Today on Bold steps. Pastor Mark Jobe helps us understand the biblical case for sexual purity.

Today on Bold steps. Pastor Mark Jobe helps us understand the biblical case for sexual purity.

Your body belongs to God. Your body was designed to glorify God. God was designed to indwell in your body via the Holy Spirit. And Paul is arguing this because he's talking to them about sexual immorality that exists among them.

Your body belongs to God. Your body was designed to glorify God. God was designed to indwell in your body via the Holy Spirit. And Paul is arguing this because he's talking to them about sexual immorality that exists among them.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, president of Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Well, Mark, two words carry heavy implications in our day sexual purity. So let's continue our series, Straight Talk and explain today through your message why purity such a big deal to God.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, president of Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Well, Mark, two words carry heavy implications in our day sexual purity. So let's continue our series, Straight Talk and explain today through your message why purity such a big deal to God.

You know, I can't think of a more relevant message, especially to those that are in the single world right now. If you're dating, if you're in your early 20s or maybe you're divorced, or maybe maybe.

You know, I can't think of a more relevant message, especially to those that are in the single world right now. If you're dating, if you're in your early 20s or maybe you're divorced, or maybe maybe.

Your kids or grandkids are in that situation.

Your kids or grandkids are in that situation.

Absolutely. There is a huge need to understand this whole idea of purity, because I, I, I discover a lot of people that don't really understand. So what is the big deal about purity? This passage in First Corinthians really lays out why purity is so important to God and for us.

Absolutely. There is a huge need to understand this whole idea of purity, because I, I, I discover a lot of people that don't really understand. So what is the big deal about purity? This passage in First Corinthians really lays out why purity is so important to God and for us.

Well, let's get started with the message now. It's from our new series Straight Talk. Here's pastor Mark Jobe.

Well, let's get started with the message now. It's from our new series Straight Talk. Here's pastor Mark Jobe.

