Your Body or God’s Body?

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-8-2025

1 Corinthians 6:11-20

 

Introduction:

 

A.  The Significance of the Body in the Last Days has never changed with God, though it has with the world.  In times past, both men and women covered their bodies from neck to ankle.  Today, they uncover everything except the “bare essentials” for all to see and lust over.

 

B.  We went to Biltmore Estates this past week, and virtually every young woman there dressed provocatively to draw attention to their sexuality.

 

1.  In recent times, there has been a noticeable shift away from recognizing the true value and importance of the body. Despite this trend, it is clear that God has both personal interest and has also chosen to work through our bodies.

 

2.  Our bodies are the vessels through which we preach and teach the Word of God, and it is through our physical actions that we either bring glory to God or, conversely, cause reproach to His name in the public eye.

 

3.  The body also holds a unique role in the relationship between husband and wife, as it is through the body that they are united as one flesh. However, the prevailing attitude in society today seems to echo the thought, "It's my body and I will do what I want with it," disregarding the divine purpose and responsibility attached to our physical being.

 

4.  Within these verses, three essential truths emerge that every believer should grasp regarding their bodies. Understanding these truths is essential, as they highlight the profound significance our bodies hold in both our personal lives and in fulfilling the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

C.  In our text, God has much to say concerning the body as the body BELONGS TO HIM!  If our body belongs to God, then we need to get His permission to use it!  The text refers to the body in several different ways.

 

1.  The Body:  A Temple – vs. 19 “the temple of the Holy Ghost”  A Place Of Worship.  There are things that we would not dare to do in God’s house because it is a sanctuary made for worship.  Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, also a place of worship.

 

a.  A Place Of Purity - Leviticus 20:7  Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

 

1 Corinthians 3:16-17  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

 

b.  A Place Of Presentation - Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 

c.  A Place Of Praise - Psalms 5:7  But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

 

Psalms 138:2  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

 

2.  The Body:  A Tabernacle – vs. 19 “the Holy Ghost which is in you”  A Place Of Dwelling.  The home is a refuge where we set the rules and regulations.  Our body belongs to the Holy Ghost.

 

          a.  A Place Of Presence

 

1)  The Holy Ghost:  A Comforter - Romans 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

2)  The Holy Ghost:  A Companion - John 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

 

3)  The Holy Ghost:  A Counselor - John 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

 

b.  A Place Of Possession

 

1)  The Purchase - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20  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?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

2)  The Purchaser - 1 Corinthians 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

3)  The Price - 1 Peter 1:18-19  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

 

3.  The Body:  A Testimony – vs. 20 “glorify God in your body and in your spirit”  A Place Of Glorification.  It is designed to bring honor and glory to the maker of it.

 

          a.  The Testimony Of Action – “glorify God in your body”

 

1)  Separation From Conformity - Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

2)  Separation From Sinfulness - Exodus 23:2  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

 

3)  Separation From Popularity - Hebrews 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

 

          b.  The Testimony Of Attitude – “glorify God…in your spirit”

 

1)  An Attitude Of Love - John 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

1 Peter 4:8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 

2)  An Attitude Of Forgiveness - Ephesians 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

 

Colossians 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

 

3)  An Attitude Of Meekness - 2 Corinthians 10:1a  Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

 

Matthew 21:5  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

 

Matthew 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Satan’s Devices – Defilement

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-9-2024

Proverbs 7:6-13

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Satan’s Devices are things that are knowable to the believer.  We need not be ignorant of them.

 

2 Corinthians 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

 

B.  Satan cannot destroy our salvation; therefore, he tries to destroy our testimonies and lives, rendering us saved but useless!

 

C.  Satan uses circumstances but his main weapon it the believer’s flesh.  We still have an old nature that is depraved.  The Apostle Paul, one of the greatest Christians who ever lived said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:18)

 

D.  In the context of Romans 7:18,  we find the man of God not doing what he knew to do that was right but often doing the things that he knew to be wrong.  Why?  A question to be answered.

 

E.  Too often, the believer suffers from self-enticement.  Not to our verses for this morning:

 

1.  We find a “simple one” who was a “youth.”  A young man void of understanding.

 

2.  This young man knew who the harlot was and where she lived.  These things are ones of common knowledge.  We would call it a “Red Light District.”

 

3.  He advanced from the “street near her corner” to “the way to her house.”

 

4.  He did so 3 times: in the “twilight”, in the “evening”, and in the black and dark night.  Three chances to make the proper choice and failed to do so.

