9.67 Is your body sinful or holy?
If you asked a Christian, “Is your body sinful or holy?” they will probably tell you that the body is sinful. They will likely tell you that the sin nature is in the body, which is why they have to beat their bodies to keep it under. There are Christian groups that even practice inflicting their bodies.
But what do you think? For a while, I wondered if the born again experience only impacted our spirit, while the sin nature is still retained in the body. Have you asked such questions?
The Bible tells us that our “body of sin” has been done away with. This happened when we were united in death with Jesus. Our old man (the old nature) was crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
(Gal 2:19-20)
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Doesn’t that change the way we view our body? It is no longer the body of sin! In fact, another verse tells us that our “body” is the temple of the Holy Spirit. If the body is sinful, then how can the Holy Spirit indwell our body?
(1 Cor 6:19)
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Let us go one step further by cross-referencing another verse that talks about us being the temple of the Holy Spirit. Now it says that the temple of God is Holy, which temple you are.
(1 Cor 3:16)
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Since the temple is our body, and the temple is holy, it actually means that our bodies are holy to God. It is not sinful. We do not inflict our bodies. We respect our bodies and we present our bodies as vessels of honor to the Lord.
But what do you think? For a while, I wondered if the born again experience only impacted our spirit, while the sin nature is still retained in the body. Have you asked such questions?
The Bible tells us that our “body of sin” has been done away with. This happened when we were united in death with Jesus. Our old man (the old nature) was crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
(Gal 2:19-20)
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Doesn’t that change the way we view our body? It is no longer the body of sin! In fact, another verse tells us that our “body” is the temple of the Holy Spirit. If the body is sinful, then how can the Holy Spirit indwell our body?
(1 Cor 6:19)
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Let us go one step further by cross-referencing another verse that talks about us being the temple of the Holy Spirit. Now it says that the temple of God is Holy, which temple you are.
(1 Cor 3:16)
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Since the temple is our body, and the temple is holy, it actually means that our bodies are holy to God. It is not sinful. We do not inflict our bodies. We respect our bodies and we present our bodies as vessels of honor to the Lord.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 12:01 AM
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