Now, as we read this passage in first Corinthians, you will discover that the Apostle Paul does not use the regular arguments that we typically use. He doesn't mention Aids, and he doesn't mention pregnancies, and he doesn't mention sexually transmitted diseases. He argues from a whole different perspective that God is concerned about how you manage your sexuality. I want to begin reading in verse 12. It says everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food for the stomach and stomach for the food. But God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord and the Lord, for the body by his power. God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us up as well. Now I want to pause there for a minute, and I want to talk to you this morning about God's arguments for sexual purity. The first point I want to make. Is that the Apostle Paul was writing to a group of individuals that lived in a society very much like our society. He was writing to a city, a group of believers that lived in a city called Corinth. Now, Corinth was the Las Vegas of those days. It was the party city. It was the strip where people went to fulfill their sexual desires, and sailors and merchants and people from all over the known world would would convene in Corinth to have a good time. I let you know a couple of weeks ago that on a hilltop overlooking the city of Corinth was the temple of Aphrodite. And right as a part of the temple, there were 1000 temple prostitutes that would come and service the sailors and anybody who would go to the temple to worship. Some of those individuals were in the church in Corinth. So they had been involved with prostitutes. They had been involved with girlfriends, multiple affairs. They had a sexuality that had run rampant before they came to Christ. And now they were sitting in the church saying, I have a lot of questions about sexuality and about how God made us and what we should do and what it means to be a Christian and manage our sexuality. Now the Apostle Paul is answering questions that they're asking him, but we don't have the ability to see what those questions are, but we can see the questions implied in the answer. I believe the first question that they were asking him was this If God created my body with sexual urges, then what is wrong with me indulging my sexual appetite? Have you ever heard that argument? Hey, God made me to have sex. If I have sex, what's wrong with that? If God didn't want me to have sex, he should made me a different way. And the Corinthians were saying, wait a second. God made me this way. He gave me sexual urges. So if he made me this way and gave me sexual urges, then how can he tell me not to have sex right now until I get married? So the Apostle Paul answers this question. They were saying he's quoting them in verse 12. They were saying everything is permissible for me. They were saying, it must have been a common slogan among the Corinthians. And the saying was, all things are possible, or we can do all things or everything is permissible. Paul quotes them and says, yes, you can have sex, but just because you have the ability to have sex doesn't mean that it's good for you. He says everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. That means it's not edifying. It's not good for your soul, body and spirit. He quotes them again. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. You don't see this in the English language, but in the Greek, he was using a play on words that says, I have the power to do anything, but I will not put myself under the power of anything. In other words, Paul was telling them that when it comes to Christian liberty, not only sex, but you can apply this to a lot of different areas of your life. He was saying that there's two principles that you need to keep in mind. Number one, you need to ask yourself this question does this benefit my spiritual life? And secondly, you must ask yourself this question does this exercise control over my life or open up doors to a bad habit? I run into people that tell me, well, pastor, I don't see a chapter in verse in the Bible that says, thou shalt not look at X-rated or pornographic movies. I mean, I've never read a verse like that. But the Bible says the question is this. Is it good for you? Do you come away after watching a pornographic movie saying, man, I love Jesus more. I'm excited about God. I want to live holy. I'm walking in spirituality, man, I am edified. Or do you come away with your hormones and high drive? Looking for a place to satisfy your pleasure. And I believe you can apply it to every area of our life. Someone says, hey pastor, I don't see anywhere in the Bible that says, thou shalt not go clubbing. And you're right, there's no verse that says that. But there are things that we apply to it, like, hey, after going clubbing till three in the morning, do you walk away from that saying, man, I'm growing in God. I'm more spiritual, I love Jesus, I want to go to a prayer meeting right now. My life is my life is built up. I really I'm thinking about God. Or do you walk away having your mind and a lot of carnal things, having your mind going all in the opposite direction. The question is, it's permissible. You have the ability to do it, but is it beneficial? And the second question he asks about is that you need to ask yourself this question. In my opening up the door. If I engage in this activity in my opening up the door to something that will master me or have power over me. Someone says, well, I don't see anywhere in the Bible where it says, thou shalt not smoke reefer. I just don't have that chapter and verse anywhere in mind. But let me tell you, does that begin to exercise control over your life so that you become more and more addicted to it and have less and less power to say no to it? And in sexuality is the same thing. Do I open up a door here that I cannot close? That causes me not to be able to say no to it? And exercise is more and more power over my life. So the Apostle Paul is saying, just because you're old enough to have sex, it doesn't mean that you should engage in sex. You should ask yourself this question, is this beneficial for me? And does this actually take control over my life? Now they were also arguing. By the way, he quotes them again in verse 13. Food is for the stomach, and stomach is for the food. Some of the Corinthians were saying, hey! Sex is like food. If you're hungry, you go to Burger King and you get a Big Mac. You feel your stomach growling. You say, hey, I'm a little hungry right now, so I'm going to get a number three or number four. I'm going to get that Big Mac, some fries and a big doctor Pepper, and I'll be all satisfied. And some people look at the hungry of their stomach like they look at sex. And they say, I'm feeling a little hormonal right now. My testosterone is going. I have a sexual urge. Let me find a place just to satisfy myself and go on. I'll have it. Just a quickie sex somewhere. Find a place. Just like I drive through Burger King. I'll drive through somewhere, have a little sex, and then we'll be on with it. They were arguing that the natural drive of hunger was similar to the drive of sex, and Paul is saying, hold on. Yeah, your stomach is for food and food is for the stomach. But he says, listen. Your God will destroy both of them. In other words, your stomach and the food will ultimately be destroyed. But. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord. Some people arguing, hey, God gave me sex organs. God gave me a sex drive. Therefore God must have made my body to have sex. So what's wrong with having sex? And Paul says, wait a second, let me redefine morality and let you know that God did not create your body for sexual immorality, but God created your body for himself. Look what it says. The body is not meant for sexual immorality. The word immorality there is Pernia means any kind of perversion, sex outside of marriage, sex between singles, homosexuality, you name it. He goes on and says the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord and the Lord for the body. What did God create your body for sex? No. God created your body for himself. Your body belongs to God, and God belongs in your body via the Holy Spirit. He goes on later and he tells us that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own. In other words, your body was created to worship God and God his is destined to live inside of your body.

