It’s interesting how some Bible verses get emphasised in one era, are then almost forgotten about in the next, before making a bit of a comeback. 1 Cor 6:19-20 fits into this category: “Do you not know that your body is a temple 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 honour God with your body.“
The immediate context is a discussion on sexual immorality, but shortly before Paul was working with a wider canvas that also included theft, greediness, drunkenness, cheating and gossip (v10). His reminder is that when faced by these temptations we remember whose we are. We do not belong to ourself, we belong to God, and God’s ownership is established by the Holy Spirit living within us.
That was very much a part of the Christian faith I was taught during my teenage years. You couldn’t go long without being reminded of 1 Cor 6:19-20 – “Your body is a temple”, we were regularly reminded, “treat it like one”. And of course that was an era when temples were treated with great respect. And then the verse slipped out of sight for a while – relegated to the “too legalistic” or “too controlling” basket (“don’t fat-shame, sex-shame, or anything else shame”), but now seems to be back in favour. I, for one, am glad.
Challenging though the verse may be when confronted with the option of an extra eclair or some dodgy thoughts, it’s one of those very practical verses that does immediate good when heeded. It’s not just at the level of our physical wellbeing that it’s helpful. There is the insistent reminder – the Spirit lives within you. Are you listening to the Spirit? That’s even more exciting than having a perfect BMI.
As we continue to construct a theology of personal development, let’s look at the two key swivel points of this text – the body is a temple, and the Spirit lives within you.
Let’s be clear, if our body is a temple, there is no place for gnostic dualism where things of the Spirit really matter but anything physical is of little significance. You would have thought that the incarnation of Jesus would have permanently crushed that line of thinking – after all, you can’t stress the value of our fleshly bodies more than by saying, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” John 1:14. Despite this, there is an inherent ambivalence that many of us feel towards our body that makes us want to relegate the “flesh” to the realm of evil. The Bible will have none of it. Your body is beautiful – and that is true regardless of if it does or doesn’t fit the current version of “beautiful” adopted by contemporary culture. It is a temple – a temple in which the Spirit of God resides. It’s hard to imagine how a higher value could be attached to it.
Should you therefore look after your body, and include it in a development plan? Of course you should! I certainly do. I try to get to the gym a few times a week, and feel much better for it. The gym I attend recently added a body scanning machine which, amongst many other things, tells you your biological age, as opposed to your chronological age. Mine suggested I am 66 – which given that I am 68 is reasonable, though hardly overwhelming. I’d been hoping I could fool it into saying I’m 53, but it steadfastly resisted my attempts. Ah well, two years younger is better than two years older.
1 Tim 4:8 reminds us that “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things.” Some read that as belittling the value of physical training with faint praise – suggesting that “some” value is essentially dismissive. I think they are misreading Paul. Paul is indeed wanting us to develop a robust godliness, and his approach is to move from the non-controversial (look after your body) to the area we are more likely to overlook – growing in godliness. Both matter, and make sure you look out for what you might easily neglect, is his line of thought. Let’s remember, he lived at a time when vigorous exercise was built into daily life. Back then, getting enough water for the day was more taxing than the average session at the gym. You had to be pretty committed to add “physical training” to all that was required to stay alive 2000 years ago. If Paul affirmed that it was of value then, how much more would he stress it in our sedentary era.
And why should we look after our body. Because it is a temple – a place of worship for God. Chariots of Fire gets it right when it has Scottish athlete and missionary Eric Liddell saying “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure” – regardless of if Liddell said those words or not. The body in harmony is a beautiful song of praise to God. We should tend the one body we have been given with love and care. We will always be able to compare it to others, thinking they are more suitable, but that misses the point. God gave you the body you have. Trust God’s decision.
But the body is also a place of residence for the Spirit of God. In other words, God is not far from us. To the contrary, God’s Spirit lives in us. Wow – that’s astounding. Can we ever be separated from God? Clearly not. The Spirit’s home is within us. Does this impact our living? It’s hard to see how it wouldn’t. Of course our behaviour is shaped by the company we keep. It’s good to ask, “Is my living worthy of the one who lives within me?”
So should you do a quick 20 press ups? Well why not? And should you ask, “Oh Spirit, present within me, how are you directing me today?” Definitely. And get ready to be surprised at how often a clear answer comes.
Nice chatting…
Photo by Victor Freitas: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-barbell-841130/
Please help enhance the reach of this blog by forwarding and resposting. You are free to reproduce material with acknowledgment of its source.
