Not All Things Are Profitable (Part 3)

Dear Bethelites,

We have since considered the first two points in regards to the theme, “Not all things are profitable.”  As Paul was focusing specifically on sexual immorality, the points he made were (1) sexual sin is not profitable for us, and (2) sexual sin controls us.  Today, we will ponder the last point.

III. Sexual sin corrupts us

1 Corinthians 6:13, Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them.  Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

It is true that both food and the belly (or the stomach) were created by God.  Hence, the Corinthians tried to use this truth as an analogy or slogan to justify their sexual appetites, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats.”  In a sense, they were saying, “Sex is no different from eating; just as the stomach was made for food, thus the body was also made for sex.  Just as God has given to us certain appetites for food, He has also given to us certain appetites for sexual desires.  Therefore, just as we go out to find something to eat, to satisfy our hunger, in the same way, we go out to behave immorally, to satisfy our hunger for sexual immorality.”

If I may put my words and thoughts into verse 13a, Paul was like saying to the Corinthians, “You always say, meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but I say to you, it is true that the food and the belly were made for each other, but it is also true that that relationship is purely temporal.  One day, their purpose would be fulfilled, and God shall destroy both of them.  That relationship will come to an end when we die, when death comes, there will be no more desire, no more craving, no more appetite that relationship comes to an end.”

The problem with the Corinthians was that they were only thinking about temporal things, like eating physical food, and they even tried to use that as an analogy for sexual sins.  But they had forgotten that what was important was that which was spiritual and eternal.

Paul went on to say, Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.  Why did God create you?  Did He create you just for the purpose of eating?  Did He create you for the purpose of fornication?  Most certainly not!

It is sad how some people would live solely for the purpose of eating.  But it is even more tragic how some people would live solely for the purpose of fornication (sexual immorality).  God did not create us for the purpose of fornication, rather He has created us to honour, worship, serve and glorify the Lord with our body.  That is what man is created for.  Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 1, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever!”  There will always be people who will honour the Lord with their bodies, while others will dishonour Him.  One day, they have to give an account for the way they have treated this body.

Like the Corinthians, some people may think, “Well, the body is temporal, and it is going to die anyway.  It will be destroyed (as in it will be buried and reduced to dust), so what we do with bodies, it does not matter.”  Most certainly not!  Paul went on to say, And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power (verse 14).  In the same way, God has raised the Lord Jesus Christ, He will also raise up us by His own power.

How we deal with this body has a lot to do with our eternity?  As a believer, while we are still alive, we want to glorify God with this body, thus we take care of it so that we may have the strength to serve Him.  We will not want to corrupt this body with anything that will dishonour the One who gave us this body, and redeemed it with Christ’s precious blood (c.f. 1 Peter 1:19).

With love in Christ,

Pastor Paul Cheng