You Are Not Your Own: What 1 Corinthians 6 Really Says About Your Body
Sister, your body may have been a place of defeat in the past. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
The King of Glory lives inside of you. And where His Spirit is—there is freedom.
So rise up. Shake off the shame. And glorify God in your body.
I don’t know who needs this today, but I suspect it’s someone who’s grown tired of fighting her own flesh.
Someone who’s whispered, “God, I love You, but why can’t I stop this?”
Someone who’s praised God with her lips and cursed her body in the mirror.
Someone who’s known the gospel in her head—but still feels chained in her skin.
Sweet friend, this passage is for you. And it is not soft. It is not tame. But it is good. And it is true. And it will set you free if you let it.
The Original Audience: Corinth’s Culture and Ours
Paul was writing to a church in Corinth—a city saturated with excess. Pleasure was their god, and the body was a tool to worship it. Think temples with prostitutes as priests, and philosophies that said “What I do with my body doesn’t affect my soul.”
Sound familiar?
Today we’ve baptized the same mindset in Christian language:
“God knows my heart.”
“It’s just food. Don’t be so legalistic.”
“I’m under grace.”
But Paul wasn't dealing with unbelievers here—he was writing to the church. To believers. To those who had tasted freedom but were still living like slaves to their appetites.
The Confrontation: Appetite vs. Authority
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but I will not be dominated by anything.(1 Corinthians 6:12)
The Corinthians were quoting Paul back to himself. Twisting grace into permission. Using liberty as a license for lust. And Paul snaps them back to truth.
Yes, we are free in Christ—but not free to be enslaved again. Not to sex. Not to food. Not to addiction. Not to shame.
What Paul says next is the pivot point:
“The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”(v. 13)
Did you catch it? The Lord isn’t just for your soul. He is for your body.
Theology of the Body: A Truth We’ve Forgotten
Somewhere along the way, we started acting like our bodies didn’t matter. As long as our hearts were “right,” we figured God would overlook the rest.
But Scripture won’t let us off the hook.
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? … You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”(vv. 15, 19–20)
God doesn’t just care about your body—He redeemed it. He laid claim to it. He filled it with His Spirit. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is pulsing through your veins if you are in Christ.
That’s not religious poetry. That’s doctrine. And it should shake us awake.
Modern Bondage: When the Body Becomes the Battleground
Now let’s bring it home.
We don’t visit temple prostitutes, but we do:
Devour a pint of ice cream in the dark because we can’t deal with our emotions.
Eat to escape, then purge to punish.
Starve ourselves to feel worthy.
Live under the crushing weight of obesity and shame.
Say “I’ll start Monday” for the hundredth time.
We cry, “God, I hate my body,” while housing His Holy Spirit within it.
Do you see the dissonance? The spiritual whiplash?
Sister, the issue isn’t just discipline. It’s identity. You don’t need another diet. You need deliverance. You don’t need more shame. You need more Scripture. You don’t need to try harder. You need to believe deeper.
You Were Bought With a Price
When Jesus stretched out His arms on that cross, He wasn’t just purchasing your soul. He was purchasing your body.
That addiction you’ve justified? That secret cycle of binge and purge? That silent war with the mirror?
It was nailed to that cross.
And now your body is no longer a battlefield. It is a sanctuary. A temple. A vessel of glory.
A Prayer of Return
Lord Jesus, I’ve acted like my body belongs to me. I’ve abused it, hated it, neglected it, and numbed it. But today I remember: I am not my own. You paid for me in blood. So teach me to live like I’m Yours—body, soul, and spirit. Amen.
