FORNICATION, T. S. Dalton 1 Cor. 6:18, “Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body.”
The former part of this chapter seems to relate to that early dispute among Christians, about the distinction of meats, and yet to be preparatory to the caution that follows against fornication. Some among the Corinthians seem to have imagined that they were as much at liberty in the point of fornication as of meats, especially because it was not a sin condemned by the laws of their country. They were ready to say, even in the case of fornication, “all things are lawful for me.” This pernicious conceit Paul sets himself here to oppose.
There is a liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, in which we must stand fast. But surely we should never carry this liberty so far as to put us into the power of any bodily appetite. Though all meats were supposed lawful, yet Paul would not become a glutton or a drunkard, much less would he abuse the maxim of lawful liberty, to countenance the sin of fornication, which, though it might be allowed by the Corinthian laws, was a trespass on the law of nature, and utterly unbecoming a Christian.
Meats and the belly are for one another; not so with fornication and the body. “The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord.” This seems to be the argument of the apostle. This sin of fornication is making things cross their intention and use. The body was made for meats, and though a man should eat too much, yet he hasn’t wrenched the body from its intended use. But he says, “the body is not for fornication.” It was never formed for such purpose, but for the Lord, for the service and honor of God, to be an instrument of righteousness to holiness, Rom 6:19, and therefore not of a harlot (verse 15).
Another argument is, the honor already put on them (verse 15), if they should be united to Christ in regeneration, the whole man has become a member to Christ in regeneration, the whole man has become a member of his mystical body, the body as well as the soul. How honorable this is to the Christian! It is good to know in what honorable relations we stand, that we may endeavor to become them.
Nothing can stand in greater opposition to the honorable relations and alliances of a Christian man, than has [this] sin. He is joined to the Lord, in union with him, and made partaker of his Spirit, and this one Spirit lives and dwells in all the members of his mystical body. Christ and his followers are one. But he that is joined to an harlot is one body, for two shall be one flesh, by carnal conjunction, which was ordained of God, only to be in a married state. And now the question is, shall those in so close union with Christ, as to be one spirit with him, yet, be so united to a harlot as to become one flesh with her? And could a greater indignity be offered to him or to ourselves? The sin of fornication is a great reproach to the cause of his Lord and Master, and a great blot upon the profession of the Christian. No wonder that the apostle would say, “flee fornication” (verse 18), avoid it, keep out of the reach of temptations to it. Direct the mind and eyes to other things, and thoughts.
Other vices may conquered by fight, but this can be conquered alone by flight. So would, doubtless speak, many of the ancient fathers, who have been overtaken by this vice.
Another argument is, it is a sin against our own bodies, (verse 18). Every sin, that is, every other sin, every external act of sin besides, is without the body, that it, it is not so much an abuse of the body as this one. If we eat meat, the body was made for it, but to eat to excess is sin. Yet it is not a sin against the body, because the body was made for it. If a man drinks, the body was made for drink, therefore it is not such a sin against his body, and where a man eats or drinks too much, it does not give the power of his body to another person, neither does it so much tend to the reproach of the body, and to render it vile.
This sin is in a peculiar manner styled uncleanness, pollution, because no sin has so much external turpitude in it, especially in a Christian. He sins against his own body, he defiles it, he degrades it, making it one with the body of that vile creature with whom he sins. He casts vile reproach on what his Redeemer has dignified to the last degree, by taking it into union with himself. We should not make our present vile bodies more vile by sinning against them.
Another argument against this is, that the bodies of Christians are “temples of the Holy Ghost, which is in them, and which they have of God” (verse 19). He that is joined to Christ is one spirit with him, and he has yielded up to him, is consecrated thereby, and set apart for his use, and is therefore possessed, and occupied, and inhabited by his Holy Spirit. This is the proper notion of a temple—a place where God dwells, and sacred to his use. And it is clear that we are not our own; we are yielded up to God, and possessed by, and for God, and this in virtue of a purchase made of us. “Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies, and in your spirits, which are his.”
In short, our bodies were made for God; they were purchased for him. If we are Christians, indeed, they are yielded to him, and he inhabits, and occupies them by his Spirit. So our bodies are not our own, but his, and shall we desecrate his temple, defile it, prostitute it, and offer it up to the use and service of harlots? This surely would be horrid sacrilege! This would be robbing God in the worst sense.
The temple of the Holy Ghost should be kept holy. Our bodies being his and the temples of the Holy Ghost should be kept as pure as possible, and fit for his residence. Our bodies should be clean that God may be honored by them. But God is dishonored when our bodies are defiled by so beastly a sin as fornication. Wherefore Paul would say, “Flee fornication,” yea and every other sin. We should use our bodies for the glory and service of our Lord and Master. We are not proprietors of ourselves, nor have we power over ourselves, and therefore should not use ourselves according to our own pleasure, but according to God’s will, and for his pleasure, whose we are, and whom we should serve. (T.S. Dalton Zions’s Advocate March 1895).