Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will
appear with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4
•God will raise our bodies
Now God has not only raised the LORD, but will also raise us up through His power.
1 Corinthians 6:14
The future life doesn’t motivate us to live good lives now. The future life is our life. We currently possess the future life, and it is a continuation of the life that we live now. Styler says, “To live a life now that is out of keeping with the final resurrection life is not merely foolish. For Paul, it is unthinkable. To give oneself over to porneia is unthinkable because it separates one from Christ, renounces His Lordship, and is irreconcilable with the resurrection life.” Paul is telling us we are to live the resurrected life now because that is who Christ has made us to be.
morning sermon, November 20, 2022, Reverend Tim Rackley
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
•God has joined Himself to us
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “The two will become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the LORD is one spirit with Him.
1 Corinthians 6:15-17
To go after a prostitute is to leave the life of Christ and go after the darkness of the kingdom of Satan. In this world, there is no neutral ground between these two.
morning sermon, November 20, 2022, Reverend Tim Rackley
Paul is giving us a very clear warning here. We are united to Christ. We are members of Christ. We are one spirit with our Lord. When we participate in sexual immorality, whether it be with a prostitute, working the bar on a business trip, or breaking barriers in dating, we are doing real damage to ourselves and to our relationship with Christ, We are identifying with the kingdom of Satan. We are denying Christ is our LORD. Paul absolutely, unequivocally tells us to flee sexual immorality.
morning sermon, November 20, 2022, Reverend Tim Rackley
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone to sin. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
James 1:13-15
•God indwells our bodies
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14
Unto the grave, what will we sing?
“Christ, he lives; Christ, he lives!”
And what reward will heaven bring?
Everlasting life with him
And we will rise to meet the Lord
Then sin and death will be destroyed
And we will feast in endless joy
When Christ is ours forevermore
O sing hallelujah!
Our hope springs eternal
O sing hallelujah!
Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death