JOINED To The LORD-VI—1Corinthians 6:12-20
Attention:
America is considered by some to be a Christian nation. But we are unfortunately often reminded that it is not...
‘Zombies & Prayer At The Georgia Statehouse’
A public observance of The National Day of Prayer was recognized at the Georgia Capitol on May 3, 2018.
Mike Griffin, public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Convention, arrived early to set up for a Facebook Live airing of the noontime National Day of Prayer gathering. He noticed a number of people in eerie, dirty-looking black clothing were eating on the statehouse lawn when
"I thought maybe they were feeding the homeless," Griffin said.
A number of trailers had been pulled to the main doors & Griffin asked a security guard, "What's going on out here?"
“They're filming The Walking Dead”(based in the metro Atlanta area) came the reply.
FYI—“The Walking Dead” is a cable TV series largely featuring zombies in a post-apocalyptic world. It is filmed in North Georgia, & at times, in & around Atlanta.
On this particular day, The National Day of Prayer observance was slated at one end of the capitol building. The producers of ‘The Walking Dead’ had rented the rotunda & the other end of the capitol building.
The singing & praying of the crowd gathered for the National Day of Prayer resounded through the rotunda & hallways for much of the hour-long observance, Griffin said. Crew members from The Walking Dead stood at the side of the prayer gathering periodically to check out what was going on.
When Griffin left the statehouse, he noticed another scene that would be filmed for The Walking Dead on the street between the capitol & legislative office building. The street was littered with debris & banged-up cars, & a forklift was picking one up.
"It was kind of an odd moment, to say the least," Griffin said of his encounter with The Walking Dead on the National Day of Prayer.
Gerald Harris, editor of Georgia Baptists' Christian Index news journal, also was in attendance.
Mr. Harris was a few minutes late, due to traffic. When he arrived, he asked a distinguished gentleman standing near the governor's office where the prayer gathering was taking place. He said, ‘Walk that way, pointing left, & then turn right.’
Following the directions, Mr. Harris entered the staging area for the television program & was greeted by slovenly clothed people with pale faces & blank stares.
Harris said, “What I saw in that moment was the antithesis of a group of people attempting to connect with God.” “I soon found the right place where there was singing, testimonies & fervent prayers.”
“I felt like I was transported from Dante's Inferno to John Bunyan's Celestial City within a matter of moments.”
*Had the zombie actors & actresses been walking with the Lord, rather than pretending to be the Walking Dead, then both the National Day of Prayer & the Walking Dead TV series would have had a very different flavor!
Likewise, the Church can follow the right path IF we are Joined To The Lord!
Some of you are missing out on your responsibility to the Lord God!...You are going about it in the wrong way...You’re going about it on your terms & thus without Jesus! God may have showed up but you did not recognize the opportunity.
Lk. 19:41-44—“Now as He drew near, He saw the city & wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you & close you in on every side, & level you, & your children within you, to the ground; & they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
*The apostle Paul warned the church at Corinth of the inherent danger of sexual immorality.
‘Inherent’= “existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute”
God must be allowed to control our bodies, so...
God’s people must be joined to the Lord.
Why must God be allowed to control our bodies?...& Why must God’s people be joined to the Lord?
4 distinctions emerge from our being joined to the Lord.
We’ve found previously that When you/we are Joined to the Lord...
1. His MASTERY Emerges(:12)
2. His USE/PURPOSE Emerges(:13-14)
3. His MORALITY Emerges(:15-16)
4a. His SPIRIT Emerges(:17-20)[*17-18 only!]
4b. His SPIRIT Emerges(:17-20)[*:19 only!]
Continuing with this thought we find that...
(CONT...)4c—When you/we are Joined to the Lord...
His SPIRIT Emerges(:17-20)[*:20 only!]
:20—“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body & in your spirit, which are God’s.
“For you were bought at a price;”
Each Christian & all Christians have been purchased(“bought”) from self, the devil, & the world.
He/She/They have been purchased by that which is outside their own ability to produce/accomplish/cause. The Christian(s) has been purchase by Jesus’ very life!
1Cor. 7:22-24—“For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”
Acts 20:28—“Therefore take heed to yourselves & to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
Gal. 3:13—“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),”
Heb. 9:11-12—“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater & more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats & calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
1Pet. 1:17-19—“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish & without spot.”
*Thus, you cannot save yourself! It is impossible for you to save yourself! It is impossible for you to enter heaven by your own individual or corporate merit/ability/deserving/piety/Christian ideals or principles, etc.
Jn. 1:12-13—“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
The Holy Spirit tells us 3 aspects of what “believing” is NOT...OR rather 3 significant aspects of what is not ‘saving’ “belief.”
*Saving belief is NOT being...
“Born” of “blood”—human Kinship/Relationship(ethnic, racial, or familial).
“Born” “of the will of the flesh.”—Achievement/Merit/Excellence/Advantage--Purposely making everything happen to your advantage.
