Freedom in Sin City

Feb 03, 2013 By: Pastor Joseph LoSardo Series: The Church in Sin City Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
The Christian’s freedom in Christ is a truth that Paul never tired of preaching. It is by God’s grace alone that a Christian is saved, justified, sanctified, and counted righteous and holy in God’s sight (Rom 4:22-25, 8:33, Eph 2:8-9), so that a Christian can commit no sin that is not covered by God’s grace through the sacrifice of Christ’s blood. That issue was settled and undoubtedly emphasized during Paul’s time among the Corinthian church. The Corinthians however, had perverted the idea of Christian freedom in order to justify their sinning. They pretended to have a theological excuse to continue the sinful activities they enjoyed while still in ‘Sin City.’ The statement, “everything is lawful for me,” may have been tossed around the church at Corinth as a slogan to justify their immorality. Emphasizing their freedom in Christ, they ignored the complementary truth, which Paul would also have most surely taught them. So Paul reminds the church that while they are indeed free, that “not all things are helpful … I will not be enslaved by anything.” (1 Cor 6:12, 10:23). In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Paul reveals the evil of sexual sin: it is harmful to everyone involved; it gains control over those who indulge in it; and it perverts God’s purpose for the body. In light of the Gospel – Christ’s perfect sacrifice which purchased us off the slave block of sin – you now have the freedom to glorify God in your body (1 Cor 6:20).