Leader Lesson
TEXT: 1 Cor. 6:12-20
DATE: August 23, 2015
The “Context” and “Explanation” sections are for the leader’s preparation for the lesson. The material in these
sections may certainly be used throughout the course of leading your group through discussion, but is not intended
to be read aloud. As a leader, you are to lead and promote discussion. You don’t have to feel the pressure to lecture
or recite this background information verbatim.
Context:
In the previous chapter and a half (5:1-6:11) Paul has called out areas of sin in the life of
the church—sexual immorality (5:1), lawsuits among believers (6:7-8)—and has
challenged the church to hold one another accountable for sin (5:4-5, 11). Starting now
in 6:12 Paul reveals and addresses what may have been the fundamental problem with
the church’s sin: a misunderstanding of freedom in Christ.
Paul himself understands and teaches on the majestic freedom Christians have in Jesus:
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For freedom Christ has set us free… (Gal. 5:1)
For you were called to freedom, brothers… (Gal. 5:13)
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the
Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:1-2).
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17).
But apparently in the church at Corinth there were people who were teaching that
Christian freedom can be used for indulging the flesh and licentious living, a.k.a getting
drunk, gluttonous eating, and having sex whenever and with whoever they want. This
isn’t too far from what we see in our own culture today. Many people who even say that
they are Christians do what they want, when they want, and with whom they want
because above all, “God wants me to be happy.” Something couldn’t be sinful or wrong,
they argue, if it makes me happy. Or, if they feel bad after they sin, they can tell
themselves it’s okay because “God will forgive me,” and they keep on doing the same
things.
How are we supposed to address these questions in our church and our culture? How
are we to balance freedom in Christ and obedience to God’s word? In 1 Cor. 6:12-20
Paul steps right up and sets the record straight.
Explanation:
 The first main issue here is that Paul quotes “Corinthian slogans” in vv.12-13, 18.
These slogans can be seen in most translations (NIV, ESV, and all three in the
HCSB) by the use of quotation marks: “Everything is permissible for me.” “Food
for the stomach and the stomach for food.” “Every sin a person can commit is
outside the body.” It’s important to see that these quotations are not something
Paul is teaching, but rather common (and wrong) sayings in the Corinthian
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church that he correcting. These sayings had the guise of spirituality but were so
misleading that abuse was inevitable. They virtually invite people to sin, as the
Corinthians were apparently doing. So Paul addressed them and corrected them
to set the record straight about Christian freedom.
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God’s view of sex in this passage is a big deal. Paul teaches us that in the act of
sex two people become one, forming an enduring bond with one another.
Therefore sex is reserved for marriage because it both creates and symbolizes
the “one flesh union” as established for husband and wife by God in the
beginning (Gen. 2:24). This explanation for sex runs completely counter to our
culture. We hear, read, and see every day that sex is all about physical pleasure,
power, and an expression of freedom. Paul combats the thought of his time that
sex outside of heterosexual marriage was fine (v.12), only natural (v.13), and
wasn’t really harmful (v.18).
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What does Paul mean when he says, “Should I take a part of Christ’s body and
make it part of a prostitute”? We first need to remember that the one-flesh union
experienced in marriage is “a great mystery” that ultimately points to and
symbolizes the unity between Christ and the church (Eph. 5:31-32). So that just
as husband and wife become one flesh, in salvation the believer is intimately
united by the spirit into the body of Christ. Paul then says it is unthinkable that a
Christian (who has been united by the Spirit into the very same body of Christ)
would through the binding act of sex unite themselves to a prostitute. One
commentator said that Paul may have had more in mind than the prostitute as
an individual, but as a symbol of the “dark, death-dealing forces at war against
Christ”1—especially since prostitution was often associated with the pagan
temple. So, in effect Paul is saying “How can someone who is united into the
body of Christ, intimately unite themselves to sin/evil/immorality through
sexual intercourse?”
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Lastly, it seems that the false teachers in Corinth made the mistake of separating
body and soul: “it doesn’t matter about the body because its sinful and will pass
away; God only cares about the soul” (this mistake is called dualism). It seems
they thought sex was only for the body and only a matter of quenching an
appetite. Paul fought this teaching by saying that “the body was made for the
Lord” and teaching just as God raised Jesus, so he will raise our bodies (13b-14).
Our bodies are important to God! And what we do with them is not only physical,
but also deeply spiritual.
As your group time begins we want to give the group one main point or “Big Question.” It boils down the lesson into
one key, foundational thought that is focused on life application that gives the group an easy-to-remember take
home to frame this lesson and think about during the week.
“Do you see sexual sin the same way God does?”
1
Taylor, Mark. 1 Corinthians. NAC Commentary. 156.
Leader Lesson
Use this section to help break the ice and to get everyone involved in conversation. We want to provide nonintimidating questions at the beginning to prime the conversation pump so that everyone will be comfortable when
we transition into talking about God’s word together. As the leader, you can shepherd the group by directing the
more chatty group members and inviting the less talkative to join in.
- What is something from this past week or so that you are thankful for?