Now, as we read this passage in first Corinthians, you will discover that the Apostle Paul does not use the regular arguments that we typically use. He doesn't mention Aids, and he doesn't mention pregnancies, and he doesn't mention sexually transmitted diseases. He argues from a whole different perspective that God is concerned about how you manage your sexuality. I want to begin reading in verse 12. It says everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food for the stomach and stomach for the food. But God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord and the Lord, for the body by his power. God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us up as well. Now I want to pause there for a minute, and I want to talk to you this morning about God's arguments for sexual purity. The first point I want to make. Is that the Apostle Paul was writing to a group of individuals that lived in a society very much like our society. He was writing to a city, a group of believers that lived in a city called Corinth. Now, Corinth was the Las Vegas of those days. It was the party city. It was the strip where people went to fulfill their sexual desires, and sailors and merchants and people from all over the known world would would convene in Corinth to have a good time. I let you know a couple of weeks ago that on a hilltop overlooking the city of Corinth was the temple of Aphrodite. And right as a part of the temple, there were 1000 temple prostitutes that would come and service the sailors and anybody who would go to the temple to worship. Some of those individuals were in the church in Corinth. So they had been involved with prostitutes. They had been involved with girlfriends, multiple affairs. They had a sexuality that had run rampant before they came to Christ. And now they were sitting in the church saying, I have a lot of questions about sexuality and about how God made us and what we should do and what it means to be a Christian and manage our sexuality. Now the Apostle Paul is answering questions that they're asking him, but we don't have the ability to see what those questions are, but we can see the questions implied in the answer. I believe the first question that they were asking him was this If God created my body with sexual urges, then what is wrong with me indulging my sexual appetite? Have you ever heard that argument? Hey, God made me to have sex. If I have sex, what's wrong with that? If God didn't want me to have sex, he should made me a different way. And the Corinthians were saying, wait a second. God made me this way. He gave me sexual urges. So if he made me this way and gave me sexual urges, then how can he tell me not to have sex right now until I get married? So the Apostle Paul answers this question. They were saying he's quoting them in verse 12. They were saying everything is permissible for me. They were saying, it must have been a common slogan among the Corinthians. And the saying was, all things are possible, or we can do all things or everything is permissible. Paul quotes them and says, yes, you can have sex, but just because you have the ability to have sex doesn't mean that it's good for you. He says everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. That means it's not edifying. It's not good for your soul, body and spirit. He quotes them again. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. You don't see this in the English language, but in the Greek, he was using a play on words that says, I have the power to do anything, but I will not put myself under the power of anything. In other words, Paul was telling them that when it comes to Christian liberty, not only sex, but you can apply this to a lot of different areas of your life. He was saying that there's two principles that you need to keep in mind. Number one, you need to ask yourself this question does this benefit my spiritual life? And secondly, you must ask yourself this question does this exercise control over my life or open up doors to a bad habit? I run into people that tell me, well, pastor, I don't see a chapter in verse in the Bible that says, thou shalt not look at X-rated or pornographic movies. I mean, I've never read a verse like that. But the Bible says the question is this. Is it good for you? Do you come away after watching a pornographic movie saying, man, I love Jesus more. I'm excited about God. I want to live holy. I'm walking in spirituality, man, I am edified. Or do you come away with your hormones and high drive? Looking for a place to satisfy your pleasure. And I believe you can apply it to every area of our life. Someone says, hey pastor, I don't see anywhere in the Bible that says, thou shalt not go clubbing. And you're right, there's no verse that says that. But there are things that we apply to it, like, hey, after going clubbing till three in the morning, do you walk away from that saying, man, I'm growing in God. I'm more spiritual, I love Jesus, I want to go to a prayer meeting right now. My life is my life is built up. I really I'm thinking about God. Or do you walk away having your mind and a lot of carnal things, having your mind going all in the opposite direction. The question is, it's permissible. You have the ability to do it, but is it beneficial? And the second question he asks about is that you need to ask yourself this question. In my opening up the door. If I engage in this activity in my opening up the door to something that will master me or have power over me. Someone says, well, I don't see anywhere in the Bible where it says, thou shalt not smoke reefer. I just don't have that chapter and verse anywhere in mind. But let me tell you, does that begin to exercise control over your life so that you become more and more addicted to it and have less and less power to say no to it? And in sexuality is the same thing. Do I open up a door here that I cannot close? That causes me not to be able to say no to it? And exercise is more and more power over my life. So the Apostle Paul is saying, just because you're old enough to have sex, it doesn't mean that you should engage in sex. You should ask yourself this question, is this beneficial for me? And does this actually take control over my life? Now they were also arguing. By the way, he quotes them again in verse 13. Food is for the stomach, and stomach is for the food. Some of the Corinthians were saying, hey! Sex is like food. If you're hungry, you go to Burger King and you get a Big Mac. You feel your stomach growling. You say, hey, I'm a little hungry right now, so I'm going to get a number three or number four. I'm going to get that Big Mac, some fries and a big doctor Pepper, and I'll be all satisfied. And some people look at the hungry of their stomach like they look at sex. And they say, I'm feeling a little hormonal right now. My testosterone is going. I have a sexual urge. Let me find a place just to satisfy myself and go on. I'll have it. Just a quickie sex somewhere. Find a place. Just like I drive through Burger King. I'll drive through somewhere, have a little sex, and then we'll be on with it. They were arguing that the natural drive of hunger was similar to the drive of sex, and Paul is saying, hold on. Yeah, your stomach is for food and food is for the stomach. But he says, listen. Your God will destroy both of them. In other words, your stomach and the food will ultimately be destroyed. But. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord. Some people arguing, hey, God gave me sex organs. God gave me a sex drive. Therefore God must have made my body to have sex. So what's wrong with having sex? And Paul says, wait a second, let me redefine morality and let you know that God did not create your body for sexual immorality, but God created your body for himself. Look what it says. The body is not meant for sexual immorality. The word immorality there is Pernia means any kind of perversion, sex outside of marriage, sex between singles, homosexuality, you name it. He goes on and says the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord and the Lord for the body. What did God create your body for sex? No. God created your body for himself. Your body belongs to God, and God belongs in your body via the Holy Spirit. He goes on later and he tells us that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own. In other words, your body was created to worship God and God his is destined to live inside of your body.

