Just in the last week, I was asked the question, “what does the bible say about tattoos?” That question represents a host of other questions that fall under the category of the stewardship of our bodies.
Does what we do with our bodies matter to God? Absolutely, it does. Some of the answers to these questions may not have easy answers, but there are some biblical principles to guide us in our thinking.
Sometimes, the answer to some of these questions isn’t about right & wrong, but about whether something is wise or not.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 is one of the primary texts that instructs us about our bodies and our stewardship of them.
Two primary foundational truths from this passage:
1) Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (v. 19) – The dwelling place of God’s presence is within us as God’s people. Therefore, whatever we do in our bodies must take in to account that reality so that whatever we do in our bodies reflects the gravity of God’s presence in us.
2) Our bodies do not belong to us (v. 20) – When we become Christians, there is a transfer of rights away from ourselves as king to a new master, a new king. That king is Jesus. Therefore, whatever we do with our bodies ought to have the king’s approval since we belong to him.
The conclusion Paul draws in v. 20 is this, “therefore, glorify God in your body”. He repeats himself later more generally in 10:31, “so, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
A desire to honor the Lordship of Jesus over our lives in calling us to be a holy people is our motivation for making decisions about what we do with our bodies and what we put in our bodies.
May God’s Spirit grant us wisdom and diligence in the stewardship of our bodies for God’s glory.
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