Q4. Members of Christ

[Pastor Ralph]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15) What does it mean that “your bodies are members of Christ himself”? What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin? What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

[IvoryEagle]

What does it mean that "your bodies are members of Christ himself"? When we accept Christ as our Saviour; we become a part of who He is.

 

 

What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin?  Where we go; we take Him, as part of us, with us.

 

 

 

 

What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry? Walk the talk.

[van]

 

Our bodies are members of Christ Himself because He paid the ultimate price for us, He gave His life for us so we have a chance to dwell with Him forever in heaven. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit which dwells within us. We have the assurance that even if we committed sexual sin, God is a just God and will forgive our sins if we repent. If you sin and you are in a ministry the same thing applies. God is a just and righteous and if you seriously, seriously repent, God will forgive you through the blood of Christ which was shed for all of us. Our bodies were not made for sexual immortality, but was created for the Lord. 

[parkerslope]

What does it mean that "your bodies are members of Christ Himself"?

We have surrendered our lives to Him and have become a part of His eternal body.

 

​What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin?

God has said many times that physical marriage is a picture of Christ and the church, therefore anytime we take our bodies to be used in sin, we are attempting to make Christ's body sick with sin.

 

What are the implications of that in regards to your ministry?

It means that you attempting to live two different lives, when in fact, you are weak is faith, shallow with the Spirit, and your lifestyle is messed up so much that you cannot do the work that God wants you to do.

[pickledilly]

Christ takes believers as part of Himself, as members of His Body on earth.  We are His presence, His “hands and feet” in this world.  Paul said in vs.17 we are joined as one with Christ by His Spirit in us.

 

This makes defending or tolerating any sin inexcusable, but Paul explained why sexual immorality is the worst of all for believers.  That transgression creates an intimate union with a particular wickedness that God has specified, defined, and condemned.  That sin violates a person at the innermost level, in a way like no other sin.  It’s a violation of our spiritual union with Christ.  Vs.18 says it is an offense against one’s own physical body.  Our bodies are the dwelling place of God on earth, and thus are His holy possession. 

 

It's also important to recognize that our bodies are members of His body on earth in regards to ministry.  We are members who are to be in submission to the leading of “the brain”, the head who is Christ Himself (Colossians 1:8).  Our ministry efforts aren’t to be of our own instigation and doing, but of Him.  We have a responsibility to maintain a pure thought-life and an honorable lifestyle.  Sexual immorality, as Paul discussed here, would be a serious offense affecting the inner person (heart and mind) that would be especially problematic in any public ministry involving the name of Christ. 

[charisbarak]

Our bodies belong to God.  He created us & then bought us back.  We are also the habitation of the Holy Spirit. 

 

We don't want to use our bodies as instruments for sin,

 

People are watching us even in ministry.  We should put no doubt in anyone's mind that we are His!

[Sank T Monius]

1 Corinthians 6:13b-15

Q). What does it mean that "your bodies are members of Christ himself"?

A). In 1 Corinthians 6:15 the phrase "your bodies are members of Christ himself" means our bodies are designed to serve the Lord.

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Q). What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin?

A). Sexual sin breaks our unity with Christ.

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Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

(1 Corinthians 6:15)

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Q). What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

A). It implies that I should honor the priviledge of using my body for His purpose only.

[Lion of Grace]

To call our bodies as members of Christ means that we have taken Christ into our bodies and He has become a part of us. Since He dwells in us in the form of the Holy Spirit, we are no longer of the flesh but of the Spirit. Yes, we have a fleshly tent covering us while we are living on Earth, but we are now of the Spirit. We are Spiritual beings.

 

The implications of the above, with regard to sexual sin are that we are now holy, united with Christ and we are to be holy as God is holy. Uniting ourselves in sexual sin of any kind is so uncharacteristic to who we are in Christ and in such contrast to the purity we have in Him, it would be truly shameful to engage in this sin. Sexual sin is such darkness and Christ is so pure and holy and light. He has made His home in us. We are pure and Holy Temples housing Him. How could we ever invite such sin in to abide with Him there? That SHOULD be unheard of and not even imaginable!

