by Pastor Rich Carlson

For Paul, consistency was the crown of Christianity and the confirmation of its true color. He calls us “God’s temple” in this chapter, the place where God dwells. Paul says we are entrusted with the secret things of God and we must “prove faithful.” Proving faithful to God is “not a matter of talk, but of power.” We have to walk the walk if we are going to talk the talk.

Paul gets explicit and specific as he explains what he means.
• Don’t put up with outward sin among believers—loving accountability is his plan
• Don’t take believers to court—I’d be better off wronged or cheated.
• I can do what I want, but it’s not all beneficial.

He lists specific sins:
• Heterosexual immorality and homosexuality
• Idolatry
• Stealing
• Greed
• Drunkenness
• Slander
• Swindling

But the one he focuses on the most is immorality. When I visited Corinth not long ago, the guide was quite graphic about what they discovered as they unearthed that old city. Let’s just say sexual immorality was very prevalent in Corinth. So Paul talked more about the current issues facing the believers there. When I look at my society, I can see reason to listen closely to Paul’s counsel. If I want my life to agree with what I say, then I have to come to grips with what I decide to do with the immorality of my culture (among other things).

I found 6 reasons in chapter 6 of Paul’s first letter to Corinth of why I need to make a clear choice about moral purity—what I say, what I do, what I see, what I listen to, what I expose myself to, what I convey to my fellow believers:

1. My body was not made for gratification of sensual desires, but for the Lord, and He made the body! (1 Corinthians 6:13) He’s not against sex, but its purpose is to bond a husband and wife (and to create babies). That’s not the message I hear from the world and it’s not an attitude I can easily retain if I expose myself to the world’s displays of immorality.
2. His goal is to raise me up with a glorified body (6:14). If that’s His goal then why not let Him start now?!
3. My body is a member of Christ Himself (6:15). How can I then think of polluting mine or anyone else’s, since they too are members of Christ Himself.
4. If I sin sexually I am sinning against my own body (6:18). He says I am using myself as an avenue of sin! 
5. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is sent from God (6:19).
6. I have been bought with a price (6:20).

Therefore—I am to honor God with my body. I can say it, but I have to choose to live it. It’s all about purpose, intentionality, commitment, conviction—and then choosing to let my life be what my words say.

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.