“Born” “of the will of man”—By determination/decision by others concerning your ‘worthiness.’...No man-made religious system can save you.
“therefore glorify God in your body & in your spirit,”
We know thru the testimony of Scripture that there is one thing which the individual Christian is responsible or answerable for regarding their purchase/salvation.
Seeing as the “price” has been paid, the one(s) paid for can only answer by faith or by no faith. They can either believe it or not believe it.
They either live out their faith by moving toward their Master, or live out their faith by remaining ‘on the auction block’ as it were, not believing nor accepting that the “price” has been paid in full....And refusing to go to their Master!
*Since we are indebted to the One who purchased us, then it is only reasonable that we are to “glorify” the One who purchased us—“God” Himself.
There are two ways the Christian is to “glorify God.”
1)We are to “glorify God” “in our body.” God is the purchaser & He must therefore be “glorified” with/“in”/thru every aspect of our “body.”
2)We are also to “glorify God” “in our spirit.” God is the purchaser & He must therefore be “glorified” with/“in”/thru every aspect of our (human)“spirit”, having been given over to God’s Holy Spirit.
1Cor. 10:31—“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Mat. 5:14-16—“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp & put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, & it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works & glorify your Father in heaven.”
Rom. 6:5-6, 11-14, 18-23—“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”.....“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, & your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”.....“”And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, & of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, & having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, & the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Rom. 12:1-2—“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good & acceptable & perfect will of God.”
Php. 1:19-21—“For I know that this[Christ being preached even by the ill-intentioned] will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer & the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation & hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, & to die is gain.”
Php. 2:12-16—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining & disputing, that you may become blameless & harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked & perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
“which are God’s.”
Both of these—our “body” as well as “our spirit”—‘belong’ to God(“God’s”—possessive). They belong to Him outright, regardless of whether you surrender to him or not. No one belongs to himself(:19) despite his choice of belief or unbelief.
“Body” & “Spirit” comprises every aspect of who I am & you are. We are both fleshy & spiritual creatures...God has made it so.
If we are wise, then each of us will nurture & contend with both these aspects(“body” & “spirit”) of our nature. Only by attention to both aspects, do you/I become what God has intended for us to be.
The purchase price of Messiah’s blood is viable & available for all people of all time & for every generation. Much more so, believers recognize that upon His purchase of us, that our “body”(ies) & “spirit”(s) are now bound to honor the One to whom we now belong.
Thereby, because we have intentionally given ourselves to God, Paul can easily & confidently command(imperative mood) the Christian to “glorify God” “in his/her body” & “spirit.”
1Pet. 2:9-12—“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Rev. 5:8-14—“Now when He[The Lamb/Jesus] had taken the scroll, the four living creatures & the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, & golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe & tongue & people & nation, And have made us kings & priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, & I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, & the elders; & the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, & thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power & riches & wisdom, And strength & honor & glory & blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven & on the earth & under the earth & such as are in the sea, & all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing & honor & glory & power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever & ever!” Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down & worshiped Him who lives forever & ever.”
Again—1Pet. 1:13-21—“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, & rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish & without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead & gave Him glory, so that your faith & hope are in God.”
“For”—gar—Conjunction—1) For. Strong—a primary particle; properly--Assigning a reason(used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles).
“Bought”—agorazw—Aorist Passive Indicative 2nd Plural—1) To be in the market place, to attend it; 2) To do business there, buy or sell; 3) Of idle people--To haunt the market place, lounge there. Strong—properly--To go to market, i.e. by implication--To purchase; specially--To redeem.?From—agora—from ageirw(to gather); properly--The town-square(as a place of public resort); by implication--Market or thoroughfare.?English=prefix-‘Agora-‘—agoraphobia(fear of crowded spaces or enclosed public places)
“at/with/for A Price”—timh—Noun Fem.—1) A valuing by which the price is fixed—1a) Of the price itself, 1b) Of the price paid or received for a person or thing bought or sold; 2) Honor which belongs or is shown to one—2a) Of the honor which one has by reason of rank & state of office which he holds, 2b) Deference, reverence. Strong—A value, i.e. Money paid, or concretely & collectively--Valuables; by analogy--Esteem(especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself.?From—tinw—strengthened for a primary tiw(which is only used as an alternate in certain tenses); To pay a price, i.e. as a penalty.
“Therefore/Indeed”—dh—Particle—1) Now, then, verily, in truth, really, surely, certainly; 2) Forthwith, at once. Strong—a particle of emphasis or explicitness; Now, then, etc.. Used 6X.
“Glorify”—doxazw—Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Plural—1) To think, suppose, be of opinion; 2) To praise, extol, magnify, celebrate; 3) To honor, do honor to, hold in honor; 4) To make glorious, adorn with luster, clothe with splendor—4a) To impart glory to something, render it excellent, 4b) To make renowned, render illustrious—4b1) To cause the dignity & worth of some person or thing to become manifest & acknowledged. Strong—To render(or esteem) glorious(in a wide application).