 

In regard to ministry, we have been set apart from the flesh and the world, so we should be using our bodily Temple that houses the living God for HIS purposes.

[hanks]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15)
What does it mean that "your bodies are members of Christ Himself"?
What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin?
What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?
Our bodies being members of Christ Himself emphasizes the need for personal purity in our lives and for guarding our bodies against any form of pollution. Every believer is in spiritual union with Christ and any sexual sin will destroy that unity. Our bodies in a unique way belong to our Lord and is sacred to Him. Any illicit sex, therefore, is an insult to Him and at the same time a misuse of His body, and it causes a break in our spiritual union with Christ. So we see that in marriage both believers are united as members of one body, Christ’s body. Hence, any sex outside of marriage is disrespectful to our Lord. This also reminds us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14); because we then unite outside the body. As believers we should display and live by the Fruit of the Spirit. Our lives should be disciplined and there is to be faithfulness and self-control over **** and passions.
 

[lighthouse2014]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15) What does it mean that “your bodies are members of Christ himself”? What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin? What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

We are extensions of Christ Himself, we were born again, a spiritual rebirth. First as parts of the body, liniments, tendons, bone and muscle are all connected to make one whole body, So we, with our different gifts and talents are all connected to form one church and one body in Christ.

Just as we are part of Christ, His redeemed, shall we take the Lord and join Him with our sin? Never. We are to live a righteous life worthy of His love and promise of eternal life in Heaven.

In regards to the ministry we must live a life that is righteous and acceptable to our Lord. Having sin in our life breaks our fellowship with the Lord and His Holy Spirit. We would be unable to teach or lead a congregation that would be edifying to them. We would for sure be leading by the flesh with no influence from the Holy Spirit.      

[WinstonY]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15) What does it mean that “your bodies are members of Christ himself”? What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin? What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

 

Question 6.4

 

The question of sexual immorality was important to the Corinthians because of the temple of the love Goddess Aphrophite which was located in Corinth.  This temple employed over one thousand prostitutes and featured sex as part of the worship.  Some in the Corinthian church argued that they should be able to continue to be involved in these orgies of worship.  Their argument on their freedom in Christ.  Paul had released his followers from the restrictive food laws and from the other Jewish religious rules.  They used stoic slogans to justify their actions.  “All things are lawful to me” and “food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”.  Paul refutes the slogans/arguments with his own slogans probably the most important one was “your bodies are members of Christ himself”.  There is something here of the mystic in Paul, something akin to the Last Supper.  Paul is suggesting that when we approach death our bodies become as Jesus’ was upon resurrection when he told Mary “Do not hold unto me for I have not ascended to my Father”.

Paul sees believers as being integrally bounded with that of Christ and in that the sexual act draws two people closer together (Aquinas) than sex with a prostitute in effect binds Jesus to the prostitute.  Hence our bodies are not our own but belong to Christ.  The conclusion we should live chastely to glorify God in our body for we cannot separate what one does in the body from the spirit. 

It seems quite apparent from the last paragraph that our ministry cannot be valid if we disgrace the Lord with our bodies for then we are disgracing the body of the Lord  - another anil on the cross!

[JanMary]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15) What does it mean that “your bodies are members of Christ himself”?

 

When I said "Yes" to His invitation to be His and He came to live in me....I became His temple...no longer my own. .I am in Christ, and He is in me. Just as He is, so am I in this world" 1 John 4: 17b

 

What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin?

 

To commit sexual sin (or any sin), I subject Him to that sin....joining the parts now His, to another in unfaithfulness.

 

What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

 

My ministry is His work in and through me. To engage in sexual sin whether in ministry or not, is moral failure, and would negate the effectiveness and purity of His work.

 

 

[Guitar Jim]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15) What does it mean that “your bodies are members of Christ himself”?

 

We are not our own. We are bought with a price. Jesus' life's blood! We are baptized into union with Him.

 

 

 

What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin?

 

Sexual immorality is taking part of Christ's body and using it for carnal reasons.

 

 

 

What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

 

Anything we do that is contrary to God's decrees for our lives will adversely affect our ministry.