 

5.  It is now nighttime, and she is “without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.”

 

6.  She “caught him, and kissed him” with an “impudent face.” 

 

7.  Here, we need to go no further.

 

F.  Defilement!  I would dare to say that every adult in this congregation this morning, as I made that statement, could think of someone who has destroyed their testimony and usefulness through sinfulness. 

 

G.  There are many that we once went to church with that are now back out in the “world” with testimonies that are permanently tarnished.  Some are men that have ruined their service because of their love for strange women.  Some are men who went back to a life of alcohol or drugs. 

 

H.  Many times, Satan knows our weaknesses because we “telegraph” them.  He is not omniscient and, therefore, must rely upon what information that we give him.

 

J.  In these last perilous times, people are exposed to so many things that defile the mind and body.  In times past, most people who lived in sin remained “out of the spotlight” because their sin was not acceptable to people in general.  Today, the things that were once hidden are not publicized and acceptable by society.

 

K.  This morning, I want to name just a few of the things that you and I will face when we go out those doors and into our “Jerusalem” that may defile us.

 

1.  The Defilement Of Compromised Situations – Satan Will Offer You Opportunities For Compromise - 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

 

a.  This verse does not speak of evil but merely the appearance of evil.

 

1 Peter 3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

 

b.  We must have good conversation (lifestyle) that cannot be compromised.

 

Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

 

c.  You must be “above board” with your testimony in order to stave off false accusation.  STAY AWAY FROM POTENTIALLY COMPROMISED SITUATIONS!

 

2.  The Defilement Of An Uncontrolled Tongue – Satan Will Cause You To Say Things That You Will Later Regret - James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

 

a.  Never leave your tongue in gear when your brain is idling.  Be careful little tongue what you say!

 

Luke 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

 

b.  God gave you two ears and one tongue.  This should be all the warning that you need.  Hear twice as much as you speak!

 

Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

 

3.  The Defilement Of A Bitter Spirit – Satan Will Lead Others To Say And Do Things To Hurt You And Tempt You To REACT! - Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

 

a.  The grace of God is sufficient to quench bitterness.  There will be things done that you do not understand or are unfair.  People can be both wicked and hateful.

 

b.  Each of us have a choice to be made at this point:  we can be bitter or we can be better.

 

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

 

4.  The Defilement Of Fleshly Allurement – Satan Will Place A Woman (or a man) In Your Life To Entice You To Commit Adultery - Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

 

a.  This is not just a “man thing” and ladies should take extra care not to get too friendly with men other than their husbands.  There is so much interaction between men and women in our day because of lack of fidelity in marriage and closeness in workplaces.

 

5.  The Defilement Of Fornication – Satan Will Certainly Compromise The Purity Of Our Youth In The Area Of Sexual Impurity - Genesis 34:2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

 

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

 

Ephesians 5:3  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

 

6.  The Defilement Of Sinful Habits – Satan Has Made Sinful Habits Both Appealing And Easily Accessible - 1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

 

(One good “Rule Of Thumb” is to never start something that you are going to have to quit!  Smoking, cursing, drinking, drugs, pornography, etc.)

 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 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? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 

 

7.  The Defilement Of Evil Thinking - Mark 7:20-23 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

 

1 Peter 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Titus 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

 

Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

 

Conclusion:  How do I keep myself from both physical and physical defilement? 

 

The Protection Of A Purposed Heart - Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

The Word of God and Personal Choice

 Temple Baptist Church - 2-18-2024

Psalm 119:57-64

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Tonight, the 8^th stanza of the 119^th Psalm.  The 8^th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is CHETH.  The letter CHETH is interesting as it has a two-fold meaning: it can mean either “sin” or “life.”

 

1.  God gives us both the right and obligation of choice.  Calvinism teaches “Total Depravity” as “Total Inability” which is false.  I heard a Calvinist preach this week and he said that the unsaved need to make the right choice.  How contradictory and erroneous. 

Shortly, I will preach on “The Landmark of the Sovereignty of God.” 

 

2.  In God’s Sovereignty, He has created mankind as free moral agents: that man has the ability to choose either right or wrong.  As God’s children, we must learn to trust the guidance of God.  God guides us in the way that we should walk through His Word and the Holy Ghost.

 

Psalms 32:8-10  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.  (9)  Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.  (10)  Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

 

Our instructions and teaching are found in the Word of God.

