Honor God with your body.
Bible references: Lev. 19: 2-8; Jer. 13: 23; Es. 3: 16-26;
Es. 16: 1; 1Cor. 6: 18-20; 2Cor. 6: 15-18
Central truth: A Christian's body represents the
temple of God and must be kept to reflect the
glory of God.
Lesson Objectives: Let the Christian know that
his body is the temple of the Holy spirit and
must sanctify it in honor of God.
Lesson Outline
1- Practices on the body that dishonor God.
2- How should a Christian guard his body?
Memory verse: " If anyone destroys the temple
of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of
God is holy, and you are that temple."(1
Corinthians 3: 17)
Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20.
Introduction
Each one of us was given a body by God, in the
shape and colour God himself intended when
we were conceived. God is therefore the owner
of our body and we are merely its manager and
provider. Unfortunately, some people who are
unhappy with the colour of their skin or the
shape of their body or part of it, engage in
unnatural practices to transform their bodies.
They believe that they can do whatever they
want with their bodies, regardless of divine
guidance and possible consequences. This
lesson will focus on some of the practices on
the body that oppose God's will as described in
the Holy Scriptures.
1. Some practices on the body that dishonour
God
a. Tattoos
A tattoo is a mark, a writing, a drawing or a
motif that a person engraves on the body
(except for tribal or ethnic tattoos). Originally,
tattoos were used to indicate belonging to a
marginal group (gangs) or a rebellion.
The Bible is strict in that Christians may not
make incisions in their skin or tattoo
themselves: You shall not make an incision in
your flesh for a dead person, nor shall you print
figures on yourselves. I am the Lord. (Lev.
19:28).
If young people in our churches were allowed to
control their bodies, there would be scandals,
immoral and abominable things. The Christian is
a child of God in Christ Jesus (Jn. 1:12-14), his
body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and does
not belong to him.
Therefore, Christians have the obligation to
keep their bodies in physical purity (1 Cor. 3: 16,
17:3:19:2Cor. 6:16).
Incisions and tattoos are signs of rebellion
against God. The human body is not a painting
board on which to display rebellion through
incisions, tattoos, piercings, etc.
b. Depigmentation
This is the use of artificial products to change
the colour of the skin by destroying the
melanin.
God, in his sovereignty, gives each individual
colour, shape and desired continent. Blacks
want to look like whites while whites want to
have this black color: what a contrast!
The Bible says: "Can an Ethiopian change the
colour of his skin, and a leopard his spots?"
( Jer. 13: 23). The Holy Spirit loves your body as
it is and wants to inhabit it. Depigmentation is
an act of disobedience.
c- Multiple wearing of jewelry
A Christian who fears God knows that his body
is not a closet where he hangs everything he
wants. The body has an owner and we are only
its tenant.
In the biblical context, the pierced ear has a
definite meaning. According to Deuteronomy
15:16, 17 and Exodus 21:16, it is a sign of
recognition and belongingness to a master.
Even if today, right from birth, girls (in general)
have their ears pierced and wear earrings, what
justifies the fact of piercing the ear in several
other places!
In worse instances, the nostrils, lips, tongue,
navel, private parts, etc. are pierced and have
earrings and the teeth are also hubcapped.
Sometimes some women put one or more rings
on each finger. Does such a body always remain
the temple of the Holy Spirit?
2- How should a Christian guard his body.
As said above, God in his sovereignty has given
each human a form, a complexion, a continent
and a country. Seeking to change the color of
one's skin would be calling God incompetent.
To honor one's body is to know that our body is
sacred; and that God wants to inhabit his body
and make it his temple. From head to toe, God
considers everything in us. Our hairstyles, our
clothing, our complexion and everything must
give glory to God. This is what we read in
1Thessalonians 4: 4,5 "....That each one of you
should know how to keep his own body in
holiness and honesty without indulging in
lustful passion as the pagans, who do not know
God".
To honor one's body is to take care of it by
regularly washing the body, taking care of the
teeth, nails, hair, etc. The child of God can make
use of toiletries and perfumery without,
however, falling into extravagance.
To honor one's body is to take care of it by
dressing decently and fashionably according to
one's means and living environment. Earrings,
bracelets and make-up are not prohibited by
the Holy Scriptures if their use is part of the
adequate necessities.
In the management of his body, a Christian
must be careful of extravagance, conformity to
the present world, pride of sight and folly of
greatness.
Paul therefore exhorts us in these terms.
"Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in
view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is
your true and proper worship” (Rom. 12: 1).
Let us remember that tattoos, depigmentation,
exaggeration in the wearing of jewelry are
contrary to the will of God. Let us be content
with what we are, with the form that God has
given us and do everything for the glory of God.
Life application
1- Do you now know that your body does not
belong to you?
2- What will you do about tattoos, multiple 3- Ask God for forgiveness if you have
wearing of rings and so on? transformed what should be his temple into a
painting or a closet.