Paul encouraged Corinthian Christians to maintain purity, and abstain from activities that can trap them into sexual immorality. The apostle also encouraged people who are ripe for marriage to do so, in order to avoid sexual sins. Any adult who chooses to remain single must maintain body purity and abstain from sexuality. Paul admonished,
“I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned….” (1 Corinthians 7:26-28).
Lesson:
Humans are comprised of spirit, soul, and body – which are necessary for normal functioning. All three elements, except the human soul, will transition after death. The human body is corruptible and would decay after death. (Christians who are alive during rapture would see their body transformed). The spirit that keeps a person alive will also return to God after death. However, the human soul would survive natural death to face God’s judgment in the end. A person’s soul will face judgment to be rewarded for its past earthly activities. Souls that served God well on earth and also received the salvation of Jesus Christ will be awarded heaven, but unrepentant souls would be condemned in hell. Therefore, everyone should be sensitive not to allow the human body – which is temporal corrupt his/her soul that would ultimately face God’s judgment.
Prayer:
Dear God, please I do not want my soul to burn in hellfire, but I want to make heaven! Help me to resist sins; do not let me yield to temptations, but empower me to maintain my body in holiness so that I can receive your positive rewards in heaven. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.
