01. Living Pure (1 Corinthians 6:12-14)
o 1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, this phrase reveals a change in what Paul is writing about, and he is now talking about living today in the Age of Grace.
o Whereas before, what we have studied last week in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 is Paul appealing to the Jewish congregation to live righteously by works. We learned this is a Kingdom message, for when Jesus will set up the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:24), and in order to enter, they need to actively get their lives right with God.
o What do we see in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11? We see works, not grace (Ephesians 2:8--9). Grace stands directly opposite of works; you cannot mix the two.
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o Paul speaks about our salvation by grace in Romans 11:6. **Because we are saved by grace, this means that our behavior does not determine salvation or even keep us saved! We have complete freedom in Jesus to sin, for if the choice to sin or not to sin were not an option, then grace would not be grace, for true grace demands freedom.
o “If you continue in sin, then you must not be saved!" But that statement goes against the true meaning of grace, for one's behavior DOES NOT determine one's salvation...for if behavior determines salvation, then that's works and not grace.
o Grace means that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Grace means that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them (2 Corinthians 5:19). Grace means that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for *the sins of* the whole world. (1 John 2:2)
o John 19:30 fulfilling Psalm 22:31. It is finished is τετελεσται (tetelestai) from τελέω (ĕlĕō), and…to completely finish. At that moment, all sin, past, present, and future has been paid for completely!
o Paul wrote that just because we have grace does not mean we can just freely sin in Romans 6:1--2. Paul writes that sinful living should never be what we resort to.
o We have been given grace, why do we choose to trample it on it purposely, and thus having to deal with the consequences and a lost witness.
o Romans 6:9--10 Paul gives us the proof that we are justified in Christ, even though still to this day we have not achieved perfection. We have died in Christ, and our hope is in the resurrected Christ.
o will...be brought under the power is ἐξουσιάζω (ĕxŏusiazō) from ía, *to allow, or to be under authority and power*.
o 1 Corinthians 6:13 Meats is βρῶμα (ōma) and usually is used to mean any solid food.
o belly is κοιλία (ŏilia), from ílos, meaning the hollow of the belly, which depending on context can mean the belly, the bowels, or even the womb of a woman.
o This seems like it is a proverb or some pithy saying that Paul and the Corinthians were familiar with, whether it was Jewish in origin, or said in the Corinthian region, we do not know.
o Paul is saying that our bodies were created to eat, and some of us eat more than we should, and others not enough.
o destroy is καταργέω (ĕō), meaning *to bring to nought, to *bring to a conclusion.
o Paul uses the Greek pronouns for it and them are in reference to Meats and belly. The Greek pronoun for it is in the singular, in reference to belly, while the Greek pronoun for them is in reference to Meats.
o Paul writes that it's permissible to eat, for that is the purpose of food. But don't fornicate the body, for the body is made for the Lord and not for the fornication.
o Just as we should not allow our body to rule us when it comes to food, so that we can stay healthy, we too are to not allow our body to fornicate.
o 1 Corinthians 6:14 raised up is ἐγείρω (ĕgĕirō) meaning *to awaken from sleep*. This Greek verb is found 141 times in the Greek Scriptures, and about 70 of the times it is in reference to the resurrection, (cf. Matthew 10:8; Matthew 27:63-64; Luke 20:37; Luke 24:6; Luke 24:34; John 12:1; John 12:9; John 12:17; Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 5:14).
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o will also raise up** is ἐξεγείρω (ĕxĕgĕirō) from ek, out and ἐγείρω, to raise, thus it means to wake up out of from sleep. Here in context it means to raise up from the dead.
o This Greek verb is found only twice in the Greek Scriptures (Romans 9:17).
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o Paul here writes that God is the one who gives the power of resurrection (Acts 2:24; Acts 17:31; Romans 6:4--8; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:15--20; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Philippians 3:10--11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14), and why we ought not to allow our body to fornicate (**1 Corinthians 6:13**).
