650 The Spiritual Man
capable of rising completely above the urge of sex and yielding his
body wholly to the Lord (1 Cor. 7.34).
“The body is for the Lord.” This is a word having enormous
import. Paul is speaking to us firstly about the issue of food. In the
matter of eating and drinking the Christian is afforded a chance to
prove in practice that “the body is for the Lord.” Man originally fell
on this very point of food; the Lord Jesus was tempted in the
wilderness on this same issue as well. Numerous Christians do not
know how to glorify God in their eating and drinking. They do not
eat and drink simply to keep their body fit for the Lord’s use but
indulge to satisfy their personal desires. We should understand that
the body is for the Lord and not for ourselves; hence we should
refrain from using it for our pleasure. Food ought not hinder our
fellowship with God since it is to be taken purely to preserve the
body in health.
The Apostle mentions the subject of immorality too. This is a sin
which defiles the body: it directly contravenes the principle that “the
body is for the Lord.” Immorality here includes not just looseness
outside the marriage relationship but overindulgence within marriage
as well. The body is for the Lord, wholly for the Lord, not for
oneself. Thus license even in legitimate sexual intercourse is
prohibited also.
The Apostle Paul’s intent in this passage is to show us that any
excess of the flesh must be thoroughly resisted. The body is for the
Lord; the Lord alone can use it. The indulgence of any part solely for
personal gratification is not pleasing to Him. Other than as an
instrument of righteousness, the body is not to be used in any other
way. It, like our entire being, cannot serve two masters. Even in such
natural affairs as food and sex the body should be engaged
exclusively to fill needs. While needs do require satisfaction, the
body is nonetheless for the Lord and not for food and sex. Nowadays
many Christians aspire to sancification of their spirit and soul, not