You're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe and will continue in a minute. Remember, you can always find these daily messages and share them with a friend by going online to Bold Steps Radio Talk or subscribe to our podcast. You'll find us on most platforms like Apple and Google and Spotify. Just search for bold steps with doctor Mark Jobe and Mark. Of course, it's Monday and the bold Step of weekly came out. It can be read online on our website, but many listeners got the email this morning. What? What are you talking about?

You're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe and will continue in a minute. Remember, you can always find these daily messages and share them with a friend by going online to Bold Steps Radio Talk or subscribe to our podcast. You'll find us on most platforms like Apple and Google and Spotify. Just search for bold steps with doctor Mark Jobe and Mark. Of course, it's Monday and the bold Step of weekly came out. It can be read online on our website, but many listeners got the email this morning. What? What are you talking about?

Nice and early. They got the email. And for those of you that don't know what the bold step were, is it's a weekly email for free that we just try to keep you connected. A devotional thought let you know what's going on in the ministry around here. And one of the big things that's happening on campus here at the Moody Bible Institute is this week is share, which is a great time for us to just, um, talk about the testimonies, what God is doing through radio. And it's a time for our partners to, uh, participate in supporting, uh, Moody Radio across the network. It's great.

Nice and early. They got the email. And for those of you that don't know what the bold step were, is it's a weekly email for free that we just try to keep you connected. A devotional thought let you know what's going on in the ministry around here. And one of the big things that's happening on campus here at the Moody Bible Institute is this week is share, which is a great time for us to just, um, talk about the testimonies, what God is doing through radio. And it's a time for our partners to, uh, participate in supporting, uh, Moody Radio across the network. It's great.

Phenomenal family time, isn't it?

Phenomenal family time, isn't it?

You know, I love share because I get to hear from so many people, literally thousands of people, right. And telling us what God is doing. So I love to hear the stories.

You know, I love share because I get to hear from so many people, literally thousands of people, right. And telling us what God is doing. So I love to hear the stories.

Right. It's in the bold step of weekly. You can read it at Bold Steps radio org. But why don't you sign up to receive it in your email inbox every Monday morning by going to Bold Steps radio org and signing up. Now back to our study of God's rational case for sexual purity. Here's more with Mark Jobe.

Right. It's in the bold step of weekly. You can read it at Bold Steps radio org. But why don't you sign up to receive it in your email inbox every Monday morning by going to Bold Steps radio org and signing up. Now back to our study of God's rational case for sexual purity. Here's more with Mark Jobe.

