Honoring God with Our Bodies as a Godly Girl

Hi Godly Girl, It is so good to have you join us here!

You know as Godly girls, we are women who strive to live according to God’s will and principles. The concept of godly girls is rooted in biblical teachings and has been a part of Christian culture for centuries. In the Bible, women like Mary, the mother of Jesus, Ruth, Esther, and Deborah are excellent examples of godly girls. They demonstrated strong faith, courage, and obedience to God’s will, even in challenging circumstances.In today’s society, godly girls face numerous challenges and pressures that can compromise their values and faith. The world’s definition of freedom, beauty, and worth can be misleading, leading many to seek validation and identity in all the wrong places.

As believers, we’re called to live differently, embracing a higher standard of living that honors God.

As godly girls in the 21st century, we face similar challenges and temptations. We’re constantly bombarded with messages that can lead us astray, causing us to question our values and identity.In today’s study, our key text is 1 Corinthians 6:12–20, where apostle Paul addresses the Corinthian church, tackling issues of freedom, morality, and the importance of honoring God with our bodies.

Understanding the Corinthian Context

Corinth was an important and wealthy city. The city of Corinth was known for its immorality and excess. The church in Corinth was young and struggling to navigate the cultural norms surrounding them. The Apostle Paul spent 18 months there on his Second Missionary Journey and established a church there. Acts 18 gives us considerable detail about Paul’s work in Corinth during that time.

So he left with some disciples and After leaving Corinth, Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Christians at Corinth warning them “to have no company with sexual sinners” (5:9), but that letter has been lost to us and has indeed come as a timely reminder of the importance of living a life that reflects their faith.

Today, we are going to explore a profound truth: our everyday, ordinary lives can be a powerful offering to God, Living for His Glory.Bible text says:Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial.Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food, but God will do away with both of them.The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body [to save, sanctify, and raise it again because of the sacrifice of the cross].And God has not only raised the Lord [to life], but will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?Am I therefore to take the members of Christ and make them part of a prostitute? Certainly not! Do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall be one flesh.”

[Gen 2:24] But the one who is united and joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Run away from sexual immorality [in any form, whether thought or behaviour, whether visual or written].Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the one who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.”Godly Girls, today we are called to a life of transformation, a life that is set apart and dedicated to God.

Main Points:

We are called to be different, to strive to live godly livesWhat does it mean to have Freedom in Christ?Imagine you’re stuck in a prison cell, with no key to escape. The prison cell represents the consequences of our wrongdoings, or “sins.” We’ve all made mistakes, hurt people, or disobeyed rules. These mistakes create a gap between us and a perfect God.Now, imagine someone comes along and offers to pay the fine for your mistakes, and then breaks down the prison door, setting you free! That someone is Jesus Christ.When Jesus died on the cross, He took the price for our sins upon Himself. This act of love and sacrifice paid the fine for our mistakes, freeing us from the prison cell of sin.But that’s not all — Jesus also gives us a new life, a new purpose, and a new identity. We are no longer defined by our mistakes, but by our relationship with God.This is what we mean by “salvation.” It’s not just about being saved from something (our sins), but also about being saved for something (a life of purpose, love, and service). Salvation isn’t measured by how good a man is even though there are good works in salvation. Salvation is not a lifestyle even though there’s a lifestyle in salvation. Salvation isn’t trying to act right even though acting right is in salvation

Through Jesus:

We’re liberated from the grip of sin, guilt, and shame, and empowered to live a life that honors God.This freedom isn’t just about being released from bondage, but also about being empowered to live a life of purpose, love, and service. We’re no longer held captive by fear, anxiety, or doubt, but instead, we’re free to pursue God’s will, love others unconditionally, and live a life that reflects our values and passions.Through Christ, we can live a life that is truly free — free to be who God created us to be, free to love and serve others, and free to bring glory to our Lord and Savior!

Why is our body for the lord?

As God’s best girls, we often forget that our bodies are not our own. We think we can do whatever we want with them, but the Bible says otherwise. In 1 Corinthians 6:13, Paul reminds us that our bodies are intended for the Lord and are to be used for His glory.You know how you were saved, how you gained freedom……in that process there was a transformation and renewal. You were bought for a very high price It is as though you were washed with soap and water, more of the blood of jesus….which explains that you have been filtered from your old self. You have now become new….a new man in Christ!In other words, we have seen how Ap. Paul has written in the previous verse, those in Christ have already been washed of their sins, sanctified in Christ, and declared justified by God. That transaction is complete. We are saved.Because you have been bought for a price, there is now a new ownership……You! God has gooten you back to himself and there is now new ownership…… That transaction is complete! This basically means that your body, Soul and everything of you is now of the Lords.When Apostel Paul says that our bodies are “for the Lord,” he means that they are dedicated to serving God and bringing Him honor. It’s like a temple, set apart for worship and service to God. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20), and we’re called to use them in ways that glorify God.

What does it mean for my body to be a temple?

