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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
June 27
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Today's Pathway:
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Yesterday we saw a "proverb" that the Corinthians used to justify their immorality:
"All things are lawful".
Paul showed why their liberty in Christ did not give them license to violate the clear teachings of Scripture. In verse 13 we have a second saying that the Corinthians used:
"Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats".
The idea being taught here is that just as God made food to satisfy men's hunger, so God made men and women to satisfy each other's lusts. Jack Arnold described their thinking this way:
"The argument was the stomach is designed for food, and it is perfectly natural and right to satisfy one’s need for food whenever it arises. Eating is a natural function, and the Corinthians concluded one body function is much like another. Fulfilling the sexual desire is as natural as eating a steak because nature demands satisfaction."
Thus, if a man has lusts, it is perfectly legitimate for him to go to any woman who will meet his "needs". As bizarre as this may sound, this was the thinking of many in the Corinthian church.
Paul's first comment is that "God shall destroy both it and them." At this point he is referring to the proverb itself, and means that God will someday get rid of both the belly and the food that goes into it. In other words, someday we will no longer need to eat. The belly and the food were designed for each other, but both are temporary. In the big picture, spiritually and eternally speaking, food and stomachs are not all that important. However, he goes on to say that our bodies were designed for the Lord. We will have a glorified body that lasts forever, and of course God is eternal. In verse 14 Paul reiterates the eternality of the believer's body, for he reminds them that God raised Jesus up bodily, and He will someday raise us up bodily as well. Therefore to compare bellies and food with bodies and God is foolish.
Paul then states that "the body is not for fornication". Our stomachs were created to take in food, but our bodies were not created so that we could participate in sexual sin. The kind of food that a man eats is not going to impact him spiritually. It may affect his health, but not his soul. Jesus said,
"Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him. Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?" (Mark 7:18-19).
However, immorality does impact a man spiritually. Proverbs 6:32-33 says,
"But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away."
In those two verses we see that sexual sin affects a person's soul, body ("wound") and testimony ("dishonor, reproach") , In verses 18-19 of this chapter Paul states that "he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body", and then adds the fact that the believer's body is "the temple of the Holy Ghost". The Bible never speaks of judgment being meted out to a believer based upon his diet, but Hebrews 13:4 states,
"whoremongers and adulterers God will judge".
Sexual sin is serious business indeed.
In the next six verses Paul will give several more reasons why the believer should abstain from immoral behavior. We will look at some of them tomorrow.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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