THE BODY BELONGS TO THE LORD, AND THE LORD BELONGS TO THE BODY

Does God care about the body and require it? The answer is yes, and the Scriptures clearly confirm this.

1 Corinthians 6:13 (ESV):
“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food—but 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.”

Notice the words at the end: “the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” This shows that our bodies are specifically for the Lord, and the Lord is specifically for our bodies. It’s no wonder that when we pray for physical needs, He answers just as quickly as He does for spiritual ones.

It’s also no surprise that we struggle with bodily desires, because our bodies are extremely valuable to Him. After all, to live as humans, we must have bodies.

So where does the idea come from that God doesn’t care about the body? Surely, it comes from Satan!

The Scriptures continue to affirm that we do not belong to ourselves.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (ESV):
“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.”

Let’s go deeper into understanding how the body is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.

Our union with Christ is so complete that the Bible teaches: “the parts of our bodies are also parts of Christ.” In other words, that hand you see as yours is actually Christ’s hand; those eyes are His eyes. So if you have believed in Jesus but then commit sexual immorality, you are misusing a part of Christ’s body. As the Bible warns:

1 Corinthians 6:15 (ESV):
“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!”

The foot you see as yours, if you are saved, is no longer yours—it belongs to Christ. That’s why Jesus said: when people receive you, they receive Him; and when they reject you, they reject Him. Why? Because after salvation, our bodies no longer belong to us; all our members belong to Christ and represent Him.

Luke 10:16 (ESV):
“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

See? A saved person is essentially “Christ walking on earth.” And if you study the judgment of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46, you’ll see that when people ask, “Lord, when did we feed You, clothe You, or care for You?” Jesus responds, “As you did it to the least of these, you did it to Me.” The “least” here refers to God’s faithful servants proclaiming the gospel.

So the hungry stomachs of God’s people are Christ’s stomach, the dusty feet of God’s people are Christ’s feet—in short, the bodies of God’s people are Christ’s very own bodies! No wonder Paul asked: “Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!”

If that’s the case, why then do we dress inappropriately, engage in sexual immorality, tattoo our bodies, smoke, or drink excessively? Consider these matters seriously, believer. Do not be deceived into thinking God does not care about the body. The teaching that encourages neglecting the body is false—it leads only to bondage and legalism.

Salvation does not give us freedom to sin. On the last day, it is not our souls that are resurrected, but our bodies. And Christ did not offer His Spirit for our redemption—He offered His body with blood, bones, vessels, flesh, heart, hands, feet, and skin.

Hebrews 10:5 (ESV):
“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me.’”

The Bible repeatedly calls us to offer our bodies to the Lord.

Romans 12:1 (ESV):
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

May the Lord bless you.

Share this good news with others.

The Lord bless you.

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