This saying, “All things are lawful,” became a slogan for liberty. Their justification would’ve been that since God’s grace covers sin, they were free to sin! This is a complete perversion of God’s Word, of course, but certainly not a unique one to the church at Corinth. Heck, I see this type of attitude in contemporary Christianity today! Just look around at how many so-called “Christians” are indulging in sinful living on the premise that God’s grace has covered their transgressions once and for all. These folks will take Holy Scripture out of context, like, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
While Christ’s sacrifice covers the sins of God’s children, this doesn’t mean that we are given liberty to sin even more! We mustn’t confuse our eternal position in Christ with our progressive sanctification while here on Earth. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
“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 then 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.
“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 then 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.
- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Instead of just pointing fingers at a two-thousand-year-old church, let’s consider our own churches. Many of us have grown up in a post-sexual-revolution society, where “free love” and promiscuity are celebrated; after all, it’s “only natural” to satisfy our fleshly lusts, right? That kind of thinking is what some argue has had the greatest impact on American history, even greater, for example, than the industrial and technological revolutions.
How are we any different from the Corinthians? Do we not live in a society where sexual immorality is not only tolerated, but encouraged? I’ve heard Christians tell other Christians to “try before you buy” and “just move in together to see if you can make it as a married couple.” As a young man, I was often told to “sow my wild oats”.
As a child of God, we are indwelt by the Trinity. This means that immoral sex drags Jesus, Himself, through something vile. Give that some thought. If that’s not horrifying to think about, I’m not sure what is. And yet, like the Corinthians during Paul’s ministry, Christians today justify the same behavior, not giving Jesus a second thought as they whore around.
Furthermore, Paul gave the Corinthians some additional perspective that we, too, ought to take to heart.
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
- 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
Not only do we harm ourselves whenever we sin (e.g., possibly contracting a venereal disease, maybe even a life-threatening one), but we are harming others. What kind of message does a known Christian send to an unbeliever when they have sex with them outside of marriage? Forget about the damage they do to their own bodies for a moment and think about the other person. What kind of message is received by the unbeliever about followers of Christ?
A believer’s body is a temple of the Spirit of Christ. Jesus Christ purchased that temple with His own blood. There is no justifiable reason to defile it with sexual sins.
All things are not lawful, especially when the greatest law of all is love.
How can you say that you love Christ and then drag Him through a sexually immoral act? How can you possibly justify something so disgusting? Then, after being convicted of it, even once, how can you willfully put Him through it all over again?
My friend, just because your sins have been paid for doesn’t mean you have liberty to hurt yourself, others, or even worse, Christ.
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
- Galatians 5:13-15
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins
