Temples of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Temples of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Sex, food, drugs, money, possessions, violence, and power, our world is addicted. Paul singles out sexual immorality because this sin includes our whole being. God sees sex not as a temporary physical connection but as a permanent spiritual connection. The passage that is sited is from Genesis 2:24 which established marriage.

So, to put it clearly, you are married to everyone you have had sex with. Yet sexual sin has been dismissed to the point that people stop thinking of it as sin. The idea that any sex outside of your marriage is sinful is made out to be archaic and prudish. It is so easy to let it pass unchallenged, especially since it seems to be a sin we have to fight so often.

God gives us four principles that pertain not only to sexual sin but to all sin.

1.      All things are lawful but not all things are helpful.

This means that all sinful actions are forgiven and the judgement of the law has been paid. We will not pay the price for our immorality, greed, lies, and whatever else, for Jesus paid that price on the cross. But these things are not helpful. Our sinfulness is a lead weight dragging us down. Stealing our joy and peace.

 

There also is a physical price to pay. There are more than 20 named sexually transmitted diseases. Which affect over 19 million people in the US each year. Retirees being one of the biggest groups affected. Then there are the psychological prices to pay. 1 in 5 women have been the victim of sexual assault, 1 in 6 of men. These victims carry that assault with them every day for the rest of their lives. It affects their friendships, marriages, their parenting, self-image, even their relationship with God.

 

Though Jesus paid the price for our sin in an eternal way, there is still a price to pay in an earthly way.

 

2.      Our bodies are members of Christ.

We are part of the body of Christ, each one of us. When we sin, we include Jesus in the sin we are committing. When we cheat, and steal we are using Jesus’ hand to reach in someone else’s pocket. When we gossip, we use Jesus’ mouth to speak.

 

We also include the whole church in our actions. People who know of your sin, and people do know, see not only you but all other Christians. It is not just your reputation that suffers but the whole church suffers. How can the church win people to Jesus when it has a bad reputation? How can we preach transformation if we are not transformed?

 

3.      Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit

Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit; God lives in you. When you sin you not only include Jesus but you also include the Holy Spirit. There is a lot of sin we would never do if someone was watching. The Holy Spirit not only is watching; the Holy Spirit becomes included.

 

4.      You do not belong to you.

The final consideration is that we are not our own. Our life is not ours to do with as we please. Jesus bought us on the cross, redeemed us. Our lives are a debt we owe to God. When we let sin go unchallenged we insult what God has done for us. We dishonor Jesus’ death on the cross.

 

Will we challenge our sinful actions and thoughts? Will we not only seek Gods’ forgiveness but also His transformation? You are His body, His temple, His possession, and we need to act like it. Alexander the Great, change your conduct or change your name.

Matthew 6:16-18 “Learning to Fast”

Matthew 6:16-18  “Learning to Fast”

When you fast, Jesus expected people to fast.

Not a show of spiritualness

There is a reward for it

What is it?

The abstaining from food for a given period of time to develop your focus on God.

Fasting unto your blood test, work, my car or project.

Spiritual Fasting relates to the same reasons you pray.

Fasting is a sacrifice.

An opportunity to show your heart to God.

Fasting from things other than food.

Some people should not fast.

Queen Ester

Weeping, lamenting and fasting. Over the king’s decree.

Ester ask the people to pray and fast 4:16

2 Chr 7:14 If My people

Many Christian leaders are calling people to fast before the presidential election

Not for any candidate or party

God places people in power for blessing and for judgement

Between now and election day choose a time to fast and spend that time in prayer.

Repentance as a nation (that you do not agree with the wickedness of many people in our nation)

Intercession for our national leaders that they would seek God’s will and not their own.

Praying that answers would be found for the things that are tearing us apart as a nation

For revival in our land (That people would come to faith in Jesus)

Us this fast for our country as an opportunity to venture into new ground spiritually.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “The Limits of Forgiveness”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “The Limits of Forgiveness”

What defines us? Quilter, computer person, runner, fisher person, artist, talker? As you think of words that would define you, I will do a little overview. Paul was talking about law suits between church members. Why were there law suits? Because of the things we read here in vs 9-11

Who are we? What are we? When we look at other people in the church, what do we see? Here is a good list but not exhaustive of the unrighteous. These people cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.  

Now the most important part. “And as such were some of you. But you were washed” You were that but now you are this. This fact is so important for us in relating to God, ourselves, and to each other.

First, is a warning to not let these sins define our character. We may slip from time to time and sin, but we should work on being transformed so these things do not define us. There needs to be push back against our sinful nature. Romans 7:14-25 Paul has a Holy Struggle within himself, and so do we. We must strive to not let these things define us.

Second is that we need to see ourselves as washed, sanctified, and Justified. We are forgiven. This is who you are, what you are. The first three words to tell someone who you are is, forgiven, transformed, righteous before God. Focus your identity on what Jesus has done and is doing in your life and not your sin. Let these things define you. Who are you? You are the forgiven. What are you? A person being transformed.

The eyes of the accuser (Satan) or the Redeemer (Jesus).

Pealing the onion. Layer by layer.

Third is that we need to change the way we look at others. When we know of the sinful things others do we start to define them by their sin. They become greedy, drunkards, liars, swindlers, gossips and immoral. We know that our brothers in Christ will be in a holy struggle just like we are. They will fail just as we do. But we are not to define them by their failure but define them by God’s grace.

Who are they? They are the forgiven. What are they? They are people God is transforming. We should not define them by their unrighteousness but by Gods’ forgiveness and Holy Spirit.

When the game stands tall: We do not expect perfect performance, just perfect effort.
People rise to your expectations. Define them by their sin, they sin. Define them by God’s grace and they will find victory.

The danger of defining children:

Are you in a struggle for Holiness? Have you been defining yourself by your defeats or your victories? Whose eyes do you see your life through? The accuser or the redeemer?
Have you been defining a brother or sister in Christ by their failure or by their victories?
Whose eyes do you see their life through? The accuser or the redeemer?
Whose eyes do you see life through? The accuser or the redeemer?

“Working Things Out” 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

“Working Things Out”  1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Last week we saw that the church was to confront sin within the church. Now we continue on that same line with dealing with disputes. Christian brothers in civil court against each other. Why is this a shameful thing as it says in vs 5.

1.       The difference between the worlds values and standard of conduct, and God’s standard.

a.       1 cor 2:14, The non-Christian cannot even understand the values God has.

b.       The court system does not have a forgiveness factor.

2.       It trades the authority of God for the authority of man.

a.       People willing to accept the ruling of a civil judge but not God’s.

b.       Trade God’s standards of conduct for those of the world.

3.       You humiliate God, and each other, before the world.

a.       You deny God’s power in the world and your life.

b.       You deny the transforming power in your life.

c.       Fail to use the work of the Holy Spirit in the church.

4.       How far to take it?

a.       A brother should not defraud a brother in Christ.

b.       Rather be defrauded than bring shame on the church and on God.

c.       The lunch table.

d.       Matthew 5:23-26

e.       Matthew 18:15-20

Will we be different than the world? Will the world see a difference between who we are and what we do, and themselves? Are our core values based on God’s word or on civil law? All we do reflects on God whom we claim to follow. All we do tells the world if we really believe in forgiveness, grace, and the authority of God.