Do You Not Know?

Part 7

Text: 1 Corinthians 6:9-20

September 2, 2012

Introduction/Review:

I.  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? vv. 9-11

II.  Do you not know that your bodies belong to Christ because they are destined for resurrection? vv. 12-14

III.  Do you not know that your bodies belong to Christ because they are in union with Him? vv. 15-17

Lesson:

IV.  Do you not know that your bodies belong to God because they are His rightful possession? vv. 18-20

A.  Habitation: Temple of the Holy Spirit, v. 19a

1.  God’s Temple and the Corinthian (Gentile) Context

 2.  God’s Temple and the Pauline  (Jewish) Context

Reflection:

The path to sexual purity is paved by self-consciously contemplating the implications of being God’s temple—the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.

You cannot love God if you are under the continual, secret suspicion that He is really your enemy! You cannot love God if you secretly think He condemns and hates you. This kind of slavish fear will compel you to some hypocritical obedience—such as what Pharaoh did when he let the Israelites go against His will. However, you will never truly love God if you are compelled only by fear. Your love for God must be won and drawn out by your understanding of God’s love and good ness towards you—just as John testifies in 1 John 4:18-19: ‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear consists of torment; The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. You simply cannot love God (pursue holiness/progress in sanctification—J.F.) unless you know and understand how much He loves you (Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, p. 31).

© John Fonville

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