Day 68 — 1 Corinthians 6 — Bought with a Price: Living as God’s Holy Temple

“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (ESV)
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The church in Corinth was struggling—not only with sin inside the church, but with a compromised witness before the watching world. Believers were taking one another to court before pagan judges, airing family matters in public, and continuing to justify sexual immorality as though grace had somehow erased God’s call to holiness. Paul addresses these issues directly in 1 Corinthians 6, and he does so with a repeated and piercing question: “Do you not know?”

At least five times Paul asks this question, revealing that the Corinthians were ignorant of foundational truths of the Christian life. This was not a lack of information, but a failure to live out what they already knew. Knowledge divorced from obedience had left them confused, compromised, and spiritually immature.

Paul begins by confronting their lawsuits. He is not saying that civil courts have no place in society, but that it is a tragedy when believers—who will one day judge the world with Christ—cannot resolve disputes among themselves with wisdom, humility, and love. Their actions were damaging their testimony. Instead of displaying the reconciling power of the gospel, they were reflecting the same selfishness and litigious spirit as the culture around them.

Paul presses deeper and reminds them of a far greater issue: identity. He lists a sobering catalog of sins—sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, greed, drunkenness, reviling, and swindling—and then says something remarkable: “And such were some of you.” Past tense. That is who you were, not who you are.

Then comes the gospel: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” These three words describe the miracle of salvation. Washed—cleansed from sin’s guilt. Sanctified—set apart for God’s purposes. Justified—declared righteous before a holy God. This is not self-improvement; this is divine transformation.

Paul’s logic is clear and compelling: If God has changed who you are, why would you continue living like who you were? Grace does not give permission to sin; it gives power to overcome it. The Christian life is not about asking, “What is lawful?” but rather, “What is beneficial?” Not everything that is permitted is profitable. Freedom in Christ is never freedom to destroy ourselves.

Paul then turns his attention to the body—a subject the Corinthians had deeply misunderstood. Influenced by Greek philosophy, many believed the body was insignificant, merely a temporary shell, while the soul alone mattered. Paul dismantles this idea. He reminds them that the body matters deeply to God. God created it. God redeemed it. God dwells in it by His Spirit. And God will one day raise it in glory.

“The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” This statement reframes everything. Our bodies are not our own to use as we please. They belong to the Lord. Sexual sin is not merely a private matter or a physical act; it is a spiritual violation. Paul explains that sexual intimacy creates a one-flesh union. To unite the body of Christ with immorality is unthinkable.

Paul’s language becomes urgent: “Never!” Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? God forbid. The believer is united to Christ by the Spirit. That union is sacred, intimate, and eternal.

Then Paul gives one of the clearest commands in all of Scripture regarding temptation: “Flee sexual immorality.” Notice he does not say analyze it, manage it, or flirt with it. He says "flee." This echoes Joseph’s example in Genesis 39, when he ran from Potiphar’s wife, leaving his cloak behind. Better to lose a garment than to lose integrity.

Paul gave Timothy similar counsel: “Flee youthful passions.” James adds another layer of wisdom: when dealing with the devil, resist him; when dealing with the flesh, run from it. Sexual temptation is uniquely powerful because it involves the body, the emotions, and the will. Paul warns that sexual sin is a sin against one’s own body.

Then comes one of the most profound truths in Scripture: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?” In the Old Testament, God’s presence dwelled in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Those places were holy, set apart, and treated with reverence. Now, Paul says, God dwells in you. The Spirit of God has taken up residence in the believer’s body. That reality alone should change how we live.

Paul concludes with the ultimate motivation for holy living: ownership and redemption. “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” The price was not silver or gold, but the precious blood of Jesus Christ. At the cross, Jesus purchased us—body and soul. Our lives now belong to Him.

Therefore, the call is simple and profound: “So glorify God in your body.” Holiness is not about restriction; it is about redemption. It is about living in alignment with God’s design, experiencing His best, and reflecting His glory to a broken world.

This chapter invites honest self-examination. Is there something in your life that may be lawful, but not beneficial? Something that dulls your witness, compromises your holiness, or entangles your heart? Are you fleeing from sin—or flirting with it? Are you living with the awareness that your body is God’s dwelling place?

The good news is this: the same Spirit who convicts is the Spirit who empowers. God never commands what He does not enable. In Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin. We are free—free to honor God with our minds, our bodies, and our lives.

The way forward is not shame, but surrender. Not self-effort, but Spirit-dependence. Not compromise, but courage. Today, choose again to live as one who has been washed, sanctified, and justified. Choose to glorify God in all things. And know... He loves the sinner, but hates the sin. "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Prayer:
Father, thank You for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank You that we are no longer who we once were. Forgive us for the ways we have compromised, justified sin, or forgotten that we belong to You. Help us to flee from temptation and walk in holiness by the power of Your Spirit. Teach us to honor You with our bodies, our choices, and our relationships. May our lives reflect Your grace, Your truth, and Your glory. We surrender ourselves anew to You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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