There are two things characteristic of a temple. First, it is sacred as a dwelling-place of God, and therefore cannot be profaned with impunity.
Second, the proprietorship of a temple is not in man, but in God. Both these things are true of the believer’s body. It is a temple because the Holy Ghost dwells in it; and because it is not his own. It belongs to God. As it is a temple of the Holy Ghost, it cannot be profaned without incurring great and peculiar guilt. And as it belongs in a peculiar sense to God, it is not at our own disposal. It can only be used for the purposes for which he designed it.
20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your Spirit, which are God’s. f6
Ye are bought. The verb is in the past tense, hjgora>sqhte, ye were bought, i.e. delivered by purchase. The deliverance of men from the power and condemnation of sin was not effected by power or by truth, but by a ransom. We were justly held in bondage. We were under the penalty of the law, and until that penalty was satisfied, we could not be delivered. The blood of Christ is our ransom, because it met all the demands of justice.
The proprietorship in believers asserted at the close of the preceding verse, does not arise from creation or preservation, but from redemption. ‘Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price,’ <450617>
Romans 6:17.
<480313>
Galatians 3:13. <490313>
Ephesians 3:13. <442028>
Acts 20:28. The price of redemption is the blood of Christ, <402028>
Matthew 20:28; <450324>
Romans 3:24.
<490107>
Ephesians 1:7; <600118>
1 Peter 1:18, 19, and everywhere where the subject is spoken of in Scripture. Therefore, i.e. because redeemed, and because redeemed at such a price; glorify God, i.e. honor him, and so act as to cause him to be honored by others. In your body as a temple consecrated to his worship, and employed only in his service.
The following words, and in your spirit, which are God’s, may have been added, because the body alone is not the object of redemption, and
therefore the obligation of the redeemed to be devoted to the service of God pertains also to the soul. As however these words are not found in the great majority of the oldest manuscripts, most modern editors omit them.
CHAPTER 7.
Instructions relative to marriage, vs. 1-17. The Gospel was not designed to interfere with the ordinary relations of men, vs. 18-24.
Concerning virgins and widows, 25-40.
INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING MARRIAGE AND OTHER SOCIAL RELATIONS. VS 1-24.
The Corinthians had written to the Apostle, seeking his advice in reference to the state of things in their church. It appears from this chapter that one of the subjects about which they were in difficulty, and respecting which they sought direction, was marriage. On this subject the Apostle tells them,
1st. That, as they were situated, marriage was inexpedient to them. But as a general law every man should have his own wife, and every
woman her own husband, vs. 1, 2.
2nd. That the obligation of the parties to the marriage covenant is mutual; the one therefore has no right to desert the other. Temporary separation, for the purpose of devotion, is allowable; but nothing more, vs. 3-5.
3rd. What he had said either in reference to marriage or temporary separation, was not to be considered as any thing more than advice. He could only tell them what, under the circumstances, was expedient;
each one must act according to the grace given to him, vs. 6-9.
4th. With regard to the married the Lord had already taught that divorce was unlawful; the husband could not put away his wife, nor the wife her husband, vs. 10, 11.
5th. As to the case not specially contemplated in our Lord’s
instructions, where one of the parties was a Christian and the other a Jew or Pagan, the Apostle teaches, first, that if the unbelieving party is willing to remain in the marriage relation, it should not be dissolved.
Secondly, that if the unbeliever departed, and refused to continue in the
marriage connection, the marriage contract was thereby dissolved, and the believing party was at liberty, vs. 12-15.
6th. Such separations, however, are, if possible, to be avoided, because the gospel is a gospel of peace. It was not designed to break up any of the lawful relations of life.
As a general rule, therefore, every man should continue in the same
condition in which he was called. If a man was called being circumcised, his becoming a Christian did not impose upon him the obligation to become uncircumcised; and if called being uncircumcised, he was not required to be circumcised. In like manner, if a slave is called to be a Christian, he may remain a slave, because every slave is the Lord’s free man, and every free man is the Lord’s slave. These social distinctions do not affect our relation to Christ. Redemption, in raising all to the relation of slaves to Christ, that is, making them all his property, has raised them into a sphere where all earthly distinctions are insignificant. Therefore, let every man abide in the relation wherein he was called, vs. 16-24.
1. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: (It is) good for a