1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Personal Study Guide
November 7, 2019

INTRODUCTION

This inductive Bible study is designed to walk you through a particular passage and help you study it thoroughly. It is divided into five parts or “steps” which will guide you from a larger, broader perspective down to a more narrow, tightened understanding of the text. This guide also contains additional components, such as Going Deeper and Further Study, to help you as you work through the text.

1. DISCOVERING THE PASSAGE
2. IDENTIFYING THE STRUCTURE
3. FOCUSING ON KEY WORDS
4. CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE
5. APPLYING THE TEXT

Beginning with the day after your growth group meets, we encourage you to get alone with God and follow the instructions provided in this guide. Each step has specific guidelines followed by questions. We trust if you faithfully use this study to meet with the LORD each day not only will your personal walk with the LORD grow deeper but your growth group experience will be enhanced as well.

Continuing in 1 Corinthians we now take up the subject of sexual immorality. Paul previous.ly addressed a specific case of sexual immorality (incest in chapter 5) within the Corinthian church, but now in verses 12-20, he deals with sexual immorality in greater detail. Paul chooses to address some common false beliefs among the Corinthians as he works his way through this section of the letter.

Paul addresses the fundamental teaching of the Christian faith; namely that God raised Jesus from the dead (v.14). This is crucial because the Corinthian culture was very cavalier with how they treated their bodies. Paul exhorts them that just as Christ was raised from the dead so also the bodies of believers will be raised from the dead (2 Cor. 4:14; 13:4; Rom. 6:4) therefore what you do with our bodies is important. What we do with our physical bodies indicate how seriously we take the Lordship of Christ in our lives. Therefore Paul commands the believers to flee sexual immorality.

1. DISCOVERING THE PASSAGE

Discovering the Passage seeks to get an overall idea of the meaning of the passage. Think bigpicture. Pray for God to open your eyes to the meaning of Scripture.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 three times

• First, read for general understanding of the passage
• Second, read looking for major themes
• Third, read trying to discern the main idea

Now, prayerfully and meditatively, answer the following questions below
Questions

  1. After reading 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, what is the primary issue(s) Paul is(are) addressing in this passage?

  2. Who are the parties impacted when an individual of the church participates in sexual immorality?

  3. What are the two perspectives in this passage (one right, one wrong) about who the physical body belongs to and how it is to be used?

  4. Paul concludes the chapter with the primary basis for abstaining from sexual immorality. What is it?

  5. What does this passage teach about Christ and the relationship that exists between Christ and His people?

2. IDENTIFYING THE STRUCTURE

Identifying the Structure seeks to gain insight into why the author wrote the way he did. Try to think like the author. Pray for God to give you insight into the writing of the Scriptures.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 again*, looking for*:

• any connecting words in the passage (so that, for, because, etc.)
• the different types of sentences used (commands, questions, statements, rebukes, etc.)
• the divisions in the text (I.e. paragraphs, sentence breaks, etc.)

Now, prayerfully answer the questions below.

Questions

  1. After reading 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, how would you structure or divide this passage? What is the main idea of each section?

  2. What reason does Paul give for abstaining from sexual immorality in verse 13? 15? 16-17? 18? 19-20?

  3. In verses 15, 16, and 19 Paul asks a total of four rhetorical questions. What point is being made to the Corinthians by the use of these questions?

  4. In verse 13 Paul says that our bodies are for God. How does he support his argument in verses 14-15?

3. FOCUSING ON KEY WORDS

Focusing on Key Words seeks to identify and contemplate the use and meaning of specific words or concepts within the text. Pray for God to open your eyes to words and concepts you’ve never seen before or have overlooked.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 again, paying attention to:

- repeated and/or emphasized words or names
- verbs (specifically those with unusual tenses)
- cross-references
- major themes

GOING DEEPER: IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Familiarity with the historical context of Scripture is of great importance for properly interpreting God’s Word. Historical context refers to the cultur.al background that existed during the time that the books of the Bible were written. Understanding things like the geographical, political, social, and religious features of the society where the authors of Scriptures lived and ministered is a key component of Bible study. It provides the reader with insight as to how the original audience would have understood the Scripture and helps believers better understand and apply the truth today. Regarding the historical context of 1 Corinthians, it is important to remember that Corinth was a port city known for its sexual immorality. Further, a prevailing Greek philosophy existed during the time of Paul’s ministry that viewed the physical body as basically evil and of no value. Hence the slogan circulating amongst the Corinthians, “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food” (1 Cor 6:13). The Corinthians were likely using this saying to support their sex.ually immoral behavior, as the secular society around them did. But God says that the physical bodies do matter. The body was created by Him & for His glo ry, and He will raise it up on the last day (1 Cor 15:50-56). Believers are therefore called to flee sexual immorality and honor God with their bodies.

