1Cor 6:12-20, Today's verses: 1Co 6:12-13

We continue our look at Paul's discussion of sexual immorality and our body in 1Co 6:12-20 with an in-depth look at 1Co 6:12-13

The overview of the entire section can be found HERE.


You can hover your pointer over (most) any verse reference to read the corresponding verse(s).  (Scriptural cross-references are THE most important resource!)

1 Corinthians 6:12-13 (NASB)
¹² All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.
¹³ Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.

 Grammatical and other Considerations

• All things are lawful, not helpful (?)
• Our body is for God.  Our bodies were created by God
• NOT!  The body is NOT for sexual immorality!

My Questions

• What exactly does Paul mean by all things are lawful but not helpful??
• What constitutes sexual immorality??

Verse Cross References

• 1Co 6:12 -- 1Co 10:23 Ro 14:14 1Co 8:4 1Co 8:7-13 1Co 10:24-33 Ro 14:15-23 2Th 3:9 1Co 9:27 Heb 12:15-16 
• Thoughts -- IT would seem that Paul is discussing food and other such things mentioned in the Law.  Especially as he continues in 1Co 6:13 with a discussion of food.  And he also clearly states that the body is NOT for sexual immorality in 1Co 6:13   In 1Co 6:9-10 where Paul gives a listing of unrighteous activities, he clearly is thinking of sexual immorality (among other things).  It seems Paul is trying to lay a clear line of distinction between legalistic arguments regarding food and truer sins such as sexual immorality.  It is also important to note that Paul does not trivialize how someone feels about food as seen in: 1Co 8:7-13  Paul cautions all to not eat with abandon IF that would cause another to sin or otherwise have doubts!!  Important.  But Paul's main emphasis seems to be to highlight true sins before God.  And he is sharply focused on sexual immorality.
• 1Co 6:13 -- Mt 15:17-20  Gal 5:24 Jn 6:27 Jn 6:49 1Co 3:16 Ro 6:12 Ro 7:4 Ro 12:1 Ro 14:7-9 2Co 5:15 1Th 4:3-7 
• Thoughts -- Paul is now highlighting that our bodies were made by God, are for God and will be done away with by God.  If our bodies are God's, then we should treat them as Holy!  Sexual immorality is NOT a Holy act!

Important terms

Lawful (permissible):

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Mt 12:2 Mt 12:4 Mt 12:10-12 Mt 20:14-15 Mk 12:14-17 Mk 3:4 Jn 5:10 2Co 12:4 1Co 10:23
• Thoughts -- A word not overly used in the NT.  The vast majority of occurrences revolve around Jesus' ongoing debate with the religious leaders of the day over what is lawful or not.  It is probably important to note this when looking at Paul's use of the word.  As noted above, 1Co 6:12 is (what seems to be) Paul setting a contrast between legalistic worries (what to eat, or healing on the Sabbath!) as opposed to the very non-legalistic and very true sin of sexual immorality!
• Definition -- permitted, a moral possibility! 

helpful (profitable)(G4851):

 

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Mt 5:29 Mt 9:10 Jn 11:50 Jn 16:7 Jn 18:14 Ac 20:20 1Co 7:35 1Co 10:23 1Co 12:7 2Co 8:10-11 2Co 12:1 Heb 12:10 
• Thoughts -- MOST often translated as beneficial or benefit! 
• Definition -- profitable,, advantageous.  

 

mastered (brought under the power of):

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Lk 22:25 1Co 7:4 
• Thoughts -- Oddly enough this term is only used in three verses including the one we are studying!!  In all three verses it describes something or someone having authority over another.
• Definition -- to have or exercise power over, inferring that one has no separate power or liberty over his or her own body.

of any(anything):

• Definition -- someone, a certain thing or person.

destroy (do away with)(G2673):

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Lk 13:7 Ro 3:3 Ro 3:31 Ro 4:14  Ro 6:6 1Co 13:8 1Co 13:10 1Co 15:26 Gal 3:17 Heb 2:14 
• Thoughts --This word is often translated as cancel.  And Paul often uses it when describing the Law and Covenant.  do away with is probably(?) the better thought here. 
• Definition -- According to the Complete Word Study Dictionary when Paul uses this word he always means a complete cessation!  Not a partial ceasing.  So Paul is saying that when the time comes, God will do away with our fleshly bodies and our need for food.  It will be something new!

sexual immorality:

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Mt 5:32 Mt 19:9 Jn 8:41 Ac 15:20 Ac 21:25 1Co 5:1 1Co 7:2  2Co 12:21 Gal 5:19 Eph 5:3 Col 3:5 1Th 4:3 Jude 1:7-8 REv 2:14 Rev 2:20-21 Rev 9:21 Rev 14:8 Rev 17:2 Rev 19:2 
• Thoughts -- Paul is pretty clear that sexual immorality is NOT to be tolerated.
• Definition -- any sexual sin.  Fornication as a sexual vice! (can symbolically stand for idolatry) "illicit sexual intercourse"  (this is the heart of the matter!  Knowing and understanding (and obeying) where and when God intended sexual relations is paramount to understanding this term and these verses!)

Factual information from Study Helps

Background Bible Commentary:

• Paul's use of the phrase "food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food..." is NOT an accident.  It "was a typical Greek way of arguing by analogy that body was for sex and sex for the body!"  Paul is using their argument to prove his. (sexual appetite is NOT the same as our appetite or need for food)  Since he continues with the fact that the body is for the Lord!

Answering My Questions

• What exactly does Paul mean by all things are lawful but not helpful?? -- Judging by the definition and the context, it seems Paul is saying that all things (but maybe not sexual immorality?) are lawful...morally possible!  (it stands to reason Paul is assuming that we know he doesn't mean murder etc. etc.)  Paul's context is one of correct behavior, vs. legalistic arguments of the day.  What foods to eat and/or circumcision being debates that often come up in Paul's writing.  So all things (within this context of normal day to day behaviors) are morally possible but NOT all are beneficial!  It is also important to look at the end of 1Co 6:12 where Paul states:  "but I will not be brought under the control of anything."  Any act, be it eating, smoking, TV watching etc. etc. can lead to a form of compulsive behavior.  The act then controls us!  And this is wrong as we are to only serve God!!
• What constitutes sexual immorality?? -- From the definition:  "illicit" sexual intercourse which would be sex outside of the confines of marriage which is where God intended sex to be!  Taken in context of the end of 1Co 6:12 this gains even more importance because the sexual impulse has the ability to CONTROL us more than almost any other impulse we have!!  Even more reason to keep sex where it belongs.  (and it should be THOROUGHLY ENJOYED within its rightful context!)

Summarizing

• The answers to my questions seem to summarize these two verses quite well.
• Will add that the end of 1Co 6:13 begins the next part of Paul's discussion.  He is stressing the point that our bodies are God's!

Commentaries

Wycliffe Bible Commentary:

• Clarifies the point that when something becomes a habit (or addiction) it has us in its grip. That is what sexual immorality can do. It can be VERY habit forming (addicting). Then we are slave to it...when we should be slaves (servants) to God and God only!

Hodges' Commentary on  1 Corinthians:

• Adds:  Food and the stomach are designed for one another as it stands right now!  However, the body was not designed (by God) for sexual immorality.  God has made it clear where and how sex is to be used and enjoyed!

Topics for further study

• Sexuality as God intended it to be
• Marriage
• Avoiding sexual sin

Bibliography

 

• Brand, Chad, Charles Draper, Archie England, ed. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
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