Springs Article 2021-04 (1)
Romans 12:1-2
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Why is my body the temple of the Holy Spirit?
- Ownership – your body is not yours. It belongs to God and should be used for His glory. The Spirit of the Most High lives within your body.
- Functioning – you are a member of the body of Christ and Christ functions in this world through you. The Spirit of God functions in this world through your body.
- Salt and Light – You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. You should be setting the right (godly) examples for the world to follow rather than copying their sinful (ungodly) ways, Matthew 5:13-16, Romans 8:2
- Empowerment: The Holy Spirit lives in your body so as to strengthen, vitalise and quicken it against weakness and sickness, Romans 8:11
How can I activate the power of the Holy Spirit living in me?
- You have to plug in and turn the switch on in order to enjoy electricity (power)
- Plugging in requires willingness (yieldedness)
- Turning the switch on requires faith!
- You have to release your faith through confession, Romans 10:8-10
- Confess that the Spirit of God lives within you, Romans 8:14
- Confess that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:19
- Confess that your body is empowered (quickened, vitalised, strengthened) by the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:11
- Confess that you honour and glorify God in your body, 1 Corinthians 6:20
- Confess that you permit no ungodly thing to dominate your body, Romans 6:14
- Take back control of your body by releasing your faith, Proverbs 18:21
How does the way I present or use my body affect my ability to worship God ‘in spirit and in truth’?
- You are to present your body as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable
- John 14:24, Romans 12:1
- A well presented body will achieve the following:
- Attention (focus, consecration) rather than distraction (divided attention, compromise)
- Purity (spirituality) rather than defilement (carnality)
- Health (strength) rather than sickness/disease (weakness)
- Alertness (self-control) rather than numbness/drowsiness/tiredness (self-indulgence)
- Enthusiasm (willingness, energy) rather than lukewarmness (excuses, lethargy)
- Productivity (fruitfulness) rather than wastefulness (fruitlessness)
What is the biblical principle of bodily presentation and adornment?
- Modesty and moderation, 1 Timothy 2:9-10, 1 Peter 3:3-4, Philippians 4:5
- Moderation means avoiding excesses and extremes
- Moderation is a conservative and limited approach!
- Moderation is a matter of walking in love and being considerate of others
- Consciously avoid becoming an agent of distraction or seduction to others
- It is better to abstain rather than indulge in whatever will cause unnecessary harm/distraction to yourself or others
According to 1 Corinthians 6:9 KJV, what does it mean to be effeminate?
- Presenting or behaving like the opposite sex
- A man presenting like a woman in dressing, hairstyle, adornment or behaviour
- A woman presenting like a man in dressing, hairstyle, adornment or behaviour
- This includes a man braiding hair, using earrings or lipstick (like women do)
Why is being effeminate sinful according to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 KJV?
- It promotes gender confusion
- It promotes homosexuality
- It causes distraction
What if I am born like that?
- You come to Christ as you are but you do not remain as you are!
- 1 Corinthians 6:11, 2 Corinthian 5:17, Romans 8:2
- You are to be transformed by the renewal of your mind (this is a process!)
- Only the Word of God can renew your mind: only the truth can set you free
- Do not embrace any behaviour or condition that does not conform to the Word. Instead embrace the Word and receive grace to be delivered and transformed
- Transformation is a process of believing, confessing, submitting and yielding to ‘the Word and the Spirit of’ God
2021: A Year of Sanctification