658 The Spiritual Man
fornication? We look at it in terms of a moral uncleanness, but the
Apostle stresses a far different aspect of it. No sin other than
fornication can occasion our body to be united with another;
wherefore this is a sin against the body. This implies that no sin but
fornication can render a member of Christ a member of a prostitute.
Fornication is sinning against the members of Christ. Since
Christians are united with Christ, fornication becomes doubly
abominable. Or to view it from another perspective: by seeing the
abomination of fornication we can appreciate how very real is our
body’s union with Christ.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you, which you have from God?” (v.19) This is the second
instance the Apostle Paul asks “Do you not know?” The first
occurred in verse 15 which spoke of “the body for the Lord.” In this
second instance he is referring to “the Lord for the body.” Earlier
Paul had expressed it in a general way as “you are God’s temple”
(3.16); now he says specifically that “your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit.” It indicates that the habitation of the Holy Spirit is
extended beyond the spirit to the body. We commit a signal error if
we consider the body His primary dwelling place, for He dwells
initially in our spirit where He holds fellowship with us. However,
this does not preclude His life flowing from the spirit to make our
body alive. We are deceived if we expect the Holy Spirit to descend
primarily on our bodies; but we shall suffer loss, too, if we limit His
dwelling place to our spirits.
We should recognize the place of the body in God’s design of
redemption. Christ sets apart our fleshly frames that we may be filled
with the Holy Spirit and become His instruments. Because He has
died, been resurrected and been glorified, He is now qualified to give
His Holy Spirit to our body. As in the past our soul life permeated
our body, so now His Spirit shall permeate it. His life will flow into
every member, and He will give us life and power far abundantly
beyond what we can think.