People often say that all sins are equal. The reasoning is that since God is so holy, any sin is an egregious offense against that holiness. Thus, all sins are equal. It is true that each and every sin, whether we think it large or small, is an egregious offense of God’s holiness. But are all sins equal in every way? The scriptures say otherwise.
Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body (1 Corinthians 6:18).
Clearly, there is a uniqueness to sexual sin that the Apostle Paul identifies here. Immorality is singled out as a sin that is in a category of its own. It is viewed by God as especially egregious, and therefore has consequences that are different.
What is it about immorality that sets it apart? The rest of the passage in which the above verse is found shows us the uniqueness of sexual sin.
It destroys the beautiful picture of marriage.
Verse 16, “Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.”’
Paul is not saying that harlotry is the unique sin that destroys the beautiful “one flesh” concept of marriage. He is using this sin as an example of all immorality. God beautifully designed marriage as a man and woman becoming one flesh. His design for the physical act of lovemaking in marriage is the expression of that union and beauty. That marriage is so good, is why immorality is so bad. Marriage, and the use of our bodies in marriage are good, being designed by Him and for Him: “Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body” (verse 13).
In his usual way, C.S. Lewis provides clarity:
The Christian idea of marriage is based on Christ’s words that man and wife are to be regarded as a single organism.… the male and the female were made to be combined together in pairs, not simply on a sexual level, but totally combined. The monstrosity of sexual intercourse outside marriage is that those who indulge in it are trying to isolate one kind of union (the sexual) from all the other kinds of union which were intended to go along with it and make up the total union. The Christian attitude does not mean that there is anything wrong about sexual pleasure, any more than about the pleasure of eating. It means that you must not isolate that pleasure and try to get it by itself, any more than you ought to try to get the pleasures of taste without swallowing and digesting, by chewing things and spitting them out again.
—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
On the positive side, we are to elevate the beautiful design of marriage and cultivate its importance in every way possible, in every opportunity.
It defaces the beautiful picture of Christ and the Church.
Verses 15, 17, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
Paul also said of the one-flesh nature of marriage, “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32). There is nothing else in all of creation that God likens to our relationship with Him in this way. Just as a man and woman are joined together in marriage, so are we joined together “in one spirit with Him.” Immorality distorts that pure and beautiful picture.
On the positive side, we are to celebrate our union with Christ in salvation and marvel at the beauty of marriage which portrays it.
It defiles the holy dwelling of God’s Spirit: your body.
Verse 19, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
The Holy Spirit lives in us. Stop and think for a moment about how incredible that truth is. God lives in us. He is holy. When we fully understand this truth we can see why immorality is so incongruous with our salvation. Our bodies are defiled by sexual sin.
On the positive side, an ongoing recognition God’s indwelling Sprit is a powerful weapon against sin of any kind when tempted.
It deters from the beautiful goal of our redemption.
Verse 20 “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
What is the price of our redemption? The life of Christ. His life for yours—the great exchange. And what exactly is redeemed? All of us. Our minds, our hearts, our emotions, our spirit, our bodies! Our bodies are redeemed and have been purchased for a very specific purpose: to bring glory to God. Immorality deters us from the very purpose for which we are redeemed. Our bodies were made for God and this is where we live while on this earth (2 Cor. 5:1-5). We glorify God with our thoughts, our words, our deeds. We glorify him in all of life including marriage and sexual purity.
Understanding our purpose in life should be the driving principle and power behind everything we do, and everything we don’t do. Immorality is a unique sin which distorts all that is good that God redeemed.
Make it your purpose in all of life to “glorify God in your body.”