Vers. 13-19.-Duties to the body. Christianity concerns itself about man's body as well as about man's ~oul. Christianity is a religion for man-for a whole man. When. considerin; matters of religion, we are apt to leave the body too much out of account. Our remissness might be corrected if we remembered how large an influence the body· has upon the mind and soul. I. Co!<'SIDER WHAT CHRISTIANITY SAYS ABOUT THE BODY. It is: 1. For the Lord. (1) For bis service and glory. We may serve Christ with our body. We may glorify God with our body (ver. 20). With our whole being we should serve the Lord. Our body should be "set apart" for God. How much more useful many would be if they did but cultivate physical health! Their uncared-for bodies become grievous burdens- and woeful hindrances. Disorder in the body is contagious, and often spreads to mind and soul Athletics, rightly ordered, lie within the realm of religion. The man who, not neglecting other duties, seeks to make his body thoroughly strong and vigorous, i:1 m,Jre pious, not less. With others, diseases the fruits of old sins, abide and greatly check them in active service for God. (2) The body of the Christian is a member of Christ (ver. 15). Closely united to the great Head. He took our nature-not only our spiritual and mental nature, but our bodily nature. We are one with him in our whole being. (3) Purchased by Cbrist. When he redeemed man he redeemed man in his entirety. Our bodies have a part in "the great salvation." And at what a price was. the purchase made! 2. A temple of the Holy Ghost. Solemn thought! How true- yet how often forgotten! Whilst in the body, God dwells in us. '!'he body is the· outer framework of the sanctuary of the Divine Spirit. It is thus consecrated for a high, holy, and sacred purpose. It is God's possession and dwelling-pla~e, like the temple of old. Thus: 3. Jt is not our own. Then we must not deal with it as though it were. It bas been bought by Christ, and should be freely and fully surrendered to him. When we o-ive him our heart we should give him our body also. Many forget to do this. 4. Oa~ed for by God. "The Lord is for the body." He preserves, feeds, clothes, shelters, guards it. How soon it would perish if uncared for by him! 5. To be raised. The resurrection of the body is a cardinal doctrine of Christianity, and insisted upon at great length by the apostle in the fifteenth chapter of this Epistle. We ~re but too apt to icrnore this, and practically to conclude that at death we shall part with the. body for ev:r. We think it worthless, but God does not. He will raise it in a glorified form. Its present constitution will be greatly changed, as the apostle intimates in ver. 13. The time will come when the body will not he sustained, as it now is, by meats. It will be a" glorious body" (Phil. iii. 21), a" spiritual body" (eh. xv. 44). II. THESE TRUTHS RESPECTING TIIE DODY SIIOULD : 1. Greatly ennoble it in our estimation. It is not to be thouo-bt lightly of or treated with contempt. Ancient philosophy taught hatred of the body, but ancient philosophy is not Christianity. Wo must not des1iise the body; this is a diro mistake olt,m perpetrate~. The_ body has _a great part to play both here and hereafter. It bas been an occasion of sm--often is- err. v1, 1-20.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 211
a burden; but it is in the hnnds of God, and he will fully redeem and glorify it. It is !1is workmanship, thrown much out of gear by evil; but he shall rectify its defects, and rnnke it "meet for the inheritance." 2, Lead us to use it most carefully. Beino- precious in God's sight, purchased by Christ, tenanted by the Divine Spirit,-shall w~ deal with it as though it were a common thing? There is one sin mentioned by the apostle which iujures the body grievously, and utterly outrages the Divine intent con- cerning it. Let us guard carefully against this and kindred evils; terrible will be the punishment of those who defile the temple of the Holy Ghost, and who prostitute to base uses the "members of Christ." Pure body, pure mind, pure soul ;-may this trinity of blessings be ours !-H.