S.Scripture | “For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20
O.Observation | In the immediate context Paul was addressing sexual immorality (v.15-20). Why here? Because he was correcting the church in Corinth for misusing grace to affirm a freedom to sin (v.12-13). He is teaching that immorality was a way of the past that is no longer the way of living for the believer (v.11). Those who continued openly living in and embracing these ways, are without justification and sanctification. It may not seem so plain and simple, but Paul says those who embrace these ways of life instead of fighting them, do not belong to the kingdom of God (v.9-10). They will not be in heaven, but hell.
Chapter 5 dealt directly with the immorality and was a rebuke of the church for not practicing church discipline and cleaning out the “leaven.” Leaven is used as a metaphor for the spreading effect on others of open sin and false teaching. Repeatedly we are told that leaven will leaven the entire lump of dough (5:6; Galatians 5:9). In other words, allowing sin and error to continue unchecked enables the spread of it. Sadly, we see the tolerance and affirmation of sin cheered on in many churches today. This growing apostasy in our day has led to the same unfaithful error of the church of Corinth. We and they had disobeyed the command to lovingly correct and gently keep one another accountable in the church. Today it is hard, if not almost impossible, to find a church that practices church discipline. Most are almost oblivious to their rebellion against the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23), who purchased the church with his own blood (Acts 20:28; Titus 2:14; Rev 5:9), as they reject His command in Matthew 18:15-20. A is a lot of leaven has been invited into the dough, instead of removed. It has come to the point in our age of lawlessness, that the leaven is actually protected and affirmed by the church, instead of removed.
As we look at verse 20 (of 1 Cor 6), God has something to teach in the fact that the call is in the plural. A better translation would be “For y’all were bought with a price.” No believer is to walk the path of growing to glorifying God through faith, repentance and obedience on their own. All throughout scripture faith and repentance are setup for growth within the context of the family of God. So, let us be obedient not to forsake our own assembling together (Hebrews 10:24–25). Especially keeping the Lord’s day holy, which is the commandment maybe most broken by and most affirmed among “believers” today.
A.Application | The command of God in verse 20 comes with a “for” and a “therefore.” “For” is used like saying, “since we were bought with a price.” Here is a motivation and reason to live for God’s glory. God has paid the highest price to purchase His people from their sin and bondage to the devil. Verse 19 shows us the result of this purchase, “you are not your own.” The amazing immeasurable gift of salvation in Jesus Christ is the reason and motivation which turns the heart and life of a true believer to confess “my life is not my own, I aim not to live for myself.” Hence the conclusion of such motivation is “therefore glorify God in your body.”
How have and how am I living my life for myself? How do I need to repent? Do I think that my life is to be lived in a freedom from God’s will and ways? Have I confessed the price Jesus paid for me, and have I come to joyfully accept that everything that I am, that I own, that I do belongs to Him and exists for one exclusive cause? All of it is for God’s glory and His glory alone.
P.Prayer | Father, I repent of my selfish ways of living. If I am honest, my internal chatter revolves around me. Help me to see the great price that has been paid for my soul by your Son, Jesus. Help me to cherish the gracious reality that if I have faith in You… in your Word… in your Son… it is only because You chose to purchase me. Let that gift of life because of the cross give me true life and set me free to live obedient and zealous for Your will and Your ways. Show me Lord, in what ways I need to repent and glorify you with my life plans, even today. Let me live for you with my thoughts, and with all of my life moving forward. All for, and only for, Your Glory and Your glory alone. Amen.
More on “Bought with a price” Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 7:23; 1 Pet 1:18f; 2 Pet 2:1; Rev 5:9
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