by Neema Joshua | 15 May 2020 08:46 pm05
Many people fall into pride by thinking that the body we possess belongs entirely to us. However, if one takes time to meditate deeply on this, it becomes evident that we do not have absolute authority over our bodies. This is proof that our bodies are not truly our own.
If your body were completely yours, you would be able to choose your height, skin color, or gender. You would be able to stop your heart from beating at will, prevent blood from circulating, or avoid sweating when the heat is intense. Since none of these are under our control, it proves that our bodies belong to someone else—ultimately, to God. As the Bible declares:
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”
—1 Corinthians 6:19
Because of this truth, we must live under the authority of the One who owns our bodies. God instructs that our bodies should not be instruments of sin. We obey these commands—not because we are in full control of our bodies, but because they belong to Him. We should not use our bodies for sexual immorality, drunkenness, or other sins. We are merely stewards, tenants, or guests within our own flesh, not owners. We do not have 100% freedom to act as we please.
If God commands that our bodies be clothed decently and honorably, we do not question why; we obey, for they are His.
Learning More About the Owner of Our Bodies
Once, the Pharisees tested Jesus with a question:
“Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
—Matthew 22:17
Jesus, knowing their evil intent, replied:
“Why are you trying to trap me, you hypocrites?”
—Matthew 22:18
When shown a coin, He asked:
“Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
—Matthew 22:20
They answered, “Caesar’s.” Jesus replied:
“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
—Matthew 22:21
Notice the distinction: Caesar owns the coin because it bears his image. How much more should we give our bodies to God, for they bear His image and likeness!
Returning to the Scriptures in Genesis:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
—Genesis 1:26-27
From this, we see that our bodies belong to God because they carry His image and likeness. Just as Jesus instructed giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, we must much more offer our bodies to Christ, for they reflect God’s image.
We should examine ourselves daily: Are we using our bodies as God intends? Are we honoring them through holiness, prayer, fasting, and participation in worship? If not, when the time comes, we will give an account to the owner of our body.
If we use our bodies for sexual immorality, promiscuity, or sin, we must reflect seriously. If we think our bodies are entirely ours, or that we have freedom to expose or exploit them, or to make life-and-death choices at will, we must reconsider.
May the Lord always help us to honor Him with our bodies.
Shalom.
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Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2020/05/15/offer-your-body-to-the-lord-because-it-is-not-your-own/
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