"You Are Not Your Own" – Honouring God with Your Body

MHBPC Admin
6 days ago
11 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Date: 22 June 2025, 9.30 am

Speaker: Eld Sim Chow Meng Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

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TRANSCRIPT

Introduction

Imagine you’re given two vehicles for a week.

1. The first: A rental—you paid a fee. You need not stress over spilled coffee, muddy floors, or pushing the engine too hard.

2. The second: Your dream car—a BYD you’ve always wanted—gifted to you by someone who loves you deeply.

How would you treat it? You’d wash it, check the oil, park it carefully. Why?

Ownership changes everything. That car isn’t just metal—it’s a trust. A gift of love.

Here’s the eternal question: Do you treat your body like a rental or a sacred trust?

Today, we open God’s Word to 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 to answer that question.

Let’s us go to God in prayer.

"Dear Heavenly Father, we come before You this morning asking for open hearts and open ears. Speak to us through Your Word. Help us understand what it means that our bodies are Yours, not ours. Give us clarity, conviction, and most of all, grace to respond rightly. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Corinth: Ancient Hub of Permissiveness

You have already heard over the last few sermons what the Corinthian church was like. Just a quick recap.

At the heart of the city stood the temple of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, where ritual prostitution was practiced. An estimated 1,000+ ritual prostitutes would serve at the temple, blending religion with eroticism. Corinth became notorious for sexual immorality. The reputation of the city was so infamous that the word to "Corinthianize" became synonymous with living immorally. While Athens prized philosophy and Sparta discipline, Corinth was famed for hedonism which means getting as much pleasure out of life as possible, believing that the most important thing in life is to enjoy yourself.

Into this city, the gospel of Jesus Christ came—and by God's grace, people believed.

But these new Christians brought cultural baggage with them. Many still thought and lived as they had before. They struggled to understand how their faith in Jesus should transform their view of the body, sexuality, and freedom. Paul writes to address this very issue. In 1 Corinthians 6:12–20, he confronts not just behavior – he challenges the beliefs that shaped it showing that our redemption includes the body. Therefore, we must glorify God in our bodies.

Culture Versus Christ

In verses 12 and 13 of 1 Corinthians 6, Paul quotes two slogans of the day:

1st slogan - “All things are lawful for me” – In other words, “I have rights!” They could be thinking that since salvation is by grace alone, it doesn’t matter what I do now.

2nd slogan = “Food is meant for the stomach, the stomach for food”. Likewise, sex is like hunger, natural and permissible.

These mirror today’s mindset. There really isn’t anything new under the sun.

Take for example, Singapore’s law on Divorce by Mutual Agreement (DMA) which was introduced recently on 1 July 2024. It allows couples to end marriages without fault, purely on mutual consent. “If it’s not working, let’s just quit.” This idea echoes, “Everything is permissible if it suits me.”

Another example: TV, movies, and social media regularly portrays sexual activity as something casual and natural. No consequences, no commitment. Just pleasure.

God’s Counter-Cultural Truth

To these claims, Paul made three statements to counter them.

Paul replies in verse 12:

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful” and

“I will not be dominated (or enslaved) by anything.”

Then in verse 13:

The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but

“The body is meant for the Lord, and the Lord for the body”.

You need to ask, “Does this thing that you are doing draw me closer to Jesus or further away from Him?”. “Am I really free or am I in reality dominated or enslaved by this thing?”. “Is my body mine to use as I please?”

Paul is not just confronting cultural slogans—he’s redefining what true freedom and purpose look like.

He’s saying: just because something is permissible doesn’t mean it’s beneficial.

Just because the world says you’re free doesn’t mean you aren’t enslaved.

Paul wants the Corinthians to see that their bodies were not made for sin—they were made for God.

And that’s not just Paul’s message—it’s Jesus’ message too.

Jesus said to the Pharisees in John 8:34, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” When we call sin our right, it becomes our master”.

And Paul in Romans 12:1 says, “By the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”. All our bodies have a divine purpose – they are designed for worship, not sin.

The Four Gospel Truths

This brings us to the heart of Paul’s argument.

Paul doesn’t merely tell the Corinthian believers what not to do—he reminds them who they are and whose they are. Christian living isn’t driven by rules but by identity and relationship.

In these next few verses, Paul gives us four gospel truths—four spiritual realities—that should re-shape how we view our bodies and our behaviours.

They answer the question: “Why should I honour God with my body?”

Let’s look at each of them one by one.