This simple question works to position our heart to be grateful. It allows our group to practice (and model)
gratitude/proper perspective on life. It also allows us to rejoice with one another as we get to dig into people’s lives
as God’s blessings come up.
- How did it go? (this is follow-up from last week’s 3 transformation questions)
Take some time to follow up with your group about what they specifically said last week about what they would do,
who would they tell, or the challenge coming up. This is a great opportunity to reinforce accountability (you said
you would do this/share with this person, how did it go?) and community (you talked about that upcoming
challenge, how did it go?)
- Have you ever seen or heard of someone who claims to be a Christian explain away
sinful decisions? What were some of the different reasons why their choices were okay?
- What are some ways we explain away or give ourselves a free pass to sin?
-Why is it easy for us to think that sexual sin isn’t really a big deal?
READ: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Pray: Pray that God would break our hearts for the sexual sin in our world and in our
own lives. Pray that He would help us to see sin for what it is. Pray that He would show
us that our deepest satisfaction is experienced in Him and sexually when we engage in
sexual activity within God’s design for our lives.
The questions below are designed to engage the group in discussion about the Bible. As the leader, encourage every
group member to be involved. This may involve lovingly guiding the more talkative and inviting the less talkative to
join in. Leader, you may have to answer to get the conversation going. If you answer, set the tone. If you are shallow
or vague, your group will be as well. Lead your group to be transparent, vulnerable, and specific.
What are the first two of the Corinthian sayings Paul corrects? (Note the quotation
marks in ESV, NIV, HCSB) What do they mean? How do you hear the same type of
arguments made today?
1. (v.12) “Everything is permissible for me”
This first saying is like the anthem of the social movement of the 60s and 70s. It is the
promotion of freedom beyond the boundaries of rules and morality. Today we hear people
say things like, “If I’m not hurting anyone and it makes me happy, what’s the big deal?
Why can’t I do what I want?” We see people who claim Christianity have affairs, leave their
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families, and engage in sinful behavior because “happiness” is more important than what
the Bible says. Even conservative Christians even go overboard with some behavior or
substances under the guise of freedom in Christ.
2. (v.13) “Food for the stomach, and the stomach for food”
This second phrase was probably used to argue beyond just food for free sex. Saying
something like, “Just like food was made to fulfill the stomach’s appetite, so sex is the
natural cure for the body’s appetite.” We hear people today say things like “it’s only
natural” and “if it feels good, do it.” They devalue sex from how God intended to just the
fulfillment of their body’s desires.
How does Paul correct these two sayings?
1. (v.12) “Everything is permissible for me” but not everything is helpful / I will not be
brought under the control of anything
To those who say that their freedom allows them to live however they want, Paul corrects
that nothing is to control us but our king Jesus. Any substance or behavior that exerts
control over our desires or actions is not permissible for a believer.
2. (v.13) “Food for the stomach, and the stomach for food” The body is not for sexual
immorality but for the Lord
To those who say that the body is made for sex, Paul counters that the body is made for the
Lord. We are not designed to find ultimate fulfillment in sex, but in God alone. If we focus
on sex, we forget why it was given—to point us to Christ and his connection to us in
salvation.
vv.15-17
Flip over and read 1 Cor. 12:12-14, 27:
How does what Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 12 and here in 6:15 push back against our
American individualism? How is it different if someone sins in isolation as opposed to in
community?
Read v.15b-16 again. What does this say about what the act of sex actually
accomplishes? How does this challenge the culture’s view of sex? How does it change
the way you think about sexual sin?
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v.18
What is the last of the Corinthian sayings Paul says? What does it mean? How do you
hear similar arguments today? (Look in the HCSB to see the quotation marks)
(v.18) “Every sin a person can commit is outside the body”
This saying shows that these people deny the emotional and spiritual side of sex; they view
it as completely physical. It’s much like what people say today: “I’m not hurting anyone;
what’s the big deal?”
How does Paul correct this saying?
He points out two things:
1) Sex is not just about the body. It is a deep and intimate spiritual and emotional
connection (v.16).
2) When you sin sexually, you who are a part of Christ’s body, sin against your
body by uniting it to sin (v.15).
How does Paul instruct us to fight sexual sin in the beginning of verse 18? Is Paul’s
advice surprising? Why or why not?
vv.19-20
It is often the case that what the Bible tells us to do is rooted in who we are. Who does
Paul say believers are in v.19-20? How does this encourage you in your own fight
against sexual sin?
What are some other more superficial motivations for avoiding sexual sin? Why might
these fall short? Why would Paul’s motivation in vv.19-20 be any different?
Leader Lesson
Ask: “Based on what we’ve learned, what will you do this coming week to live
differently?”
Ask: “How will you live what we learned out loud this week? Who in your life needs to
hear something that we’ve learned together?”
Ask: “What is a challenge that is coming up in your life?” (How might someone in this
group or the whole group help you in that?)
As you close your group time we want to reiterate the one main point or “Big Question” that gives the group an
easy-to-remember take home to frame this lesson and think about during the week.
““Do you see sexual sin the same way God does?”