The Body

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Introduction
When God created man on the sixth day of creation, the Word of God says that He created them in the image and likeness of Himself. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26-27. Thus, man is created in the image of God. The topic of the image of God could lead into great discussion. God is light. God is holy. God is spirit. All of these describe who and God is. However, there is one characteristic of God that is replicated in man. God is a triune being, and also is man. This attribute is where the doctrine of The Trinity comes from.
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And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Paul s epistle to the Thessalonians supports the truth that man is also a triune being. A man also consists of a spirit, soul and body. There are four characteristics concerning our bodies that the Word of God puts forth. We will be blessed if we realize these four characteristics and act upon them.

1. Our bodies are special

Our bodies are synchronized Our bodies are servants Our bodies are spiritual houses For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
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all things were created by him, and for him. Colossians 1:16 They are created by God. God knew what He was doing when He made you and formed you. He made you exactly how He desired to make you. You were nothing more than clay in the hand of the Potter. They are created for God. Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. God made our bodies for His glory, not for our glory. No matter what everyone else thinks, we are special and precious in His eyes. If you are doing the best that you can with what the Lord has given you, then you ought to be satisfied with yourself when you look in the mirror each morning. Be thankful to God that He has made you how you are. No one ought to criticize the way another individual looks. Those that are blessed with some sort of
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physical appeal only have it by the grace of God anyways. Our bodies are special

2. Our bodies are synchronized

Our bodies are servants Our bodies are spiritual houses Synchronized swimming Our bodies consist of synchronized members. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office. Romans 12:4 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 The foot is not the hand. The neck is not the leg. The head is not the rear end (although sometimes ). No two members are the same, but all members are a part of the same body.
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Our bodies are controlled synchronized movements. One member of the body cannot be striving for one task while the other member is working on another. You hit your head on a goal post during one soccer tournament while you were playing the position of goalie. My face and my eyes were concentrated on one thing while my arms, legs and body were concentrated on another. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 1 Corinthians 12:27 God lets us know that, although it is a mystery, every Christian makes up a part of a greater body, the body of Christ. God is speaking of the church in this context. Each Christian is a part of Christ s church, or His body. The pastor is not the only member. The deacons are
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not the only members. The choir members are not the only members. Every member makes up the complete body. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 1 Corinthians 12:26. Let us never neglect the fact that we have a part in a greater purpose and plan. If you are a Christian, then you are a part of the synchronization. Do not allow yourself to mess up everyone else. If you rejoice, then everyone rejoices. But if you suffer, everyone suffers. Our bodies are special Our bodies are synchronized

3. Our bodies are servants

Our bodies are spiritual houses Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:16
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Our bodies are not given a choice on this subject. The Word of God declares that our bodies are servants to something. The question is: What is your body a servant to? Our bodies can be servants to sin and death. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. Romans 6:13a We allow our bodies to serve sin and death when our actions become unrighteous. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 1 Corinthians 7:1. More often than not, the unrighteous act and sin of the flesh that is committed by most young people is that of fornication. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. 1 Thessalonians 4:3
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But you say, A simple touch is not the same as fornication. True, but all paths lead to somewhere. Consider the words of James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Thus it is evident that even a small, simple touch can be the first sinful step in a path that leads straight to death. Our bodies can be servant to obedience and righteousness. But yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Romans 6:13b. Our bodies become servants to obedience and righteousness when we choose to sanctify ourselves toward God and His will and honor Him with our
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bodies. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. 1 Thessalonians 4:5. Sanctify yourself unto the Lord! Honor Him with your body! Yield your members unto righteousness! Our bodies are special Our bodies are synchronized Our bodies are servants

4. Our bodies are spiritual houses

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. If you are a believer, then you have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you. God is the owner.
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The Holy Spirit of God did not come into our bodies, His house that He created, to simply rent it out! God is not a tenant that is making monthly payments. God owes no money to a bank. God does not owe you anything either. God is the Owner. Therefore, we owe our best to Him. Not only are you not the owner of your body, but you are also not the owner of body of the person you are touching or fornicating with. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 When I worked for Two Man and a Truck and Lowe s, I often walked into houses and homes that were filthy. The people that were living in them were many times not the owner of the house. They were either renting or living off of the government. Because it was not their own house that they spent their own money to purchase, they treated it with disrespect. Then, when it was time for them to move out, the owner had to come in and clean up the mess and make everything right again. What is tragic is this: there are some
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messes and damages that simply cannot be cleaned up. There are stains that cannot be removed. There are cracks that cannot be repaired. There are problems that cannot be fixed without a cost. Remember the Lord is the avenger of all such. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 Just as there is a cost for messing with someone else s property, there is a cost for messing with another man s daughter or another man s wife. You are not the owner until wedlock. God is the operator. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:6-8. Because God is the owner of our bodies, then He should be the only One who dictates what our bodies do. We ought to let God tell us what to do, where to go, when to go, who to go with, and why to go. Let us not get in the way.
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He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 4:8. If you despise these principles, then you despise God, because God made the principles.

Conclusion
The first step to doing right is simply having a willingness to obey. None of us can know what will come our way in the future. The only eternal thing that we have in this life is either Satan or God. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1. It is only reasonable that we give our bodies back to the very God who created them.

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