WHAT’S PERMISSABLE?

Food, house, sex, money, things?

1 Corinthians 6.12-20

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "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. 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.

In this part of his letter, Paul appears to be repeating quotes provided by Corinthian Christians who are recommending a self-indulgent lifestyle. He takes those quotes and turns them right side up so that they fit correctly with God’s truth.

• “All things are lawful for me” - but not all things are helpful.

The saying appears to mean that I am free to have whatever I want. Paul adds the caution that, yes, you may be free to have whatever you want, but not everything you want is beneficial to you.

Food, house, sex, money, things? Paul’s response is, “Yes, but!”

Each of these things are open to me in the general sense. None of them are forbidden by God (although each certainly has some boundaries in place). But they are only helpful to me in any measure, in so far as they are added to my life with God’s permission and intent. In other words, when God fits them into my life they will do me good.

They are unhelpful to me if they become ends in themselves. If I focus on any of these permissible things and make them idols, I will be enslaved by them. For example, I am free to own a house, but if that house becomes an idol, that consumes my time, and thinking, it is damaging because it is ruling my life.

The Christian’s position is wonderfully liberating, because while I am free to participate in all things, I do not want them. They are not an end in themselves. I want God and what he wants for me. I am happy to accept what he adds to my life and pass on what he doesn’t.

• “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”.

This saying suggests that we should eat and drink whatever, whenever and how much we feel like, because food and the stomach are designed for each other! (One might use the same argument for sex. “Sex is meant for the genitals and the genitals for sex”.) The saying invites self-indulgence. Paul however, introduces the thought that there is something that over-rides even basic appetites for food or sex. And that is the knowledge that God destroys both food and stomachs! In other words, God has decreed that both food and human bodies don’t last. These are temporary things. What fool gives his life to what is temporary when he could have what is lasting?
Paul teaches that while Christians are free to eat whatever they want, they are not going to allow food to become a ‘god’ or idol. They will use food under God. That is, they will own God as greater than their appetites and use food in the measure that God allows and which serves his purposes.

• The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Paul takes the quote about the natural relationship between food and the stomach and asserts that there is an even greater connection between the Lord and our bodies. Our bodies belong to the Lord for his service. Our bodies are not our own. Our bodies must not be idols or ‘little gods’ so that we obey their passions. We use our bodies for the Lord.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, who you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.