Now prayerfully answer the questions below

Questions

  1. Paul makes the following emphatic statement in verse 12, “I will not be dominated by anything.” What does this statement imply about the nature of sexual sin?

  2. Paul gives the church a command in verse 18. What does he tell them to do and what does it mean?

  3. How many times does Paul use the word “body” in this passage? What is the significance of Paul’s repetitive use of this term?

  4. Paul repeats the phrase “he who is joined” in verses 16 and 17. What truth is being highlighted in these two verses?

  5. What is Paul communicating with the use of the term “bought” in verse 20? What was the “price” that was paid?

Further Study

  1. Look at verse 19. What does the temple represent in the Old Testament and how does Paul compare that with our bodies that are indwelled by the Spirit?

4. CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE

Connecting to the Whole seeks to become aware of how key concepts and themes are seen elsewhere in Scripture. This is allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. Pray for God to help you see how this passage connects to the rest of the Bible.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 again, paying attention to how it builds and draws on other places in Scripture. Look for:

- common people, places, or ideas found other places in the Bible
- similar stories or phrases
- cross references

Now prayerfully and meditatively answer the questions below

Questions

  1. Read James 4:6-8. How does this text give us a pattern for fleeing sin from 1 Corinthians 6:18?

  2. How do the following passages teach us that our rights and freedom must be tempered? 1 Corinthians 8:9; 10:23; 10:31; Romans 6:15 - 19.

  3. Verses 15 - 17: Paul asks a very probing question. “Shall I take the members of Christ (what rightly belongs to Him)? And make them members of a prostitute?” Reflect on Genesis 2:24 & Matthew 19:5. What is this sexual union to be preserved for?

  4. Verse 18a: “Flee from sexual immorality.” Genesis 39:6 - 18 gives us an example of how Joseph fled. What were Joseph’s convictions regarding immorality? Adultery?

FURTHER STUDY

  1. Verse 19, 20: The truth that our physical body is not our own, that it is the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit and we were bought with a price should be the primary reason that we avoid sexual immorality. Reflect on the following Scripture and pray that the truth of our being ransomed by Christ’s sacrifice and brought into union with Him will deeply impact our thoughts and behavior: 1 Corinthians 7:23; Galatians 2:20; 2 Peter 2:1; Revelation 5:9.

  2. Verse 18b: The consequences of sexual immorality are significant–it is a sin against one’s own body. List the consequences from Proverbs chapter 5:1-14, specifically verses 4-6, 9-11.

5. APPLYING THE TEXT

Applying the Text seeks to see people changed as the Word of God is brought to bear in the lives of individuals and communities (growth groups). Pray for God to reveal to you where you need to change and have the courage to take action.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 again and:

  • write down any unanswered questions that remain
  • write a paraphrase, in your own words, of the passage
  • decide on an action step as a response of obedience to the passage (I.e. make a lost friend with which to share the gospel, commit to praying with your spouse 10 minutes a day, etc.)

Now, prayerfully answer the questions below

Questions

  1. In what ways do we entertain sexual immorality rather than fleeing from it?

  2. How has our culture numbed us to sexual immorality? How can our minds be renewed to think about it correctly?

  3. What steps/resources are available for repenting and walking in holiness?

  4. Sexual sin first begins in the mind before it manifests in outward behavior. What spiritual disciplines help to strengthen a sexually pure mind?

Further Study

  1. What is the role of community in protection from sin? (Hebrews 3:12-13)

Prayer

Use the following prayer prompts to guide you in your prayers as a Growth Group:

For Your Growth Group

Pray for your growth group to be a safe place where folks can confess sin, seek forgiveness from the Lord, and find accountability.

For Parkwood

Pray for Parkwood to be a place of purity. Pray for it to be a place where marriages are held in honor and singles are leveraging their situation, in purity, for the gospel.

For Your Neighbors

Statistics show that many of your neighbors are undoubtedly enslaved in some sort of sexual sin, whether its pornography, a sexual affair, or something different. Pray for you individually, and as a group, to take them the gospel so they can find freedom.

For The Nations

Many nations who have forgotten God have a weak moral culture. They either tolerate sexual immorality or even celebrate it. Pray for our missionaries who daily/weekly combat this to be strong and bold with the gospel.