PART 13 I AM AN OVERCOMER

How should our body be used for the Lord?

13

Using the Body for the Lord

Being saved doesn’t mean that we’re free from temptations, especially those from fellow believers. After being saved for about a year, I was asked by the head pastor of a non-denominational church if I’d consider working on staff as an outreach coordinator. While the responsibilities of such were diverse, one of its main focuses was to visit those associated with the church. Whether they requested visitation while recovering from a medical procedure or asked for counseling, I’d see to it that I followed up on their appeal.               

Here I was, a young man in his middle twenties serving the Lord in a calling that had many unforeseen avenues. On one particular day, the assistant pastor asked me to visit a young single female who had been attending worship services for a brief period. What got my attention was her request to be visited late in the evening.

For some reason, a red flag went up. I wasn’t comfortable visiting her alone, so I asked a fellow single female believer who I’d been dating to accompany me. When we arrived at her apartment complex at the requested time, we knocked on the door, and a loud voice said come in. What I was about to witness took me by surprise.

We walked through the kitchen to the living room and observed a startling scene. A beautiful young woman lying on the floor in a bikini with a heating lamp overhead. I immediately thought you’ve got to be kidding me. She was asked what the reason was for requesting a visit. Her response was muddled and very confusing. We told her that we were glad she was attending worship services and that we were always available for discussion. And so we left. You know what? She never showed up for anything pertaining to the ministry. We never saw her again. So, here’s a question for us to consider.         

    

What decisions was I making beforehand that allowed me to think correctly about addressing this visitation request?

I was attending the assembling of the saints two or three times a week, hearing the preaching and teaching of the Word under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, studying daily, interacting with other believers who had godly wisdom and memorizing, meditating upon, and applying Scripture throughout each day. Whether you’re a single Christian male or female attending a local assembly, tests will come from within and outside the church. Like a Boy Scout or Girl Scout, we should follow their motto and ‘be prepared.’

One more thing: what if a believer is married, dating or living with an unbeliever? How should this relationship be handled? Some teachings would suggest that whether you’re married to them or not, you should sever the relationship. Is this true? Verses that are used to support this conjecture are found in the Book of 2 Corinthians. But do they?

 

2 Corinthians 6:14-17

The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthian believers to be careful with whom they associate.

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

He told them be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. The words be ye not unequally yoked means to not have an intimate connection with. With whom? Religious unbelievers. Those who embrace religion, an approach to God that denies the gospel of Christ for salvation, and engage in unscriptural practices.

For what fellowship (partnership) hath righteousness (of right conduct) with unrighteousness (the violation of God’s standards; the rejection of the law, or will, of God and the substitution of the will of self⁸²).

And what communion (close association) hath light (the emblem of truth, virtue, holiness) with darkness (the emblem of sin, corruption, and ignorance)? There can be nothing in common with holiness and sin. What is holiness? Holiness is about being filled with (controlled by) the Holy Spirit. To be filled with the Spirit, the person must have received the Holy Spirit. This can only happen through response to the gospel of Christ.

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what concord (harmony or agreement) is there between Christ and Belial (used of Satan, the most worthless and lawless of all⁸³)? The word concord speaks of beautiful music that comes when the players are reading the same score and obeying the same leader.⁸⁴ However, Christ and Belial are not on the same page of music, just as could be said about a believer and an unbeliever.

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And what agreement (unity) has the temple of God with idols (idol worship)? For ye are the temple (the place where the Spirit of God dwells) of the living God.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

In conclusion, Paul says come out (depart) from among them (religious unbelievers) and be ye separate (a positive act of dedication to God).

 

What are we able to deduce from these teachings?

I’m sure as it was then, it is now. When we become anew in Christ and learn how to grow spiritually, the character of Christ becomes more experiential in our lives. If our spouse, family, friends, boyfriend or girlfriend are religious unbelievers, we’ll become aware of such.

 

Should we just decide to sever our relationships with them?

Absolutely not. When we’re with them, we should ask God to give us His wisdom with the accompanying discernment for the situation. Hopefully, they’ll recognize that some of the things that characterized our former life are no longer evidenced (e.g., drug dependence, swearing, drunkenness, fornication, dishonesty, etc.). And expectantly, some of them will want to know what had such a tremendous impact on our behavior.

Below are some verses that emphasize using our body for the Lord.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple (sanctuary) of the Holy Ghost which is in you (our spirits dwell in our bodies and the Holy Spirit dwells in our spirits⁸⁵), which ye have of God, and ye are not your own (you don’t belong to yourself)?                                                                                                                                                                                                    

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee (not staying to reason about it) fornication. Every sin (common sins in the mind) that a man doeth is without (doesn’t affect) the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.       

Is there such a thing as a beneficial addiction? There is. Let’s find out what it is.