Flee Sexual Immorality!

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 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? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Cor. 6:18-20)

Christians are free to be all they can be for God, but they are not free from God. God created sex to be a beautiful and essential ingredient of marriage, but sexual sin - sex outside the marriage relationship - always hurts someone. It hurts God because it shows that we prefer following our own desires instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a relationship. It often brings disease to our bodies. And it deeply affects our personalities, which respond in anguish when we harm ourselves physically and spiritually.


Every sin that a man does is outside the body was another slogan used by the Corinthians to justify their immorality (1 Cor. 6:12-13). Paul pointed out that the opposite is true: sexual sin is done against the body, not outside of it. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to flee any temptation to indulge in sexual sin (Gen. 39:1–12).

Word Focus: Temple - (Gk. naos) (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21; Rev. 21:22) G3485: This Greek word for temple refers more to the building itself than hieron, which was used to indicate the entire temple complex. Paul told the believers that each one of their bodies was a naos, a sanctuary for God (1 Cor. 6:19). Paul also said that the church, as Christ’s body, is a spiritual temple for God (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21). What a special privilege it is to be God’s spiritual dwelling place, both individually and corporately. The glory of God filled the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) and the temple (1 Kin. 8:10, 11). Now the glory of God in the person of the Holy Spirit dwells within every believer (John 14:16, 17) and thus inhabits the entire church. In the New Jerusalem, there will be no need for a physical temple because God and the Lamb will be the eternal temple (Rev. 21:22).

What did Paul mean when he said that our bodies belong to God? Many people say they have the right to do whatever they want with their own bodies. Although they think that this is freedom, they are really enslaved to their own desires. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit fills and lives in us. Therefore, we no longer own our bodies.

"Bought at a price" refers to slaves purchased at auction.Christ's death freed us from sin, but also obligates us to His service. With His death Jesus Christ paid the cost to redeem us from our slavery to sin (Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). If you live in a building owned by someone else, you try not to violate the building's rules. Because your body belongs to God, you must not violate His standards for living.

Father God, it is my prayer that those believers that are having difficulties with sexual immorality, that they will repent of their sins and come back into fellowship with You. I pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.

References: NKJV Holy Bible, Life Application Bible (NIV), and the Nelson Study Bible.