All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable.
WEEK 47
DESIRING TO BE ACCEPTABLE
1 CORINTHIANS 6:12-20
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 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.
Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 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! 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." But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 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? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
OUR FATHER, we thank You for the joyous anticipation we have
of heaven and the incomparable realities
that are being prepared for us in glory. May our hearts always be eager
for the eternal blessedness that awaits us in heaven. Our highest hopes are fixed there;
may our daily thoughts be focused there as well.1
In the meantime, may we be faithful
to render our spiritual duty here in this earthly life: May we earnestly present ourselves as living sacrifices to You.2
We come before You now as living stones, active building-blocks,
a spiritual house You are constructing— the spiritual temple for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to You through Jesus Christ. You have made us a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for Your own possession so that we may proclaim Your excellencies.3
The sacrifices of the Old Covenant were dead animals,
but Christ established the New Covenant
through the all-sufficient sacrifice of Himself. The animal sacrifices were merely symbols,
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats
to take away sins.4
But Christ offered one fully efficacious sacrifice for sins forever,
and then He sat down at Your right hand.5
Now it is our privilege and our duty
to offer ourselves to Him. We are grateful to have gifts that differ
according to the grace given us. Help us to exercise them accordingly.6
Help us each to fulfill the role You have given us in the Body,
so that the church can be stronger and manifest more powerfully
the honor of Christ to a watching world. Remind us and empower us to encourage and stimulate one another
to love and good deeds.7
Thank You, precious Lord, for all Your mercies. Not only do we not know how to pray as we ought;8
human language does not possess words sufficient
to praise You as You deserve. You alone are Lord. You made the heavens and all their host. You set the universe in motion. You formed the earth and all that is in it. You made the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them,
and the heavenly host bows down before You. You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him out
from Ur of the Chaldees.9
You also chose us and appointed us to go and bear fruit,
and You ordained that our fruit would remain.
Apart from the life of Your Spirit in us,
we would be utterly fruitless. Enable us by grace to abide in Christ,
that the life of His Spirit may flow through us. And may the result be an abundance of fruit—
all to Your glory and for Your good pleasure. Help us, like Christ, always to do the things
that are pleasing to You.10
Above all, may we flee immorality and other sins of the body. We know that we are not our own;
we have been bought at an unthinkably high price. Help us, therefore, to glorify You in our bodies.
Give us great joy among Your people and a renewed love for You, Father,
as we present these requests in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
1. Colossians 3:2 2. Romans 12:1 3. 1 Peter 2:5,9 4. Hebrews 10:4 5. Hebrews 10:12 6. Romans 12:6-8 7. Hebrews 10:24 8. Romans 8:26 9. Nehemiah 9:6 10. John 8:29