What practical steps can we take to treat our bodies as God's temple? The Sacred Reality behind 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” Because God Himself indwells us, treating our bodies as His temple is not optional—it is worship. Begin with a Heart Re-Set: Who Owns the Temple? • Accept His purchase: “You were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:20) • Offer yourself daily: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1) Guard What Enters the Temple • Nourish, don’t abuse: Choose food and drink that serve health, avoiding gluttony (Proverbs 23:20-21) and drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18). • Filter media intake: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23) • Practice Sabbath rhythms: Adequate sleep and rest honor the Creator’s design (Mark 6:31). Maintain the Temple’s Strength and Beauty • Exercise stewardship: Regular physical activity maximizes energy for kingdom service (1 Corinthians 9:27). • Prioritize preventative care: Routine checkups value the life He gave. • Cultivate cleanliness: Order and hygiene mirror God’s character of purity (Deuteronomy 23:14). Live in Moral Purity • Flee sexual immorality: “Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18) • Walk in covenant faithfulness within marriage (Hebrews 13:4). • Uphold modesty that points attention to Christ, not self (1 Titus 2:9-10). Speak Temple-Worthy Words • Uplift rather than tear down (Ephesians 4:29). • Refuse profanity and crude joking (Ephesians 5:4). • Make gratitude your native language (Colossians 3:17). Rely on the Spirit Who Dwells Within • Start each day acknowledging His presence (Psalm 5:3). • Let Scripture shape your decisions; the indwelling Spirit uses the Word to guide (John 14:26). • Confess quickly when you fall, receiving cleansing and renewed fellowship (1 John 1:9). Live on Mission through Your Body • Serve with your hands—help the needy (James 1:27). • Go with your feet—share the gospel (Romans 10:15). • Use your voice—sing His praise (Psalm 103:1). When every choice—from what we eat to how we rest, from words we say to moral boundaries we keep—flows from the truth that our bodies house the Holy Spirit, we glorify the One who bought us and broadcast His presence to a watching world. |
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