What is dominating You?

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Many of us will put to memory verse 12, but not take the responsibility or the meaning of what is being said.  “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.”   Paul quotes a slogan that more than likely is from an immature person in the church at Corinth.  That thought came from HCSB Study Bible, and on the surface, it sounds wise, but are all things lawful for me?  We need to keep reading verses 19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”   If one would turn the page to chapter 7:22-23 we read, “For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise, he who is called as a free man is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”

You and I know only what we have read about slavery, but many of us understand the meaning of the word bondage, and it is a condition of being enslaved to our desires, for sex, wealth, sports, adult beverages, and the list goes on and on.  For many men, it is pornography and those caught in this trap become a slave to its evil desires, and while in bondage to it they find having a sexual relationship with their wife does not bring satisfaction.  They are in bondage to an airbrushed image that has no imperfections, and is not attainable in a relationship; now that’s slavery.  All of these listed and you can add your addiction to the list and not just outside of the church, but very much inside and at all levels. 

Many a follower of Christ is in bondage to food, as soon as they finish one meal they are thinking about the next one, and they're walking around with weight they were not designed to carry as if each day they picked up eighty-pound weights to carry the rest of the day.  And that is bondage, it does you harm, it steals from you, and it harms your relationships and body.

All sin is forgivable and we know that sin leaves scars, but listen, and give much thought to the following; “The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice