1 Corinthians 6:12-20

The Corinthian distortion of gospel freedom:

“All things are lawful for me”, but not all things are helpful.  “All things are lawful for me” but I will not be dominated by anything.  “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food” - and God will destroy both one and the other.  The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.  And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?  Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?  Never!  Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her?   For as it is written, ‘The two will become one flesh.’  But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.  Flee from sexual immorality.  Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body.”

‘Glorify God with your body!’

The world’s view of freedom … 

 

Gospel freedom in Christ Jesus …

 

2 Biblical Principles of Gospel Freedom

1. Everything is lawful … but not everything is helpful.

2.  Everything is lawful … but I will not be enslaved by anything.

 

 

Christ set us free to control our own body, not to indulge it.

Learn to control your body

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.”  [1 Thes. 4:3-5]

 

Do not obey sin; do not let it reign over you

 

“What shall we say, then?  Shall we go on sinning that grace may increase?  By no means!  We died to sin: how can we live in it any longer?  … Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.  Do not offer the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.  For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.”  [Romans 6:1-2, 12-14]

 

Put sin to death

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” [Col. 3:5]

 

Notes, Quotes & Scripture References:

“Where there is not sanctification of life, there is no real faith in Christ.  True faith worketh by love.  It constrains a man to live unto the Lord from a deep sense of gratitude for redemption.  It makes him feel that he can never do too much for Him that died for him.  Being much forgiven, he loves much.  He whom the blood cleanses walks in the light.  He who has real lively hope in Christ purifieth himself even as He is pure. (James 2:17-20; Titus 1:1; Gal. 5:6; 1 John 1:7; 3:3) (J.C. Ryle; Holiness)

 

Characteristics of Jesus’ Gospel Kingdom People:

 

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like.  I warned you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21; NIV 

“But among you there must not be even a hint of impurity or of greed because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which is out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  Therefore do not be partners with them.”  Ephesians 5:3-7

 

 

Free in Christ or Slave to Sin?

 

“What then?  Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?  By no means!  Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves you are slaves to the one whom you obey– whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness?  But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves of righteousness.

I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves.  Just as you used to offer the parts of your body to impurity and to ever increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 

When you were slaves of sin you were free from the control of righteousness.  What benefit did you reap at that time from the things that you are now ashamed of?  Those things result in death!  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.