Now, boy. Let me let me just stop here for a second, because I have heard a lot of individuals we have been taught, especially in the feminism movement. You've been taught as a woman that your body is your body. And there's a lot of talk about that. My body is my body. This is my body. And so therefore we translate it, for example, into this whole issue of I have sex with whom I have sex, I can have an abortion because this is my body. I do whatever I want with my body because it's my body. The irony of all this. Do you realize that if a woman today is pregnant with a child and she wants to have an abortion, that she can have an abortion anywhere, and it's not illegal. It's not wrong in most circles, it's not considered morally wrong because she argues, what? It's my body. And I do. What? Whatever I want with my body. Now, do you realize that the courts call this the abortion distortion? Do you remember the story of Todd Peterson, who killed his wife and she was pregnant? Do you remember that story? It was all over the news. And what was he charged with? Double murder. Why? Because he killed not only a woman, but he killed a woman that was pregnant. And so, in the court system, he was charged by double murder, right? Because he killed a woman and he killed an unborn baby. Yet if a woman decides to terminate her own pregnancy, it's her own body. It's not an individual that our our court system is messed up. Why? Because we have taught that this is her body. She does whatever she wants with her body. I want to redefine that and say your body belongs to God. This is not your body. This is God's body. That is for male and female. Your body belongs to God. Your body was designed to glorify God. God was designed to indwell in your body via the Holy Spirit. And Paul is arguing this because he's talking to them about sexual immorality that exist among them. He goes on in verse 14 and he says, by his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us up also. Now it's interesting that the Apostle Paul is arguing theology when he talks to us about purity. He tells us that our body eventually one day, will be raised from the dead. Here's what the Apostle Paul is saying. The Apostle Paul wants you to know that your body matters to God. Some people have understood well. My spirit and my soul matter to God, but my body doesn't matter to God. I mean, after all, isn't my body going to go in the grave and going to going to decay and turn into dust? And you know, who cares about the body? Because what really matters is the soul and the spirit. But do you realize that the Bible teaches that one day when at the second coming of Christ, that God will also gather the remains of your body? Do you know that the Bible teaches that, in fact, it talks about the graves being opening up and God gathering the remains of our body? And I want to say, God, what do you want to do with some old dusty bones? Why do you want those bones? I believe that God's going to gather all, even the remains of our body, because God wants nothing left of our old self. He doesn't want your soul, or your spirit or your body of the old self to remain, because the Bible says he creates all things new. There is not one speck of dust of your old body that will remain on earth, because you will be glorified and transformed into a new body, because your body does matter to God. And so he says, do you realize that when Jesus, when God raised Jesus from the dead, he did not just raise his soul in his spirit, he raised his what? His body? Why? Because your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Someone says, where? Where does God live on earth? In big cathedrals. Where does God? What is God's address on earth? Is it Cathedral 101? Does he live in the downtown places with the biggest stained glass windows in the highest towers? You know where God's address is on earth. God's address on earth is your body. That's where he lives. That's where he dwells. Where you walk. You bring God where you live. God is there. God is chosen. He is Holy Spirit to dwell and live inside of your body and make your body his living temple. Now the Apostle Paul goes on and he goes on to say. Notice what it says in the following verse. By the way, look at what it says in Philippians chapter three verse 21, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. We will be transformed like Jesus. The second question that the Apostle Paul answers is this. He answers this question. Hey, sex is just a physical act, isn't it? If I engage in casual sex, it doesn't really affect me spiritually, does it? Well, let's look at that for a second. Notice what it says in verse 15. Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ himself? What is a member of Christ? Our bodies. Flesh and blood are a members of Christ's body. Now you say, well, I don't understand what that means. We'll look at what it says in first Corinthians chapter 12, verse 27. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. Look what it says in Ephesians chapter five, verse 23. Christ is the head of the church, his body of which he is the Saviour. Now Paul goes on and makes another argument. He's made the argument that your body belongs to God and will be resurrected. And now he makes the argument that your body is a member of Christ, that your physical body, Christ is the head, and your physical body is a member of Christ Himself. The moment that you come to Christ and bow your knee and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes inside of you. And now you are united with Christ and you are a member of Christ, not just a member of the church, but you are a member of Christ. He is the head. And when he speaks, it affects you. And whatever you do, you do it in connection with the head because you are united with Christ. Now listen to the implications of this. Verse 15. The second part shall I then? Take the members of Christ and unite them with the prostitute. Never literally translated. Perish the thought. Unspeakable. I want you to picture this. I mean, this is almost like a blasphemous thought. He says, should I take a member of Christ? A part of Christ and take something that is a part of Christ and make it united with a prostitute. I mean, it causes us to shudder. How could Paul even talk that way? Well, what he's saying is that every time that you. If the Holy Spirit dwells inside of you, you are a member of Christ. If you decide to have sex as a single person, or you're out there and decide, hey, I'm going to visit a quick prostitute, that what happens is that Christ lives inside of you. He is connected to you. And whatever you do with your body, you do with Christ. You see, I think some people have this idea that they can leave Christ outside the door. You see, the Bible says that whoever you have sex with, you are actually U19 yourself with that individual. Because this is not just a bodily function. This is a function of the body, the soul and the spirit.