1. Resurrection Reality (v. 14)

In verse 14, Paul writes, “God raised the Lord and will also raise us.”

This tells us something powerful: our bodies are not disposable or meaningless. They are part of God’s eternal plan. God isn’t just going to bring our spirits to heaven—He promises to raise our bodies too. Not just brought back to life temporarily but transformed completely to be fit for eternity.

That means what we do with our bodies now matters deeply. When we misuse or dishonour them through sin, we’re treating lightly something God intends to glorify.

It’s like taking a priceless piece of art that belongs in a royal gallery and scribbling all over it. That’s what we do to our bodies when we give them over to sin.

If we truly believe in the resurrection, then we must begin now to honour our bodies as part of God’s eternal plan.

2. Union Reality (vv. 15 – 17)

Paul asks a shocking question in verse 15: “Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!”

What he’s saying is this: when we trust in Jesus, we don’t just belong to Him—we become part of Him. We’re spiritually joined to Christ in a deep and lasting way, just like how the Bible describes the union between a husband and wife.

Last week, Ps Daniel mentioned the “Do you not know?” rhetorical questions asked by Paul. In verse 15, we see the next one: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?”

So when a Christian engages in sexual sin, it’s not just a personal or private matter. We are dragging Christ—who lives in us—into that sin. It dishonours not just our bodies, but Him.

That’s why Paul reacts so strongly. It’s not about legalism—it’s about love.

And it’s about holiness.

As Scripture reminds us: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)

3. Temple Reality (v.19)

In verse 19, we have the next “Do you not know” question.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?”

Think about that for a moment —your body is not just skin and bone. If you are a believer, your body is the very place where God’s Spirit chooses to dwell. It’s not a rental flat; it’s a sacred space. Like the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament temple, where God’s presence dwelled.

That’s how precious your body is to God. And that’s why sin against the body is not just physical—it’s spiritual. David felt the weight of this fact after he committed adultery and moral failure. David cried in Psalm 51, “Take not your Holy Spirit from me.” He knew what it meant to grieve the One who lived within him.

We are not empty vessels. We carry the very Spirit of God.

4. Ownership Reality (v.20)

Paul says in verse 20, “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

This is one of the most humbling truths in all of Scripture: we are not our own. We belong to Jesus. He paid for us—not with money, but with His own blood. That’s how much we matter to Him.

When someone pays a high price for something, it shows how valuable it is. And the highest price ever paid was Jesus giving His life on the cross—for you.

That’s why our response isn’t guilt, but gratitude. We honour God with our bodies not because we’re forced to, but because we’re loved. Because we’re free. Because we know the One who bought us is also the One who now lives in us.

These four gospel truths remind us that our bodies are not just flesh and bone—they are part of God’s redemptive story.

Because our bodies will be raised one day, we honour them today.

Because we are united to Christ, we do not live as if we belong to ourselves.

Because our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, we treat them with reverence, not carelessness.

Because we were bought at great cost—the blood of Jesus—we live not to please ourselves, but to glorify Him.

If all this is true, then our response is simple, though not always easy:

We honour God with our bodies.

Not out of guilt, but out of gratitude.

Not because we’re forced to, but because we are loved.

Because our bodies—just like our souls—belong to Him.

The “Flee” Command

If all that is true—if our bodies are sacred, joined to Christ, filled with the Spirit, and bought with blood—what should we do?

Paul gives a clear command in verse 18:

“Flee from sexual immorality.”

He doesn’t say “try harder” or “stand your ground.” He says flee. Run. Don’t linger, don’t reason with temptation, don’t stand at the edge. Get out of there.

The word “flee” carries urgency—it’s the language of escape in battle. The Christian life is spiritual warfare. Every day, we put on the armour of God to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11). But when it comes to sexual sin, Scripture gives a different strategy: don’t fight it—flee from it.

Joseph is a powerful example.

When Potiphar’s wife tempted him, Joseph didn’t argue or rationalise. He ran—leaving his cloak behind but keeping his purity. Though it cost him his freedom, he knew it was better to be falsely accused than to betray God.

And God honoured him.

Though Joseph was thrown in prison, God raised him up—eventually making him Prime Minister of Egypt.

The message is clear: fleeing may feel like weakness, but in God’s eyes, it is wisdom and strength.

Why must we “FLEE” vigorously from temptation?

