“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…? You do not belong to yourself…So you must honor God with your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)
What did Paul mean when he said our body belongs to God? Many people say they have the right to do whatever they want with their own bodies. Although they think that this is freedom, they are really enslaved to their own desires. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us.
Therefore, we no longer own our bodies. That God “bought us at a (high) price” refers to slaves purchased at an auction. Christ’s death freed us from sin but also obligates us to His service. If you live in a building owned by someone else, you try not to violate the building’s rules. Because your body belongs to God, you must not violate His standards of living.
In Christ, we have all the benefits of knowing God: being chosen for salvation, being adopted as his children, forgiveness, insight, the gifts, the Spirit, the power to do God’s will, and the hope of living forever with Christ. Because we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings.
The Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that we belong to Him and that He will do what He has promised. He is like a down payment, a deposit, a validating signature on the contract. His presence in us demonstrates the genuineness of our faith, proves that we are God’s children, and secures eternal life for us. His power works in us to transform us, and what we experience now is a taste of the total change we will experience in eternity.
Prayer
Lord, breathe on us. Let Your Holy Spirit build our hearts and strengthen us. Thank You for this precious gift that sets us free in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read: Genesis 1:1-2; Luke 4:18
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 23:29-35; Proverbs 24:1-4; Philippians 1:1-26; Zephaniah 1; Zephaniah 2; Zephaniah 3
