True freedom is found in honoring God with our bodies, embracing His loving authority, and living as temples of the Holy Spirit.
Friends, take a deep breath of grace today. You are seen. You are loved. You are wanted by the God who fashioned you—mind, heart, and body. He cares about all of you, and He cares right now. For some of us, the word body brings a flurry of feelings—shame from the past, confusion from the present, pressure from the culture. Others feel weary from the tug-of-war between desire and wisdom. Hear this: the Lord is not rolling His eyes at you. He is reaching for you. He has a better word than the world’s advertising and a kinder hand than your harsh inner critic. He offers freedom with a Father’s smile and a Savior’s scars.
Our world sells freedom with a flimsy warranty—“Do whatever you want.” Yet we’ve lived long enough to know that what promises freedom often leaves chains. The gospel sings a sweeter song. In Christ, freedom isn’t a blank check; it’s a beautiful calling. It isn’t an escape hatch; it’s a life with purpose. Freedom in Jesus restores the way you were made to live—whole, holy, and healthy in soul and body.
Paul wrote to Corinth, a port city pulsing with options. Slogans floated through the streets like incense—“All things are lawful.” Appetite ruled the hour. That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? We live in a culture of clickbait and cravings, constant notifications and gnawing needs. But God’s people are different because God is present. You’re not just a bundle of impulses. You’re a temple. Christ has set His affection on you. He purchased you with His blood. And the Holy Spirit has moved in with comfort and power.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship) That sounds stark until you remember what you’re dying to—guilt, emptiness, self-sabotage—and what you’re rising to—joy, peace, and a clean conscience. Jesus doesn’t take life from you; He gives life to you—life that works on Monday morning and Friday night. He teaches us a freedom that serves our good, a holiness that heals, and a belonging that satisfies.
So as we open Scripture, imagine your life like a house. Every room matters to God. Not just the living room where guests sit, but the closet no one sees. Not just your Sunday voice, but your Friday habits. Not just your Bible reading, but your browsing and your boundaries, your relationships and your rhythms. If Jesus is Lord, He is good at being Lord in all of it. He won’t shame you, but He will shepherd you. He won’t crush you, but He will call you higher. And He will carry you as you walk with Him.
What if freedom looked like saying yes to what truly helps? What if your body became a billboard for God’s presence, a place where heaven’s values show up on earth? What if the most liberated person in the room is the one who is lovingly mastered by Christ? That’s where Paul leads us today: a freedom that seeks what is beneficial, a belonging that joins our bodies to Christ, and a calling to honor God with every fiber of who we are.
Let’s read God’s Word and let His Word read us.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:12-19 (KJV)
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15 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. 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Opening Prayer: Father, thank You for Your nearness and Your kindness. We bring You our desires, our decisions, and our bodies. Cleanse us where we are stained. Calm us where we are anxious. Strengthen us where we are weak. Holy Spirit, fill us afresh; teach us to want what You want, to choose what truly helps, and to walk in purity with joy. Lord Jesus, we belong to You—heart, mind, and body. Guard our eyes, guide our steps, and give us glad obedience. Let Your Word heal hurts, break harmful habits, and plant hope that endures. Make us holy because You are here. In Your mighty name we pray, amen.
Freedom in Jesus asks a new question. It does not stop at “Can I?” It keeps going to “Will this help?” Paul gives us that lens in the text. He is talking to real people with real choices. He is talking about daily life. Food. Desire. Sex. Power. These are not small things. They shape the heart. They shape the body. They shape the week you are about to live.
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient.” That old word means useful. It means something that actually benefits. Think about a tool box. Many tools are fine, but only some fix what is broken today. Think about a pantry. Many foods are fine, but only some will fuel you to run the race. God invites you to choose the things that serve your life in Him. He invites you to reach for what builds you up in love. Permission alone will not keep you strong. Usefulness will. This is a kind way to live. It is a way that brings peace to your mind and strength to your bones.
“All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” That line is a guardrail. Freedom and slavery can sit in the same room. You can choose a thing today that chooses you tomorrow. A show can become a pattern. A pattern can become a pull. A pull can become a chain. Paul says, “I will not let that happen.” This is a promise you can make with him. Ask simple questions. Does this habit make it harder to say yes to God? Do I need this to feel okay? Does it boss me around? If so, it is time to take a step back. Fast from it. Confess it to a friend you trust. Put it under light. Give it time to loosen its grip. Let the Spirit fill the space it used to fill. You will breathe easier. You will notice a new kind of strength.
“Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them.” Paul lifts our eyes. The stomach and the menu have a shelf life. They have a place, but they are not the center. “Now the body is for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.” That changes everything. Your body is not an accident. Your body has a purpose. It is made to be with Jesus. It is made to respond to His word and His touch. God raised the Lord Jesus. God will raise you. This means your body has a future with Him. So the way you use it today is full of meaning. Screens, sleep, work, food, sex, rest, exercise, and play all sit under that truth. Ask what helps your body say yes to the Lord. Ask what helps your body stay ready for His will. That is a good way to live.
“Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?” Paul says something tender and bold. If you trust Jesus, your body is tied to Him. Not only your spirit. Your actual frame. Your hands, your mouth, your eyes, your skin. This is why he speaks so directly about sex. “Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.” Sex is not just a thrill. It is a union. “For two, saith he, shall be one flesh.” To give your body is to give your whole self. In Christ you belong to Him in a deep way. So your body choices touch Him. This is not a threat. This is a gift. He shares His life with you. He dignifies your body with His presence. The bedroom is a place for covenant love. Outside that promise, your body pays a cost. Inside that promise, your body finds care. Ask what helps you keep covenant. Ask what helps you keep a clear mind and a kind heart. Set wise plans before the heat of the moment. Choose spaces and times that favor peace. Honor the bond God blesses, and your whole life will feel more whole.
“Flee fornication.” Paul uses a strong word on purpose. Flee means run. It means move your feet. It means leave a room, close a tab, change a plan, phone a friend. He explains why. “Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” Sexual sin lands in a way that hurts the very place God means to heal. It clouds memory. It fogs desire. It twists trust. It can be hard to see this in the moment, so Paul speaks plain. Then he gives a bright truth. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” Temple means a place God fills. This is who you are now. Washed. Set apart. Indwelt. The Spirit lives in you with comfort and power. He does not shame you. He helps you. He gives new wants. He gives new strength. He gives a way out when old ruts call your name. So make a plan with Him. Put guardrails on phones and places. Rest when you are tired. Seek honest friends. Fill your mind with good words and good songs. When you fall, get up quickly. Bring it into the light. Keep walking. God will meet you.
Paul brings the conversation very close ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
Sermon Central
