these truths we should use our bodies now and forever in acts of worship to our God. When by God’s grace we live pure lives he is glorified.
“So glorify God in your body.”
