Your Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit
Your Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.
As Christians, we must know that our bodies were created by God. If not for our sinful nature in us, these bodies were designed by God to live forever. Now that we are redeemed and belong to Jesus Christ our Lord, He will grant us new incorruptible bodies upon His return that will live for eternity with Him in His presence.
1 Corinthians 15:53-55 – For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
But until then, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
A temple is holy place and must be regarded as something precious. Our bodies are indescribably complex. After all, it was God that designed our bodies. I am amazed at the average life span of a human being despite subjecting the body to unimaginable abuse through gluttony, drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and laziness. We must respect our bodies, flee from sin; especially flee from sexual sin because no other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. (1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT).
Paul encouraged the Corinthians in his letter to them with a rhetorical question asking, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you?”. He expected them to know. Think about it for a moment. The Holy Spirit, who is God Himself, is living IN YOU? That’s a bold statement. Do you realize that God lives in you? So then, how well should you take care of this temple? Paul goes on to say that our bodies were given to us by God, and we do not own it. If we belong to God, then our bodies belong to Him too. In Paul’s concluding statement, he encourages us to honor God with our bodies.
Romans 11:36 – 12:1 – For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give you bodies to God because of all he has done for you.
It is strange how we naturally take extra care of material possessions that we borrow from a friend or a relative but fail to care for our bodies that belongs to God. Not to mention, when our bodies fail, we fail. When our health fails, we fail. A wise person once said, “We spend the first half of our lives spending our health to gain riches and pleasure and we spend the second half of our lives spending our riches to gain health.” That is so true and yet so foolish, isn’t it? I am yet to come across anyone who enjoys being sick, unhealthy, and pinned down with aches and pains. Yet they neglect the very thing that can help them stay healthy, namely exercising, and good nutrition.
Perhaps being conscious that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit will encourage you to take some tangible steps towards personal health and fitness. When you are healthy and fit, you are more confident, your mental health improves significantly, and you walk, run, and climb stairs with ease. You serve the Lord with joy and gladness.
Psalm 100:2- Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
As Christians, we are called to be witnesses of Christ’s influence in our lives. Yes, that involves understanding the gospel message and sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ with others. But it also includes displaying our new life free from the power of sin so that Christ may be glorified in our bodies. This question may be challenging to some. Has He not influenced you enough for you to realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit yet? Yes, I emphasize this, only because this truth has the POWER to transform your life significantly. Once you realize this truth, you will begin to view your body as a vessel in God’s hands that needs so much more care. A healthy and fit witness for Christ obviously can accomplish much more than a tired, weak, and unhealthy witness, isn’t it?
Not to mention, we live in a fallen and sinful world and are exposed to viral and bacterial infections, contagious diseases, and unhealthy processed foods that cause more harm than good. Add to this, a pandemic of sinful temptations and addictions, all of which are designed to keep us ineffective and lifeless.
Keeping yourself fit and healthy in such an environment with good exercise and nutrition is an investment into yourself so that you can truly honor God with your body and live to glorify Him in all that you do.
3 John 2: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
Spiritual Fitness:
Although, making an effort to be healthy and fit through physical training and nutrition is necessary and good, training for godliness is more important.
1 Timothy 4:8 – For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit indeed but is temporal because all of us will one day discard this body and enter eternity. Upon the return of our King, Jesus Christ, we will have brand new bodies that are incorruptible by sin. Our spiritual fitness on the other hand is critical for both now and for eternity. Therefore, exercising for godliness not only promises a blessed life for now, but also for our eternity in heaven.
Friends, I encourage you to be conscious that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and therefore honor God with your bodies. Make an effort to stay fit and healthy. Invest into yourself so that you can serve the Lord with joy and gladness. Skip a coffee or fast food or any other expense you know is unhealthy for you and consider investing that into staying fit for the glory of God. It is not your money or the physical exercise at the gym or the special diet designed for you that will ultimately reward you with good health. It is your genuine and pure effort to honor God with your body as a result of realizing that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, that brings a blessing of good health from God Himself.
Remember to strike a good balance between physical fitness and spiritual fitness. The latter is more important. But being spiritually fit can be a huge challenge when you are not physically fit. Your fitness is for the glory of God.