Now, boy. Let me let me just stop here for a second, because I have heard a lot of individuals we have been taught, especially in the feminism movement. You've been taught as a woman that your body is your body. And there's a lot of talk about that. My body is my body. This is my body. And so therefore we translate it, for example, into this whole issue of I have sex with whom I have sex, I can have an abortion because this is my body. I do whatever I want with my body because it's my body. The irony of all this. Do you realize that if a woman today is pregnant with a child and she wants to have an abortion, that she can have an abortion anywhere, and it's not illegal. It's not wrong in most circles, it's not considered morally wrong because she argues, what? It's my body. And I do. What? Whatever I want with my body. Now, do you realize that the courts call this the abortion distortion? Do you remember the story of Todd Peterson, who killed his wife and she was pregnant? Do you remember that story? It was all over the news. And what was he charged with? Double murder. Why? Because he killed not only a woman, but he killed a woman that was pregnant. And so, in the court system, he was charged by double murder, right? Because he killed a woman and he killed an unborn baby. Yet if a woman decides to terminate her own pregnancy, it's her own body. It's not an individual that our our court system is messed up. Why? Because we have taught that this is her body. She does whatever she wants with her body. I want to redefine that and say your body belongs to God. This is not your body. This is God's body. That is for male and female. Your body belongs to God. Your body was designed to glorify God. God was designed to indwell in your body via the Holy Spirit. And Paul is arguing this because he's talking to them about sexual immorality that exist among them. He goes on in verse 14 and he says, by his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us up also. Now it's interesting that the Apostle Paul is arguing theology when he talks to us about purity. He tells us that our body eventually one day, will be raised from the dead. Here's what the Apostle Paul is saying. The Apostle Paul wants you to know that your body matters to God. Some people have understood well. My spirit and my soul matter to God, but my body doesn't matter to God. I mean, after all, isn't my body going to go in the grave and going to going to decay and turn into dust? And you know, who cares about the body? Because what really matters is the soul and the spirit. But do you realize that the Bible teaches that one day when at the second coming of Christ, that God will also gather the remains of your body? Do you know that the Bible teaches that, in fact, it talks about the graves being opening up and God gathering the remains of our body? And I want to say, God, what do you want to do with some old dusty bones? Why do you want those bones? I believe that God's going to gather all, even the remains of our body, because God wants nothing left of our old self. He doesn't want your soul, or your spirit or your body of the old self to remain, because the Bible says he creates all things new. There is not one speck of dust of your old body that will remain on earth, because you will be glorified and transformed into a new body, because your body does matter to God. And so he says, do you realize that when Jesus, when God raised Jesus from the dead, he did not just raise his soul in his spirit, he raised his what? His body? Why? Because your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Someone says, where? Where does God live on earth? In big cathedrals. Where does God? What is God's address on earth? Is it Cathedral 101? Does he live in the downtown places with the biggest stained glass windows in the highest towers? You know where God's address is on earth. God's address on earth is your body. That's where he lives. That's where he dwells. Where you walk. You bring God where you live. God is there. God is chosen. He is Holy Spirit to dwell and live inside of your body and make your body his living temple. Now the Apostle Paul goes on and he goes on to say. Notice what it says in the following verse. By the way, look at what it says in Philippians chapter three verse 21, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. We will be transformed like Jesus. The second question that the Apostle Paul answers is this. He answers this question. Hey, sex is just a physical act, isn't it? If I engage in casual sex, it doesn't really affect me spiritually, does it? Well, let's look at that for a second. Notice what it says in verse 15. Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ himself? What is a member of Christ? Our bodies. Flesh and blood are a members of Christ's body. Now you say, well, I don't understand what that means. We'll look at what it says in first Corinthians chapter 12, verse 27. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. Look what it says in Ephesians chapter five, verse 23. Christ is the head of the church, his body of which he is the Saviour. Now Paul goes on and makes another argument. He's made the argument that your body belongs to God and will be resurrected. And now he makes the argument that your body is a member of Christ, that your physical body, Christ is the head, and your physical body is a member of Christ Himself. The moment that you come to Christ and bow your knee and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes inside of you. And now you are united with Christ and you are a member of Christ, not just a member of the church, but you are a member of Christ. He is the head. And when he speaks, it affects you. And whatever you do, you do it in connection with the head because you are united with Christ. Now listen to the implications of this. Verse 15. The second part shall I then? Take the members of Christ and unite them with the prostitute. Never literally translated. Perish the thought. Unspeakable. I want you to picture this. I mean, this is almost like a blasphemous thought. He says, should I take a member of Christ? A part of Christ and take something that is a part of Christ and make it united with a prostitute. I mean, it causes us to shudder. How could Paul even talk that way? Well, what he's saying is that every time that you. If the Holy Spirit dwells inside of you, you are a member of Christ. If you decide to have sex as a single person, or you're out there and decide, hey, I'm going to visit a quick prostitute, that what happens is that Christ lives inside of you. He is connected to you. And whatever you do with your body, you do with Christ. You see, I think some people have this idea that they can leave Christ outside the door. You see, the Bible says that whoever you have sex with, you are actually U19 yourself with that individual. Because this is not just a bodily function. This is a function of the body, the soul and the spirit.