 

2 Peter 1:3-4  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  (4)  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

 

God has given us the divine power through His Word to make our choices right and to live full, godly lives in this present evil world.

 

a)  God guides us through His Word into Salvation.

 

b)  God guides us through His Word into Safety.

 

3.  As we look at this 8^th stanza, we see that the Psalmist has made both good and bad choices which will set the tone for all 8 verses, 57-64.

 

4.  Eve, then Adam, made choices, both bad and good, which brought about both the Fall and Faith. Later, Cain and Abel made choices, both bad and good, with the Lord giving Cain another chance to change his choice from bad to good.  “And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door” explained Cain’s reason for maintaining his bad choice and dying lost without God.

 

5.  We make choices each day spiritually.  We choose to live a life of sinfulness, or we choose to live a life that is godly.  These choices are dependent upon our relationship with the Word of God.  We need to be making biblical choices!

 

a)  There is an old saying, “Either the bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the bible.”  This is a scriptural saying as your relationship to the Word of God is either sinful or godly. 

 

b)  Sinful when we choose to ignore its path and embrace the world, or godly when we choose to embrace its path and reject the world.

 

B.  CHETH gives the meaning of “sin unto death or chastisement” or “obedience unto life and peace.”  The choice is OURS!  Now, let us look at these 8 verses.

 

1.  Verse 57 – “Thou are my portion in life, O LORD!”  Here the Psalmist recognizes the truth of a right choice.  “My portion” means MY part.  The table is set at home and my portion is what I choose to put on my plate.  The table of God’s Word is full, and The Lord is my portion!

 

2.  Verse 57 – “I have said that I would keep thy words” refers to a past vow made.  The Psalmist did not say “the only choice I have is to keep thy words,” but “I have said.”  The Bible teaches that every newly saved person fully intends to live a life for Christ.  God will not save the person who asks the Lord to save them while fully intending to continue to live their life in sin. 

 

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.  (2)  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

 

3.  Verse 58 – A cry for mercy because of a wrong choice.  “I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.”  Realization of bad choices teaches the believer to seek the mercies of God that are new every morning in both presence and sufficiency. 

 

Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

1 John 1:8-10  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (10)  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

 

4.  Verse 59 – The Psalmist thought upon his ways and turned in repentance to the right way.  “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”  His repentance causes his feet to turn unto a biblical path of righteousness.  Thinking on our wicked ways will not get the job done in itself.  The requirement of a right path is making the right choice.

                     

Ezekiel 18:27-28  Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.  (28)  Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

 

5.  Verse 60 – The change in choice was immediate.  I think of Pharoah when Egypt was full of frogs.  He asked Moses to entreat God for their removal.  Then he made a statement that holds true to many.  Instead of asking for the frog’s removal right now or today, he said that tomorrow would be fine.  The moment that we find our choices have been wrong is the time to “haste … and delayed not.”  This shows a true repentance and lessens the impending effect of and punishment for sin.

 

Luke 19:5-6  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.  (6)  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

 

6.  Verse 61 – The result of a bad choice.  “The bands of the wicked have robbed me.”  Bad choices not only have bad consequences, but they also rob the believer of the good consequences of good choices.  The things that the believer gets that destroy their lives are manifest but what they could have had will never be known, just surmised.  “But I have not forgotten thy law.”  You can run but you can’t hide.  The Word of God that you have heard and learned will always be there.

 

Psalms 116:3-4  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.  (4)  Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

 

7.  Verse 62 – In the midst of the storm the Psalmist sought God.  He did not wait for the light of day or the end results of his disobedience to be manifested.  “At midnight!”  He arose from his bed and gave thanks for the love and mercy of God.  He deserved what judgment that he had coming and thanked God for the judgments that were staved off through remembering, repenting, and returning.

 

Acts 16:25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

 

8.  Verse 63 – His return to the fold.  “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of the that keep thy precepts.”  When the believer gets out of the will of God through wrong choices, he/she will always become a companion of the wicked.  BUT, the believer will never belong there.  The church crowd is OUR crowd.  Thank God for the love, help, and exhortation found in the presence of the saved!

 

Proverbs 13:20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

 

9.  Verse 64 – The mercy of the Lord is available to not only the believer, but also to the whole earth.  “Teach my thy statutes!”  Our personal choices should be bound in the Word of God.  Right choices are a result of a right relationship with God’s Word.