Walking as Members of the Body of Christ

Reflections for this date are based on the following scripture passages:
1 Thessalonians 4	1 Thessalonians 5	Numbers 17	Numbers 18	Psalms 58	Proverbs 18

In chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul speaks to the Thessalonians about their "walk" - that is, their conduct as a follower of Christ. The first thing he addressed was their sexual purity. Coming from the heathen background that they had, they did not have the teaching or strong influence toward being faithful to their marriage vows. Paul wanted them to know that this was an important area of conduct in their walk.

In this passage Paul's main point was that since they now belonged to the Lord they should be more concerned with pleasing Him than themselves, and sexual impurity was not pleasing to Him. When writing to the Corinthians he gave more detail. In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, Paul spoke of the body of the follower of Christ being members of the body of Christ. Then he raised the question, "should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?" Answering the question, he said emphatically, "Absolutely not!"

Then Paul gave this description of what was involved with sexual impurity for the believer:  "Do you not know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For it says, The two will become one flesh. But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee from sexual immorality! "Every sin a person can commit is outside the body," but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:16-20)