"Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary for 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."
1st Corinthians 6:19-20
You know, in our "enlightened" American society and culture, it is pretty easy to think that there can be multiple routes and multiple applications to things. After all, this is the land where dreams come true, right? We are free to do whatever we choose, right? And whatever we choose may come with rewards or consequences, and we are able to accept those just as freely, right? (You see, I had a bigger readership until I started pointing things like that last one out... the truth is what it is, and it is harsh sometimes, and we Americans don't like that.) Sure, this is the place where we are able to do and think and feel and choose whatever we want, free of any judgment at all... unless we get caught... right?
Wrong. Flat, dead, wrong. Especially if you (and if you're reading, I'll assume you are) a Christian believer and Christ-follower. You are free BECAUSE of Christ, and what He did for you. It has absolutely nothing to do with your place of origin on this planet, but has everything to do with your foundation in rebirth through the Atonement of Christ for your sins. Oh, and yes, you are a sinner... so am I... so is the guy around the corner. Jesus paid the price for all of us, and THAT is why we are free. It is because of the price that was paid for us, which was the sacrifice of the Son of God.
Also, I hope you noticed that I mentioned above that these thoughts come from my studies "outside this venue." You see, I used to be one of the people who said that I didn't have time to read and study and pray and be introspective about matters of faith. I used to hide behind the ridiculous excuse that there was too much to do for me to take time to read my Bible. But now, after over two years of never missing a Monday session with my mentor and study partner (weekly studies through books of the Bible in great depth), and after having read through the Bible twice completely in the same time frame, and after having published over 400 posts on this site and writing four books (two published) and several other minor studies, and after the past two years as a small group leader for high school boys... all of these were different topics at all times, by the way... I am also a father of three kids (8, 5, and 4) and a husband, and I have a full-time job and stuff to do, I can tell you that if I have the time for all of this, then so do you.
Further, still assuming you're a Christian if you're a reader here, I'll tell you that your similar beliefs allow me the freedom to speak to you candidly about this issue, and that sounds something like this: if you state that you don't have the time, you're lying. You make the choice not to make the time for the One who died for you, and that is a poor choice. You are not your own, Christian sibling, but you belong as a slave to the Father... and it is the most freeing bondage that anyone could ever hope for!
Granted, this is but one application of the verse at hand... and it speaks, specifically, to sexual immorality as a sin from which you must flee, and in doing so, you will honor the Lord by caring for yourself by following the ways set before you by the Bible and the Holy Trinity, both in word and action. One could also apply it to the consumption of too much of any given food, alcohol, or narcotic, as the body is a temple. But I choose to focus specifically on all that it means to know that "you are not your own," and hopefully diminish the insane notion that anyone could have their American freedoms placed over and above their bondage to Christ through His sacrifice.
Jesus supersedes America, folks... in case you didn't know that.
God bless you all!!!
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