Slices
Prepare
Read Psalm 139:13–18 and thank God for your body, fearfully and wonderfully made.
Bible passage
Sexual immorality
12 ‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’– but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, ‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.’ The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.
Explore
Paul now challenges the Corinthians’ teaching. He quotes two of their slogans, which asserted complete spiritual freedom (v 12) and that the body has no lasting spiritual significance because it’s going to be destroyed (v 13).
Paul emphasises his opposition by repeating ‘Do you not know?’ a further three times (vs 15,16,19). He stresses that the resurrection of Jesus is bodily and that, therefore, ours will be too (v 14). That means it simply cannot be the case that what we do with our bodies doesn’t matter to the Lord (vs 19,13). Yes, we’re free in Christ, but don’t, Paul insists, draw the wrong conclusion: freedom isn’t licence to do as we please (see Galatians 5:13). We can damage ourselves and find ourselves trapped anew (v 12).
That’s why avoiding the sexual immorality around them matters. The Corinthians are united to Christ in their bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit (v 19). If they sleep with a prostitute, they form a one-flesh relationship with that person. They’re invited to imagine uniting Christ to that prostitute. That cannot be (‘Never!’, v 15). That’s why they must flee from sexual immorality (v 18). They’re sinning against the place where they will experience Christ’s final victory. Given the costliness of that victory (v 20), they must honour God with their bodies.
Respond
Read John 8:10,11. This is an area where we easily feel guilt, yet Jesus offers both forgiveness and a challenge. Which is most relevant for you?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Numbers 32,33; Matthew 24
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for the team at Mission Partner Thrive Youth Ministries in Warwickshire (Andy, Fiona, James, Ryan and Rose), as they visit churches encouraging them to use their Manifesto for 21st Century Youthwork to equip them to reach out to young people in relevant and creative ways.
Bless a Year 6 child with a copy of It’s Your Move
Approximately 650,000 Year 6 children across the UK will begin preparing for their move to secondary school over the coming months. It’s Your Move is a brilliant guide that helps to smooth the transition. Filled with top tips, advice, and Bible-based reflections, this little book has become a backpack essential over the last 24 years!
Could you bless a child with a copy of It’s Your Move?