Because sexual sin is not just any ordinary sin. The sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Sexual sin is progressive entanglement and gives birth to death. We read that in James 1:14-15, desires such as lust when conceived, gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fully-grown, brings forth death.
Sexual sins are sins of the worst order. There will be spiritual casualties beyond self

When God Confronts Us

When God confronts us about our sins, it’s not rejection but restoration, always.

Like a surgeon exposing cancer to heal, God’s confrontation is mercy in action.

Consider two examples: Adam/Eve (flawless creations) and David ('man after God’s heart'). Both fell grievously, yet their responses were vastly different. God preserved for us these two examples, and we should ask why? Because God hopes that when He confronts us, we will give Him the right response.

Let’s look at Adam and Eve. They were perfect humans created in a perfect world.

In Genesis 1:31b, we read, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good”.

As for King David, he was affectionately described as a man after God’s own heart.

This can be found in 1 Samuel 13:14 where we read, “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded David to be prince over his people.

Yet, despite the perfect condition of Adam and Eve and David’s heart for God, both sinned against God. Adam and Eve’s sin is due to disobedience in taking the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil whereas David committed adultery and murder. What were their reactions when God confronted them?

Adam and Eve hid from God and tried to cover their shame with fig leaves. And when asked by God what happened? They were defensive and evasive and started to blame others for their fall. There was no record of confession or sorrow.

David committed two sins that, under the Mosaic Law, carried the death penalty.

Leviticus 20:10 says, “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

And Leviticus 24:17 states, “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death.”

By law, David deserved to die—not once, but twice.

But God, in His mercy, didn’t strike David down. Instead, He sent Nathan the prophet to confront him.

That moment was God’s grace at work. He could have left David in his sin and shame—but He didn’t.

And when David realised it was God who had sent Nathan, he didn’t excuse or resist.

He broke. He repented. He confessed fully and sincerely.

We see the depth of that confession in Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, O God… according to your unfailing love.”

David knew he stood guilty—and he threw himself entirely on God’s mercy.

We may ask, “Why is it so hard to admit we’ve done wrong?”.

The Bible tells us it’s not just a personality issue—it’s a heart issue.

After Adam and Eve sinned, they hid. Why? Adam said, “I was afraid… so I hid” (Genesis 3:10). Fear and shame make us want to cover up, not confess.

Then there’s pride. Proverbs 16:18 reminds us, “Pride goes before destruction.” It’s pride that resists the humility needed to say, “I was wrong.”

And sometimes, we simply deceive ourselves. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things.” We justify, excuse, rationalize—anything but repent.

That’s why David’s response in Psalm 51 is so striking. He doesn’t hide, justify, or blame. He confesses. He pleads for mercy. He comes clean before God.

Real repentance begins where pride ends—at the foot of the cross.

The God who reaches out

How did God respond to both incidences? Although Adam and Eve denied any wrongdoing, God in His mercy provided a covering of animal skin, a picture of the sacrifice that would one day cover our sin. For David, he immediately confessed his sins, and God spoke forgiveness to David through the prophet Nathan. We read this in 2 Samuel 12:13b, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” In both these instances, God approached the individuals first, exposed their sins and then put in place a restoration process.

What about us? When God confronts you—whether sexual sin, or any kinds of sins —how do you respond? Do you hide? Do you blame others or circumstances? Or do you come clean before God?

Dearly beloved, because of Jesus, we have this promise: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). David found mercy because he repented. We can too.

Confession and Re-dedication

I would like to now give us some time for honest self-examination.

I invite you now to close your eyes. Don’t look at your neighbour. I am going to ask you some questions and your answer is between you and God.

“Brothers and Sisters, how have you treated your body? Are there any secret sin that you may have hidden in your life? Have you done something that may have defiled God’s temple?”

If you have, only God knows it, no one else knows, would you cry like David’s cry, “Wash me thoroughly …. Cleanse me” (Ps 51:2,7). God tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us”.

Pray with me this prayer in your heart.

Dear Heavenly Father, I confess my sins before You today. I have treated Your temple carelessly and I cause Your name to be in vain. Forgive me. Wash me in Your blood. I return what is Yours today. From this moment onward, my body is Your temple, set apart for Your glory, Your purpose and Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

Which of the four gospel truths (resurrection, union, temple, ownership) most challenges or encourages how you view and treat your body? Why?
Are there areas of your life where you’ve believed “I have the right” over “I belong to Christ”? What does it look like to surrender that to God?
When God gently confronts you - perhaps through Scripture or conviction - do you respond like David with repentance, or like Adam and Eve with excuses? How can you cultivate a heart that remains responsive?