All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. (13) Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (14) And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. (15) 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 harlot? Certainly not! (16) Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “Shall become one flesh.” (17) But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. (18) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (19) Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (20) For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. In chapter 6 Paul writes correcting Christian behavior and Christian liberty. In Christ, he writes that “all things are lawful to me” and repeats this before amplifying on the statement. God has left free choice of behaviors in regard to outward things; dietary matters, ceremony, rituals etc. but apparently the Corinthians claimed all things were lawful for them without reserve or limit. But all things are not expedient and without consequence to others. Paul also emphasizes that man is not to be in bondage to any appetite. Man is meant to use the world, not abuse it. Our spiritual connection to Christ extends not just to the soul but also the body. Custom was not to be regarded as law and used as excuses. In Christ, we do not belong to ourselves but to God – this is not onerous but the tragedy would be if we did not belong to God.

Paul now moves to the sin of fornication with the rare command to “Flee sexual immorality.” The principles of religious liberty should be limited in application to things indifferent and temporary conditions of present life. But no such application is allowed in case of fornication. Because of the ultimate and permanent relationship with Christ this sin against the body, the will and the soul is destructive by its very nature. The Greeks and Romans considered fornication as a matter of indifference but Paul views it as a perversion of Christian liberty. Every sin a man commits is without/outside the body but fornication is against his/her own body. It is not a greater sin but has its peculiar effect on the body both morally and spiritually. As our bodies are temples of the Spirit it cannot be profaned without incurring a great and particular effect.

We have been delivered from the power and condemnation of sin by Christ and we are not to live according to our own pleasure. Our bodies are subject to God as well as our souls.