Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? -1 Corinthians 6:19
Our bodies matter to God.
He could have just created us disembodied spirits, but He didn’t do that. He gave us a body.
When we were born again He could have just regenerated our spirit and left it at that. Instead, He promises that when we’re in Heaven we’ll have resurrected bodies there.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. -1 Corinthians 15:44
Our body is not just a side issue. We are not just spiritual beings who happen to have a body. Our body is God’s express design. That’s why we’re told to offer the parts of our body to righteousness and not to wickedness.
Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. -Romans 6:13
My body is an extension of my spirit, so to speak. What I do with my body matters.
It’s a very foolish thing to think that I’ve got a great spiritual life if I’m making a practice of using the parts my body to sin!
There’s a revelation here that Christ will have to give you. Don’t take what I’m saying at face value. Take what I’m saying to the Lord and ask Him about it. You were bought with a price, and you’re no longer your own. You should glorify God with your body realizing that what you do with it touches Christ. Why do you think the Word of God says that someone who goes to a prostitute joins Christ to a prostitute?
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! -1 Corinthians 6:15
Let that verse sink in. It’s telling us that even our most intimate parts are part of Christ! You can’t spiritualize this thing and say that only certain parts of your body are parts of Christ. Every part of your body is YOUR body, and every part of your body is HIS!
The charismatic movement did a great disservice when it dissected and compartmentalized people into spirit, soul and body a few decades ago. They took a truth that’s revealed in the scripture and arrived at the wrong place with it. All the focus was put on the fact that we are spiritual beings while neglecting the fact the God has also given us bodies. Everyone went around talking about their “spirit man” as if that was the only thing that mattered to God.
The result of this kind of teaching is that it gives people license to behave one way with their bodies, and separate what they’re doing from their spirit. When we begin to think like that we can convince ourselves that we’re actually very spiritual people while doing very sinful things with our bodies!
Why do you think Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth? He was pointing out that there was a fundamental disconnect when it came to their profession of love for Jesus and what they were doing with their bodies. He was not allowing them to compartmentalize their spiritual life and separate it from their bodily life.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. -Romans 12:1
Did you catch that?
Your spiritual worship involves offering up your physical body as a living sacrifice!