Thursday 19 February 2015
- Bible Book:
- 1 Corinthians
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” (vv. 19-20)
Psalm: Psalm112
Background
The season of Lent began yesterday, on Ash Wednesday. It's atime for Christians to reflect on how well they are living theirlives for God - and where they need to put things right.
Paul is trying to put things right within the church at Corinth.He's writing to a church that's full of people who think they knowwhat's best for themselves, but whose lifestyles are not givingglory to God. In particular, they are claiming to have found inScripture the right to satisfy all God-given natural appetites - ofhunger, of thirst, and of sexual desire.
It's hard for the Corinthians, given the society in which theylive. Their city is full of taverns (one row contains 33 of them)and brothels. It's the 'party capital' of the Roman Empire. In thecommon language used throughout the empire, people speak of "livinglike a Corinthian" when describing those who live depraved anddebauched lifestyles; prostitutes are known as "Corinthian girls".After all, the temple here alone has a thousand of them. So Paulhas an uphill struggle - he's expecting people to stop doing whathas come naturally to them.
Yet he reminds them that to be part of Christ is to be part ofChrist's body. If they are joined to Christ in Baptism (
To Ponder
- It isn't just the spectacular sins which cause us to fail. Youmay or may not have visited a brothel recently, but have a look atJames 3:4-6 - what does that say to you aboutanother part of your body?
- Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) said, "Christ has no body butyours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours". How might thinkingthis way change the way we act?
- How much can Christians enjoy life?