WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday July 6, 2014
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GLORIFY GOD WITH YOUR BODY
(Avoiding sexual sin)
(1 Corinthians 6:9-20)
In 1 Corinthians 6, verses 9-20, the Apostle Paul focuses on the
dangers of sexual intercourse outside of marriage (immoral sexual behavior). There
he gives his exegesis on the “spiritual link” that is involved in the “physical
act” of sexual intercourse, that, most people are totally ignorant about.
Those who indulge in sexual sin through, adultery
(Exodus 20:14), fornication (1 Corinthians 6:13b), incest (Leviticus 18:6-17), prostitution
(Leviticus 19:29), homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22, & 20:13, Deuteronomy
22:5) and beastiality (Leviticus 18:23 & 20:15), will have no share in the
kingdom of Heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) unless, of course, they cease their
immoral acts and lifestyle, and earnestly repent so that they can be made right
with GOD.
People often say that we are allowed to do
anything, but they overlook the fact that everything is not good for them, and everything
is not permissible by the laws of GOD. And even though we have freedom of
choice to do anything we want, GOD says, we must not become a slave to the many
offerings of this world. Satan wants each of us to “do what thou wilt”, while
GOD wants us to use our bodies in the best way, which is serving HIM and living
life the way HE knows that HE made us to live it.
Our bodies are not made for sexual
immorality, even though many choose to indulge their bodies into it. Our bodies
are really made for GOD, and GOD cares very much about what we do in our bodies.
That is why HE gives us instructions on how to get the very best out of our
bodies for the longest period of time, through obedience to HIS Word.
Every person who was ever born shares “GOD’s
divine nature” from birth (Romans 1:18-20), and as “human beings”, we
instinctively know “right” from “wrong” even if we never picked up a bible in
our life (Romans 2:14-15). However, as believers, we have to realize that our
bodies are actually “one with CHRIST”, and when we engage in sin, especially
sexual sin, we are spiritually bringing CHRIST into our mess with us, because
we are defying GOD’s way of life (1 Corinthians 6:15).
Whenever we commit our lives to CHRIST we
become one with HIM in spirit, inseparable. And since CHRIST is ONE in spirit with
GOD, and the HOLY SPIRIT, that means that we should all be at one in our
thinking and actions with the GODHEAD. Therefore everything we do, we do it as “figurative
representatives” of the GODHEAD in spirit, and in truth.
It has already been put in place by GOD
that, through the act of sexual coition, or the exchange of bodily fluids
through sexual orgasm, a man and woman are consummated unto each other, and
also become one in body and spirit. And the process of consummation automatically
occurs, whether they are married, or not. That’s right! The act of consummation
still occurs, even if it is with a prostitute, or any other person that you’re
not married to.
It is GOD WHO defines what “consummation” is,
and we can’t change its definition, no matter how bad we may want to. Every person
that you engage in sexual intercourse with, you automatically become one with
them in body and spirit, and that makes a mockery of the sanctity of marriage,
and what GOD intended in the relationship between a man and a women (v.16).
When we marry, and consummate that
marriage, we become one with our spouse, one in body, and inseparable in
spirit. Therefore, we, our spouse, and the whole GODHEAD are one in spirit, and
we must respect it as such. If we as human beings, who are a part of the body
of CHRIST, engage in sexual immorality, we are lying in a very crowded bed, all
the while thinking it is only with the person, or persons you are engaging in
sex with at the time. However, in reality, you are dragging the spirit of all
whom you have become one with to bed with you. If this doesn’t give you a vivid
description of what “grieving the HOLY SPIRIT” is, then, I personally don’t
know what will.
In the biblical Greek, the word used for “truth”
is “aletheia”, and it is “that which is in harmony with reality”. Nowadays, and
in days gone by, man has always tried to re-define “homosexual sin” as not a
sin at all, but rather as “a different race of people”, but in reality, it is
still what GOD the CREATOR says it is, sin. In fact, the reason why homosexuality
is so detestable to the GOD of the Christian bible is because it is “the
personification of defiance of GOD HIMSELF”. Instead of honoring GOD with their
bodies they actually deny GOD with every fiber of their being.
The homosexual lifestyle is a twenty-four
hour a day endeavor, or, “a perpetual state of sin” against the ideology of GOD,
and therefore the practitioner lives and breathes defiance of GOD all day every
day, non-stop. Twenty-four hours a day they tell GOD, through their behavior, that,
“GOD, I’m not what you made me. YOU made a mistake GOD, and put me in the wrong
body, therefore GOD, it your fault that I’m doing what I’m doing, and living
like I’m living, I take no responsibility for my own choices”.
Whenever man chooses to go his own way, he
automatically moves farther and farther away from GOD, and eventually GOD, in
his mind, is reduced to this obscure figure WHOM he used to know, and by then,
he only seeks to avoid, because he doesn’t care anymore.
Peter C. Craigie once wrote, “When people
cease to care, then religion, morally, social customs, and values, all cease to
function as mortar that holds together a society, and maintains ancient Faith”.
Christians are one in body with CHRIST, and
CHRIST, is one in body with GOD and the HOLY SPIRIT. Whenever we sin, or commit
immoral sexual acts, we also cause the whole GODHEAD, WHO is inseparable, to
suffer in our offenses. Our bodies are a temple to be used by GOD to embody HIS
HOLY SPIRIT, WHO will ultimately guide us into the righteousness of CHRIST, if
we let HIM.
And so we now can clearly see the “spiritual
link in sexual intercourse” that will continue to exist, whether we like it or
not, because GOD says so. Our bodies are the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT, and only
the person who is joined to CHRIST is the person who receives HIM.
Furthermore, we can’t receive the HOLY
SPIRIT until GOD can look into our thoughts (hearts) and sees HIMSELF. It is
then, and only then, that GOD will send us to CHRIST JESUS. And as the scriptures
say, JESUS gives eternal life to all those whom the FATHER sends to HIM (John
17:2b). And that’s “GOD’s perspective of salvation”, not man’s.
I’ll conclude this lesson the same way the
Apostle Paul concluded this sixth chapter of his first letter to the
Corinthians, where he warns us in verses 18-20 to;
“Run
away from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one
does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Or don’t you know
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” (NLT).
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
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