Scripture:

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 - “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; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

Context:

Paul is telling the believers in Corinth that their bodies – their actual, physical bodies - are temples created by God as a home for the Holy Spirit. These people were certainly familiar with temples.  The city had many temples dedicated to their Greek gods, including Apollo, Aphrodite, and Poseidon, plus they even had a Pantheon dedicated to “All the gods”.  They believed temples were sacred ground, set apart, cared for, honored, and protected from anything unworthy.

So here Paul is saying that God has chosen believers like you and me—not stone pillars, not marble, not gold—as His temples.  If God lives in you and me, then our choices are not meaningless.  Our habits are not trivial, and our bodies are not disposable, unimportant, or a lost cause.  Every breath, every step, every action we do to our bodies becomes part of the worship we offer to God.

Plus, there is an even deeper reason for honoring our bodies.  Paul says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”  The price was the blood of Christ—the highest cost imaginable. Jesus didn’t redeem us reluctantly, nor did He negotiate for a discount. He gave Himself fully. When we contemplate the value of what He paid, we can only begin to understand the value He places on us.

Therefore, Paul says, honor God with your bodies. This is not just about avoiding sin.  It means resisting what harms you, because you are too valuable to allow yourself to be hurt. It means using your body, your strength, and your energy in ways that reflect His glory and serve Him by serving others.  It means living with the quiet awareness that everywhere you go, God is within you.

Personal message:

In my mind, that changes everything!  I have lived my entire life frustrated and criticizing myself for being overweight, feeling worthless, not as healthy as I should be, and generally out of shape.  The younger me was not kind to my body nor did I protect it from sin and abuse.  I didn’t prioritize taking care of myself, and I just figured it was a lost cause.  I’ve always known I should take care of my body, protect it, eat right and exercise, but that was too hard.

-Aaron Bray

Application:

Today, pause and remember that your body is a temple, you are treasured, you are not your own, and that is good news. God has placed His Spirit within you so that your life would shine with His presence. Lift your heart in gratitude for the price Jesus paid, and choose—one decision at a time—to honor Him with your body.