“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19,20
It seems to me that all sins have this in common: they are an act of thievery. I am taking something that isn’t mine, without permission, and using it to make myself feel better.
Our bodies are not our own. Our spirit, soul, mind, and body make up the temple of the Holy Spirit. I literally have no right to think whatever I want, say whatever I will, do whatever I please, because everything I do, I do using the body — brain, eyes, tongue, hands, feet, etc.. And just as we don’t use someone else’s stuff without permission, we must not use our bodies without permission from their true owner.
This need not be burdensome. If we are committed to live in such a way as to “find out what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10) then I think we’ll discover that much of what we are actually doing is under God’s guidance and meets with Christ’s approval. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 reads, “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life.” That seems to me to sum up a lifestyle that pleases the Lord.
It’s only when we start to want more — more things, more pleasure, more recognition, that red flags appear on the horizon of our conscience. The voice of thievery is beckoning and the truth is that in our weakness we are powerless against it. Only a continual prayer will do: “Lord Jesus! Have mercy on me and deliver me!”
And when I fail, I need to practice confronting myself: “what was I expecting would happen if I don’t call on the Lord to help me?”
