God's Temple

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

What do you think it means, that our bodies are not our own and that it is a temple of the Holy Spirit? 

Before Christ's death, God's special dwelling place among His people was in a room called the holy of holies in the Tabernacle. No ordinary person could enter the holy of holies. Not even any ordinary Jewish Priest could enter. There were many restrictions set for the time of year that only the High Priest could enter, in a very specific manner, to do a very specific task. They even tied a rope to his leg in case he were to fall dead, they coud drag him out rather than go into the sacred place to retrieve his body  (click here for more information on the Tabernacle).

So do you get the picture? God's temple, His dwelling place, the holy of holies is important. It is important to God, therefore, it should be important to God's people. In this passage, we are commanded to glorify God with our bodies. So what does that mean? Are we given specific instructions? rules? regulations? skirt lengths? dietary restrictions?

There are not a list of rules, believe it or not. But there are things to consider.

Do you glorify God when you dress in a seductive manner as to gain the attention from the opposite gender? I don't mean putting on make up and looking attractive. I mean clothing that is too tight, too short, too low cut, too too - - just too much. You know what I mean. And ladies, you know when you are trying to get attention. Sure, the attention from men feels good.....but it is causing them to sin, and that can't be good.

Side note: I was driving by the High School in my area the other day and couldn't believe it. there were girls walking outside the school (during school hours - it appeared to be a class going for a walk together) and the shorts were unbelieveably short!!! I mean, what happened to the "arms at your side, shorts have to be longer than where your fingers land" rule?  or two inches above the knee? Moms - let's try to encourage our girls to be modest. Do you really want men thinking those thoughts about your daughter(s)?

When we are down and depressed, what does the world tell us to do? What do we feel like doing? Escaping. You know the feeling. Calgon, take me away! We all feel this way from time to time. But, escaping into the bottle or the half gallon of rocky road will not fix any problems. They only make the problems worse. They take us from having a bad day at work - to having a bad day at work PLUS cholesterol problems, high blood pressure, a DUI, a family that doesn't trust us, or a body that is in such poor shape that we are not able to enjoy walks with our kids (let alone a game of tag). And when we escape into things like booze, food, and exercise, we are not just escaping the problems but also the rest of our lives. If you feel the need to stop off and "relax" on your way home from work, you are missing out on time with your family. The question to ask is - what would God have me do when I am upset and feeling the need to escape?

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

In order to glorify God we need to call on Him when we are weak, not Blue Bunny, Otis Spunkmeyer, Papa Johns, Jim Beam or Jose Cuervo.

We are also commanded to not be mastered by anything. Therefore, if something has the potential to be addictive, we should stay as far away from it as possible.

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12).



What about staying healthy and in shape? Is that a godly mandate? If a person is thin, does that mean they have more self-control, therefore they are more godly? Does that mean they will live longer?  For that last question - no. God can take anyone out of this world whenever He chooses to do so. The healthy and the unhealthy. In my humble opinion, I think that God is glorified when we strive to live a healthy lifestyle. When we eat healthier, it usually includes eating foods that look like something God created (fresh fruit and veggies, meat, fish, etc) rather than something that was made by Oscar Meyer or Chef Boyardee. Does that mean if you eat processed foods that you are not saved - NO WAY! It by no means is a reflection of a more saintly person. I just personally feel (and feel free to share a different opinion) that when we strive to take care of the temples that God has blessed us with, we are glorifying Him and showing our thankfulness.


At the end of the day, 
"whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).


More resources to help glorify God with our bodies: