We’ve been studying Governmentalism from an interdimensional perspective – alighting on global and national outflows. Quite heady stuff. Today however, we begin to look at governmentalism at the personal level – self government. (You’ll need to read today’s discourse over and over again to attain understanding and gain insight into the deep issues). The Bible tells us we are spiritual chattels – exclusive commercial properties: “You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own).” 1 Corinthians 6:20 AMP.
God owns us! It is in acknowledgment of this commercial realism that Paul refers to himself as a slave and a servant of Christ. He opened his letter to the Romans with this introduction: “I, Paul, am a devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to proclaim God’s words and acts.” Romans 1:1. Again in Titus 1:1 he wrote: I, Paul, am God’s slave and Christ’s agent for promoting the faith among God’s chosen people… And he goes ahead to spell out the imperative of this fact of ownership: “For God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 NLT. Any time you see “So” or “Therefore” in scriptures, you must read the preceding verses to get a sense. “So” and “Therefore” are conclusions. This is a principle of scriptural interpretation. (It’s also taught in logic).
To know how to honour God with our bodies we must therefore look at the preceding verses in this passage. In verse 13, Paul wrote that there are two dimensions to this honour exercise – dietary regulation and sexual continence: “Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that’s no excuse for stuffing it with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor him with your body!” 1 Corinthians 6:13 MSG. A Christian must regulate his appetite for, and consumption of food and sex Paul says. Stuffing ourselves with food dishonours God according to this passage of scripture. The Bible is against gluttony.
But why can’t a Christian indulge his sexual appetite? Why no sexual indulgence outside the perimeters of marriage? Hear Paul explain sex – he brings a whole new perspective: “There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever – the kind of sex that can never “become one.”
There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies. These bodies that were made for God – given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for?
The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:16-20 MSG. In other words, sex is spiritual even though it’s a physical act. And sex without marital commitment negates the PRINCIPLE of spiritual commitment to Christ. Such sex violates the principle of ONE-NESS Paul explains. That’s why it leads to deeper loneliness.
Sex is not just physical. It is a one-ness spiritual ritual. One-ness is a BIG spiritual principle. The one-ness of Adam and Eve was a pointer to the spiritual union of Christ and the Church. In fact it was in respect of Adam and Eve that we first heard about one-ness: “And they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24. One-ness is not discriminatory. And it is a powerful principle. If you sleep with a prostitute you become one flesh with her. “Or do you not know and realize that when a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her?” 1 Corinthians 6:16. Paul argued that it is desecration for a part of the body of Christ to be joined to a prostitute. We’re part of Christ: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!” 1 Corinthians 6:15 NIV. At the time Paul wrote there were temple prostitutes in Corinth.
This principle of one-ness is recognised by Satanists. They use it to promote spiritual union with Lucifer. And they violate it to profane the principle governing the union of Christ and the Church. It’s like peeing on the cross. In Ancient Greece, “sacred prostitution” was known in the city of Corinth. The temple of Aphrodite (from where we get the word aphrodisiac) employed a significant number of “hetairai”. (Aphropdisiac is from the Greek word Aphrodisiakos meaning to induce sexual desire. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love). Till today sexual orgies are employed in Satan worship and certain Satanic rituals.
Sex is not just sex according to scriptures. And the body is sacred because of the presence of the Spirit of God. Sexual sin violates this sacredness. We are enjoined to live in response to the Spirit of God, but our carnal desires are opposed to the desires of God’s Spirit. To use Paul’s words, there is a “root of self-interest” in us. It is an extremely selfish spirit, always wanting to indulge its lusts and passions, always wanting to have its way. “It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community.” Galatians 5:19-21 MSG.
“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard – things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” Galatians 5:22-23. “And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.” Galatians 5:24 AMP.
If you’ll like to make Jesus the Lord of your life, please pray this prayer: Father I acknowledge I’m a sinner; that Jesus died for me and you raised him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and I accept him as my Lord and Saviour. Amen.
© Leke Alder | talk2me@lekealder.com