Julia Melatis – Author

Read the two theme verses in the images. Now notice the background images. Why do you suppose I chose a group of people for one and an individual for the other?The answer is the one verse the you is plural and the other it is singular. It is important to make this distinction betwen the two verses, because:

A) As an individual we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. If we were to read the surrounding verses Paul is specifically speaking about sexual sins in this passage. Sins that affect the physical body. Paul says that sexual sins are the only sins that we commit against our own bodies. I believe it is because the way God created sex to be between one man and one woman for life that it is so awful a sin against our own bodies not to mention what it does to our minds. That relationship of the two becoming one flesh is a type of the relationship the church has as the bride of Christ. We become one with Him. Sex in a marriage is more than the physical act of pleasure given and received. It is a spiritual bond beteeen two souls. Just as our relationship with God in Christ unites our spirit with Him as we abide in Him, the true Vine [John 15:1-8].

If we go to the beginning of this section in 1 Corinthians 6, we see it can also apply to other sins in the body. 12“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. 13“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Food is my trouble spot with my body and for many in the U.S.A. When I was growing up food was used as “love” and also in punishment and reward. I use food as comfort, as many do, instead of seeking comfort from the Comforter. Others have others unhealthy views of their bodies that can cause binging, purging, starving themselves, obsessing over every thing that is eaten, being sedentary, training too hard, and everything in between, that can keep our focus off of the important thing, our relationship with the Lord.

B) The plural temple is the body of Christ, the church, the body of believers. The Spirit dwells within us not just individually, but also corporately. Yes, God has a plan and purpose for each individual person. We tend to focus on that calling a lot. BUT GOD also has a purpose and plan for us a corporate body. There are things we can do together that cannotbe accomplished as individuals. We need each other.

23Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. 25Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25 BSB

These verses list a few important purposes of the church body. To:

* spur each other on to love
-> And may the Lord mak your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 NLT
-> “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12 NLT

* spur each other on to good deeds
-> 14What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? 17So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
James 2: 14-17 BB
-> He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Titus 2:14 BSB

* meet together [This is what happened when the early church met together:]
-> 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.
46With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

* encourage one another
-> Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
1 Thessalonians 5: 11 BSB
-> But exhort [strongly encourage or urge] one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:13 BSB [definition added]Right now with the Corona virus impeding in person meetings, it’s more important than ever for the body of Christ to be about the mission of being the plural you, the temple of God as one body. We need to keep reaching out to each other and others in phone calls, text messages, Zoom meetings, Facebook groups, every which way we can to stay connected, encourage each other, and spur one another to love and good deeds. Life goes on even in a pandemic. And there’s still a lot for us to do for the kingdom of God.Pray, most of all, for each other and all believers, for those in authority, for those on the front lines of this pandemic, for our police who are in the thick of it with the many protests and increased crime in some areas, for our military and their families, and for revival and good to come from all the troubles in our country. I believe God does not waste our pain. Let’s resolve to glorify God in every way we can during Corona. Keep looking up to God for strength and guidance; while looking outward to the interests and needs of others. When we do this, we will have no time to focus inward on our worries and fears. God will be taking care of our business, while we take care of His.

Blessings of Hope & Joy,
Julia©2020 Julia Melatis, Hope & Joy Ministries
I pray you will share this to your timeline as an encouragement of Hope & Joy to others.Scripture quotations marked BSB are from The Berean Bible (www.Berean.Bible) Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016-2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.