“In”2X—en—
“Body”[See :13, 15, 16, 18, 19]—swma—Noun Neuter—1) The body both of men or animals—1a) A dead body or corpse, 1b) The living body—1b1) Of animals; 2) The bodies of planets & of stars (heavenly bodies); 3) Is used of a (large or small)number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body—3a) so in the NT--Of the church; 4) That which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself. Strong—The body(as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.
“Spirit”[See :11, 17, 19]—pneuma—Noun Neuter—1) The third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father & the Son; 2) The spirit, i.e. The vital principal by which the body is animated—2a) The rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides, 2b) The soul; 3) A spirit, i.e. A simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, & possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, & acting—3a) A life giving spirit, 3b) A human soul that has left the body, 3c) A spirit higher than man but lower than God, i.e. An angel—3c1) used of demons, or evil spirits, who were conceived as inhabiting the bodies of men, 3c2) The spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels & equal to God, the divine nature of Christ; 4) The disposition or influence which fills & governs the soul of any one—4a) the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.; 5) A movement of air(a gentle blast). Strong—A current of air, i.e. Breath(blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively--A spirit, i.e. (human)--The rational soul, by implication--Vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman)--An angel, demon, or (divine)--God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit. RWP—‘“The Spirit” is the use of pneuma as metaphor.”?Pneuma corresponds to Hebrew—xwr. A)quch—Breath, i.e. by implication--Spirit, abstractly or concretely--The animal sentient principle only, which is distinguished from, B) pneuma—The rational & immortal soul, & C)zwh—Mere vitality, even of plants. These terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew...A)vpn, B)xwr & C)yx.
“Which”—ostiv, including the feminine--htiv & the neuter--o,ti—Pronoun—1) Whoever, whatever, who. Strong—Which some, i.e. Any that; also(def.)--Which same.
“Are”—esti—Present X Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) third person singular of “to be.” Strong—third person singular present indicative of eimi; He(she or it) is; also(with neuter plural)--They are.
“God’s”—yeov—Noun Masc.—1) A god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities; 2) The Godhead, trinity; 3) Spoken of the only & true God—3a) Refers to the things of God, 3b) His counsels, interests, things due to him; 4) Whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way—4a) God's representative or vice-regent—4a1) Of magistrates & judges. Strong—of uncertain affinity; A deity, especially(with o, h, to)--The supreme Divinity; figuratively--A magistrate; by Hebraism--Very.
Argumentation:
Prov. 16:32—“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
Prov. 25:27-28—“It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one's own glory is not glory. Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.”
How is a man’s spirit to be “ruled”?...By the Spirit of God!
Php. 1:27--2:2—“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come & see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, & not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, & that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me & now hear is in me. Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection & mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
2Tim. 1:7-14—“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power & of love & of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us & called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose & grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death & brought life & immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, & a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed & am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith & love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.”
Mat. 5:16—“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works & glorify your Father in heaven.”
Rom. 6:3-23—“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, & your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, & of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, & having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, & the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Is your human spirit(that which results from your trusts, & conducts your manner, choices, & course of life) guided by God’s Holy Spirit?
Illustration:
Your use(or abuse) of the internet—Social Media--Facebook-Twitter-Instagram, etc./These CAN be used to dishonor Christ OR to honor Him!/It is a personal choice which you will choose!/His SPIRIT Emerges
Guiding a child without ‘breaking his spirit’(Eph. 6:4; Prov. 29:15)/So that the child will not be guided by their own desires, but rather that their own talents & innate giftedness are willfully submitted to their parent’s guidance/His SPIRIT Emerges
Prov. 29:15—“The rod & rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”
Prov. 29:17—“Correct your son, & he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.”
Eph. 6:4—“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training & admonition of the Lord.”
God’s Holy Spirit indwells the believer so that our human spirit is willingly given over to God’s guidance.
I know of a Christian people whose ministries are definitely artistically-driven/These have an in-born talent that they have allowed God’s Spirit to contain & guide so that it has become transformed into a ministry & gift of God that is used for the edification of the church/His SPIRIT Emerges
Application:
?Is God’s SPIRIT(thru Christ) Emergent in you?
?Are you Joined to the Lord?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
‘Zombies & Prayer At The Georgia Statehouse’
Action:
When you/we are Joined to the Lord...
4c. His SPIRIT Emerges(:17-20)[*:20 only!]
1. His MASTERY Emerges(:12)
2. His USE/PURPOSE Emerges(:13-14)
3. His MORALITY/Sexual morality Emerges(:15-16)
4a. His SPIRIT Emerges(:17-20)[*17-18 only!]
4b. His SPIRIT Emerges(:17-20)[*:19 only!]
Pt#4c(:20)-only! -END SERIES!-presented 06/24/2018am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
