"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)
Day 321 - (Today’s Bible readings: 1 Chronicles 21:18-22:5; Psalm 119:89-96; 1 Corinthians 6)
GLORIFY GOD IN YOU BODY
“The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body... Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:13b; 19-20 ESV)
The devil has one goal, to mess up our lives here on earth and in eternity. We are far too familiar with hatred, jealousy, materialism, prejudice, and immorality of all sorts. In today’s reading, Paul is warning us of one of the most damning tools Satan has in his arsenal - sexual sin. So many have allowed this sin to lead them away from God.
Paul’s message is clear, since you do not belong to yourself, don’t sin sexually. He then attempts to help us get the point:
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:15-18 ESV)
In the past, some have given the impression that sexual sin to the unforgivable sin. But that cannot be so since Jesus Himself forgave a woman caught in adultery with theses words: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:11 ESV)
And yet, we have this strong warning from Paul, and for good reason: “Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.”
There are many who find themselves ensnared in Satan’s sexual trap. Where can they turn? Listen to Paul’s response: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25 ESV) This leads us back to end of today’s verse:
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”
We find ourselves at the cross of Jesus where we find both the motivation to walk the life of purity and the strength to do so. Since Jesus died in payment for all of your sins, and promises to walk with you every day, you, like Paul, can be thankful and empowered to glorify the Lord in your body.
Lord God almighty, I am truly sorry for all of my sins. Thanks you for Lord Jesus for purchasing the forgiveness I so desperately need by dying in my place. Remind me of Your loving sacrifice every day so that I may glorify You in my entire life, body and soul. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), undergirds this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
Then scroll down to 2022 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!
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