[haar]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15) What does it mean that "your bodies are members of Christ himself"? What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin? What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

 

By "your bodies are members of Christ himself" it means that we are Christ physical representatives here on earth. 

 

Since we are the "body of Christ" we should not defile  it through sexual sin.

 

 

[Craig]

We are physical extensions of Jesus Christ on this earth to do his will and to serve God.  By committing sexual sin we are uniting our spirit with the spirit of this world. We are poisoning the temple (our body), which the Holy Spirit dwell in.  Additionally, sexual sin is sin and is outside the will of God for our lives.

 

We cannot perform our ministry and service to Jesus properly and in fellowship with the Holy Spirit if we are engaged in sexual sin.

[Old Jerry]

The meaning of “our bodies are members of Christ himself” is that our soul is what has been placed in us and makes us a member of Christ himself. The implications of that with guard to sexual sin is that we are sinning with our bodies and not just our minds. The implications of this is that we are to keep ourselves from sin and when we do sin we ask for forgiveness.

[dixonle]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15) What does it mean that “your bodies are members of Christ himself”? What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin? What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

 

Our bodies are members of Christ Himself in that at the moment of salvation based upon repentance and forgiveness and being cleansed, we are accepted and adopted of being members of the body of Christ Himself.  Because of that union we are designed to serve the LORD, to be present with Him because of the resurrection of the LORD, and the fact that being a part of His body means we cannot occupy/become one with another body such as through sexual sin simultaneously.  We cannot be co-joined with more than one body.

[blezed]

What does it mean that “your bodies are members of Christ himself”?

1.  Our bodies are designed to serve Christ.

 

What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin? What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?          

2.  Our bodies are not for sexual immorality but for the Lord.   We are children of God and are to serve Him. 

[JoanG]

When we are able to take Jesus as our personal savior, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit connects us to Jesus and God. The bible also states that we are the body of Christ here on earth. We are to continue his mission to bring salvation to all the corners of the world.

 

Since we are the body of Christ, our actions affect how others will see Christ. They will judge the whole Christian family by our actions. If we commit a sexual sin, we are actually causing sin to occur within the whole body of Christ. The implications go way beyond us in this action.

 

With regard to our ministries, we can always say that we are never alone. We do not have to work by ourselves. We can ask other members of the body for help and for prayers. They are there to accomplish the same task.

[Irmela]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 6:13b-15)

What does it mean that "your bodies are members of Christ Himself"?

What are the implications of that with regard to sexual sin?

What are the implications of that with regard to your ministry?

When we accepted Christ into our lives, we handed over rule and reign to Him. It is no longer I that live but CHRIST that LIVES IN ME. By that we mean that we are members of Christ's body.

Thus any sexual sin we commit we are putting that sin on Christ afresh. Basically crucifying Him yet again. Dirtying His holiness. Our bodies are now a temple of the Holy Spirit.

This means our ministry is sullied. It cannot really be effective. 

[Krissi]

If our bodies are members of Christ, then anything we do that harms us physically is sinful. 

The rule is that abusing/misusing one's body is akin to harming Christ. I feel uncomfortable putting sins on a sliding scale, as if some are worse than others, because sin is sin, right? Well, yes, but in reality, some sins, even if undiscovered, seem to poison the body/soul more than others. Sexual sins are of this category.  Gluttony, for example, may be a lesser sin than, say, sexual sins. Perhaps this is because sexual sins are often hidden.

I have never heard a sermon on gluttony though I've heard many sermons on sexual sin. Gluttony cannot be hidden so pastors avoid confronting congregants who may already feel insecure about their weight. Yet overweight and unhealthy habits harm the body, too. According to the rule, obesity harms Christ.

If you stand in the vestibule of any church and watch congregants walk in, you'll see a good number of overweight individuals who have diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes. Some are church leaders, on the vestry or are elders in the church. In the church I attend, a man who is very active, a leader and regular attender of the men's group weighs more than 300 pounds ... easily. Yet he is a spiritually deep and mature godly man who loves Jesus. He knows his weight is a matter of self-discipline but hasn't been able to master it.

Having said this, I still think cavorting with prostitutes is more consequential in one's Christian life than gluttony, but maybe I'm wrong. Both harm Christ.