The verse 1 Corinthians 6:19 states: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.” This verse teaches an important truth – as Christians, we do not belong to ourselves but to God. Let’s explore the meaning and implications of this verse.
We Were Bought at a Price
The context of 1 Corinthians 6 makes it clear that we were purchased by God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Verse 20 says “for you were bought with a price.” What was that price? 1 Peter 1:18-19 tells us “you were ransomed…with the precious blood of Christ.” When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He paid the ultimate price to purchase us out of slavery to sin.
As Paul says in Romans 6:17-18, “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart…and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” We have been bought and paid for by Christ. We are no longer our own.
We Are God’s Possession
Since Christ purchased us with His blood, we now belong to Him. The same Greek word translated “your own” in 1 Corinthians 6:19 is translated “your possession” in 1 Thessalonians 4:4. It refers to property or something that is owned. As Christians, we are God’s special possession.
Titus 2:14 calls us “a people for his own possession.” 1 Peter 2:9 says “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.” God has chosen us out of the world to be set apart for Himself. We have been bought by Christ and now belong to God.
We Are Indwelt by the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 6:19 teaches that as believers, the Holy Spirit lives within us: “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you.” God does not just own us legally, He owns us internally! His very presence inhabits our bodies through the Holy Spirit. We are the dwelling place of God Most High!
This truth is reinforced in many other verses:
– 1 Corinthians 3:16 – “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
– Romans 8:9 – “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:17 – “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.”
As Christians, we are united with Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our bodies are filled with the presence of God Himself, so we are not our own.
We Are Responsible to Glorify God
So what are the implications of belonging to God? 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us: “So glorify God in your body.” Our highest aim is no longer to please ourselves but to glorify God. As Romans 14:7-8 declares:
“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”
Everything we do and say should be to glorify our Master. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Our lives are not our own.
We Are Called to Obedience
As God’s possession, purchased by Christ, we are called to obedience. 1 Peter 1:14 says “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.” Romans 6:13 exhorts us, “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life.”
Rather than living for our earthly desires, we now submit to our Master in obedience. We obey because we love Him and want to please Him. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Our love for Christ compels us to obey.
We Are Not Our Own Masters
To say we are not our own means we are not autonomous. We cannot simply live however we want. 1 Corinthians 6:12 warns us not to think “I have the right to do anything.” We are under the lordship of Christ. He is our Master and King. We cannot live self-directed, selfish lives pursuing our own desires. As Galatians 2:20 declares, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Christ directs our steps as Lord of our lives.
We Cannot Escape God’s Presence
Since God dwells within us, we cannot escape His presence. Psalm 139:7-10 reminds us there is nowhere we can flee from God:
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
We are not our own but belong to God, so we cannot escape Him. This is a comfort that God is always with us, guiding and protecting His possession.
We Are Cared for By God
As our Master, God cares for us, His possession. 1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to “cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” As a Good Shepherd, Jesus promises in John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” We belong to the Lord, so He will watch over and care for us.
We Will Be Resurrected By God
Not only does God indwell our current earthly bodies, but He will one day resurrect them. 1 Corinthians 6:14 assures us, “And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.” The same Spirit who dwells in us now will give life to our bodies when Christ returns (Romans 8:11). God has ownership not just of our spirits but our physical bodies. As His possession, we will be resurrected.
We Will Be Changed Into Christ’s Likeness
At the resurrection, God will transform our lowly bodies into perfect, glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:49; Philippians 3:21). 2 Corinthians 3:18 gives us a glimpse of this future glory as we “are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” One day we will be made totally Christlike – spirit, soul and body.
1 John 3:2 tells us “when he appears we shall be like him.” As God’s treasured possession, we will finally reflect the full image of our Savior. Our transformation will be complete.
We Will Be With God Forever
In the resurrection, we will also dwell with God forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 describes how “we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” As Christ’s purchased possession, we will remain in His presence for eternity.
Revelation 21:3 declares, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” We will behold the face of our Master and worship Him forever as His people (Revelation 22:3-4).
We Must Steward Our Bodies Well
Since we are God’s temple indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we must be careful how we treat our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:15 warns us not to join our bodies sexually with prostitutes since this dishonors God’s temple.
We should avoid sexual immorality, drunkenness, gluttony, and anything else that defiles the body (1 Corinthians 6:13; 10:31; Romans 13:14; 2 Corinthians 7:1). Instead, we are called to honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20). This includes pursuing spiritual disciplines like prayer, Scripture reading, fellowship, and worship. We steward well what belongs to God.
We Honor Christ’s Lordship
Recognizing that we are not our own but belong to Christ should motivate us to make Jesus the absolute Lord and Master of our lives. He rightfully owns us, so we submit to His authority. We honor His ownership by obeying His Word (Luke 6:46). We pray and seek His will in all decisions. We give our talents and resources back to Him in service. We make our life purpose to glorify Christ and enjoy Him forever.
We Find Our True Identity in Christ
When we realize we are not our own, we find our true identity in Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 promises, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Christ defines us. The old sinful self no longer has grip on us. Our worth and purpose is now found in being loved by Jesus. We are His sheep, His body, His temple, His possession. We embrace being slaves of righteousness and avoid worldly identities.
We Rest in God’s Sovereignty
Understanding our life is not our own frees us from the burden of control. We can rest in God’s supreme sovereignty over our lives. As Psalm 95:7 says, “For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” The Good Shepherd guides His flock. We can stop striving and trust our lives to the loving Master. We are secure in His hands.
We Live Boldly As God’s Possession
Knowing we belong to Christ gives us boldness to live fully for Him. We are “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). We joyfully serve our King even in hardship, knowing He is faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). We take risks for the sake of the Gospel, protected by God. We live boldly as His own special possession.
We Have an Eternal Hope
This world is not our home. We are just passing through as sojourners and exiles on the way to our eternal home (1 Peter 2:11). Jesus promises in John 14:2-3, “In my Father’s house are many rooms … I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” We live with our eyes fixed on eternity with Christ – our greatest hope!
Conclusion
1 Corinthians 6:19 teaches the monumental truth for believers that “You are not your own.” As Christians, we were bought by the blood of Jesus and now belong totally to God. This reality has massive implications for how we live. We no longer live self-directed lives but rather submit ourselves fully to the Lordship of Christ our Master. We steward our bodies well as God’s temple. We find our identity, security, and hope in belonging to Jesus. Everything we do is for His glory. One day we will dwell with Him forever in resurrected, glorified bodies. Until then, we honor the truth that we are not our own but God’s dearly loved possession.