God's Dwelling Place

You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit who is in you. You have received the Holy Spirit from God. So you do not belong to yourselves, because you were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

In Paul's day, the city of Corinth was infamous for sexual debauchery and decadence. There was even a slang Greek verb that meant "to act like a Corinthian," which implied that one took part in sexual immorality. The church of Corinth, though filled with true believers in Jesus, continued to struggle with the sinful excesses of its culture. In response to the church's repeated failure to set itself apart for God instead of blending into Corinthian society, Paul directed his comments in a letter to this struggling church. His words today, as well as then, are a good heart-and-body check for every believer.

Thanks to Jesus's sacrifice, your body is now God's home. In the Old Testament, God's presence stayed physically close to his people by dwelling in an elaborate temple complex. God dictated every detail of the temple's construction, as well as strict rules on how to keep it holy and fit for his use. God's Spirit dwelled in an especially sacred part of the temple called the Holy of Holies. In Greek, this place was called naos. Paul used the same word here. Your body is God's Holy of Holies.

When a guest comes to your home, you honor that guest by putting things in order and doing all you can to make that person feel comfortable. By taking care of yourself physically and steering clear of sexual sin, you are doing the same for God. You are giving your heavenly Father a warm welcome home.

Your body is a sacred place where God's Spirit dwells. How you treat yourself physically is a reflection of the kind of dwelling place you desire to offer the Father, who loves you.

Pray for discipline and obedience to God to lead a physical and spiritually healthy lifestyle. When we treat ourselves "right" we show we honor the God who created us and respect his creation. ~ MME Team