Reminding us that our bodies are not our own. You're listening to the Bible teaching of Mark job and this is bold steps. You can hear today's program again or any of the previous programs in our growing collection. When you visit Bold Steps radio org. These daily messages are made possible in part by generous listeners who support us every month. We call them bold partners, and you can become a bold partner too. When you give a monthly gift of $30 or more, you're giving helps us reach more people than countries all across the world. With the bold truth about Jesus, signing up is easy when you go to Bold Steps radio talk, or if you prefer to speak with one of our friendly staff members, just give us a call. The number is 800 D.L. Moody again 1-800-356-6639. And when you give monthly as a bold partner or just a one time gift, we'll send you a copy of doctor Bill Thrashers book, How to Resurrect a Dead Prayer Life. This standalone guide on prayer offers a step by step approach to enhancing your prayer practice, backed by research, real world experience and, of course, biblical truth, it's packed with tips and techniques to help you revitalize your spiritual connection. And with a foreword by Mark Jobe and his wife, we really do endorse the profound lessons of this bold step gift. Just ask for the book How to Resurrect a Dead Prayer Life. When you give your donation to Bold Steps at Bold Steps radio org or give us a call that number one more time is 800 D.L. Moody (800) 356-6639. You can even send a check in the mail. Just be sure to include your request for our bold step gift when you write to us at bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten I'm Wayne Shepherd. We'll see you again next time when we'll continue this series called Straight Talk on singleness, sex, and marriage. That's Tuesday on Bold Steps with Mark Joe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.

Reminding us that our bodies are not our own. You're listening to the Bible teaching of Mark job and this is bold steps. You can hear today's program again or any of the previous programs in our growing collection. When you visit Bold Steps radio org. These daily messages are made possible in part by generous listeners who support us every month. We call them bold partners, and you can become a bold partner too. When you give a monthly gift of $30 or more, you're giving helps us reach more people than countries all across the world. With the bold truth about Jesus, signing up is easy when you go to Bold Steps radio talk, or if you prefer to speak with one of our friendly staff members, just give us a call. The number is 800 D.L. Moody again 1-800-356-6639. And when you give monthly as a bold partner or just a one time gift, we'll send you a copy of doctor Bill Thrashers book, How to Resurrect a Dead Prayer Life. This standalone guide on prayer offers a step by step approach to enhancing your prayer practice, backed by research, real world experience and, of course, biblical truth, it's packed with tips and techniques to help you revitalize your spiritual connection. And with a foreword by Mark Jobe and his wife, we really do endorse the profound lessons of this bold step gift. Just ask for the book How to Resurrect a Dead Prayer Life. When you give your donation to Bold Steps at Bold Steps radio org or give us a call that number one more time is 800 D.L. Moody (800) 356-6639. You can even send a check in the mail. Just be sure to include your request for our bold step gift when you write to us at bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten I'm Wayne Shepherd. We'll see you again next time when we'll continue this series called Straight Talk on singleness, sex, and marriage. That's Tuesday on Bold Steps with Mark Joe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.