We live in a world where self-centredness is encouraged. That is understandable if you believe there is no God, that everything that exists just evolved, creating itself: but we know this is all a human delusion!

We must look at the reality of life from God’s perspective, and Paul is a great help, for that is how he sees life. In 1 Corinthians 6 he encourages the believers to see life from this perspective. Some of them were misbehaving; there is “sexual immorality” in Corinth. He asks, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” (verse 15).

Then he asks another question, “Do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her?” (verse 16). These points are a prelude to his appeal to them to see the bigger scene – of what their lives should become – to ‘grow’ and see spiritual realities, recognising their position as “members of Christ”. That is a wonderful, but challenging vision to consider.

“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you which you have from God?” This is followed by an equally significant point, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (verses 19,20). How should we accomplish this?

In verse 17 we read, “He who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him”. A unique oneness of mind develops! But recall the end of chapter 2, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God … They are spiritually discerned … For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him. But we have the mind of Christ”. The next chapter shows the Corinthians had not yet developed this – have we? The Corinthians were not yet “spiritual people” but “infants in Christ” (3:1) – are we?

Another vital question – how do we “glorify God in (y)our body”. How did Jesus? He set the example, followed by Paul. Our Lord had total commitment to serve God in all that he said and did – to make God’s wil, his will. As we do this, we realize more clearly what it is to “have the mind of Christ”. As we change the way we think we become more selective about the things in life that help us to become more like Christ. Do you not know this? Is Christ the most important person in your life? He should be.