One of the most important things held in reverence in the Bible is the Temple. It was first built as a tabernacle by Moses. It later became a much bigger building designed by the great King David and built by the wisest and wealthiest King Solomon. Now — The moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we undergo a transformation. The Bible describes us as “new creations” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Colossians 1:19–20 explains that the fullness of God resides in Christ, and since we are now united with Christ (Colossians 3:3), God now chooses to dwell within us, not in a physical building.The body is not simply a temporary and inferior entity with which we are forced to live until our spirit is liberated at death. Our bodies (not just our spirits or souls) “are members of Christ,” so we are part of Christ’s body. Our bodies, then, are holy, set apart for a sacred purpose, even as Christ is holy, set apart for a sacred purposeBecause our bodies are members of Christ — and therefore holy — it follows that it would be wrong to use our bodies for unholy purposes. Because our bodies are members of Christ, it would be wrong to profane our bodies — and, by extension, Christ’s body — by linking our bodies to a prostitute.We are now His temple, His holy dwelling place, where He rests and reigns. Although sin made this impossible under the law, thank God for the precious blood of Jesus which has paid for and blotted out our sins forever.God has now made our bodies His dwelling place by His Spirit. As we offer our lives to God and focus our attention on Him, we experience a profound transformation everytime. Apostel Paul writes, “You’ll be changed from the inside out.”This transformation is not just about external behaviour; it is about the inner workings of our hearts and minds.

Key Points:

Since we belong to Jesus — body, soul, and spirit — we have no right to give any part of our self away to an “unauthorized” person.In the key text, Paul brought up the issue of the sexual conduct of Christians.

Sex outside of marriage is like a man robbing a bank: he gets something, but it is not his and he will one day pay for it. Sex within marriage can be like a person putting money into a bank: there is safety, security, and he will collect dividends.

He doesn’t tell us to be brave and resist the lustful passion of sexual immorality, but to flee from its very presence. Many fall because they underestimate the power of lustful passion, or think they will “test” themselves and see how much they can “take. We should follow the example of Joseph, who fled from sexual immorality — even when it cost him something (Genesis 39:7–21).

Apostel Paul does not say that Christians should flee sex, only sexual immorality. God gave sex as a precious gift to mankind, and uses it powerfully to bond husband and wife together in a true one-flesh relationship. But sexual immorality works against God’s good purpose for sex, working against a true, godly one-flesh relationship.

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit: A temple is a place sacred to God and pure from immorality. If it is true we are filled with the Spirit, this truth must influence our sexual behavior. And if we commit sexual immorality as Christians, we pollute God’s temple.The Holy Spirit who is in you: Because our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, our bodies belong to God, and not to ourselves: You are not your own… for you were bought with a price.Any honest person will take better care of something that doesn’t belong to them. Our bodies belong to God because He bought them. We don’t have the right to pollute and abuse God’s property!Harry Ironside was right when he wrote, “Glorify God in your body and the spiritual side will take care of itself.”If we are truly in Christ, we are truly not our own. Our lives, including our bodies, belong to God. This gives Him the ultimate authority to tell us what to do and what not to do with our bodies.

Personal application:

• Live a Life of Self-Control: As believers, we should strive to live a life of self-control, using our bodies to honor God.

• Flee from Sexual Immorality: We should flee from any form of sexual immorality, recognizing its destructive power.

• Glorify God with Your Body: We should use our bodies to glorify God, recognizing that they are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Taking Care of Your Temple

Now, as believers, we are tasked with the responsibility of taking care of our temple which is our bodies. We cannot claim ownership over our bodies and treat it anyhow because we are only stewards of it or caretakers (Galatians 2:20) We are to honour our temples by;- Maintaining a healthy diet,- Dressing decently- Regular exercise,- Getting enough sleep- Maintaining a clean and healthy lifestyle/personal hygiene. The simple things; smell nice, learn outfit combinations, etc- Not ingesting harmful substances or being carelessGod desires to use us for his glory and it is our responsibility to do all within our power to keep our earthly vessels healthy and strong.

Conclusion:

As believers, we have a responsibility to use our bodies to honor God. May we strive to live a life of self-control, fleeing from sin and using our bodies to glorify God.With God, there is no shadow if turning……come straight to your father, your dad and let him help you. Don’t le thim go because he won’t let you go! Don’t give up.

Key Takeaways:

As we reflect on these words, let us answer these questions in our hearts…. In what ways can you use your body to honor God? How can you flee from sexual immorality and other sins that can enslave you? What does it mean to you that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?

Confessions:

In the Name of Jesus. I am no longer bound by sin, guilt, or shame. I am free to live a life that honors God. I declare that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and I will use it to glorify God. I have the power to live a life that pleases God. I will use my body to serve and honor Him. I declare that I am no longer controlled by sin or my desires. I will use my body to honor God, and not to indulge in sinful desires. I declare that I am a member of Christ’s body, and I will use my life to serve and honor Him. I will use my life to glorify God, and to reflect His love and character to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.