30 June 2014
And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 1 Corinthians 6:14
In complete and absolute support that sexual immorality is not to be condoned, Paul now ties his discussion in with the resurrection of Christ. It is Paul’s way of saying, “Think!” In the last verse, he said, “Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” To make this so obvious that anyone should see the importance of the matter, he next says, “And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.”
He has tied our lives in with the perfect, sinless, Son of God. Because He was found without sin, He was raised to life; death has no power over Him. It was “not possible that He should be held by it” (Acts 2:24). This is the basis on which He was raised. If sin were found in Him, He would not have been qualified for the resurrection. And it too is the only basis for our resurrection. It is not because we are sinless in and of ourselves, but because we are sinless “in” Christ. That means “right now.” That means we are “right now” connected to Him.
As this is true, then engaging in sexual immorality among believers is to abuse our granted position and to hold in contempt that which is sacred – the only tie that we have for our granting of eternal life. Paul will continue with this thought in the coming verses, but 1 Corinthians 6:14 should be enough to wake up any sleeper and open their eyes to the truth that sexual immorality is not to be engaged in or tolerated.
Life application: We are “in” Christ. We are united to Him and sealed with the Holy Spirit. Is it a light thing that we would so misuse our position in Him that we would excuse voluntary sin? Let it never be so!
Heavenly Father, when I received Christ, I received a new position and a new standing with You. And yet, at times I fall and act as if I’m in my old self. What a tarnishing of the honor I have been bestowed and that I bear! Forgive me for returning to my old self and help me to continue to live in and for Christ in a manner worthy of that high and exalted state. This I pray… help me in my weakness. Amen.