1 Corinthians: Washed & Sanctified - Week 8
Opening Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Make us Your holy people.
Guide us in how to live as Your devoted contrast community.
Give us the strength to look only to You and help us to help each other become more Christ-like.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Key Scripture:
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:9-20
Discussion Guide:
Key Themes:
The Garden Design (Genesis 1–2): God created human intimacy and sexuality to be One (a covenantal unity and leave-and-cleave connection), Whole (integrating body, mind, soul, and spirit between two complete individuals), and Pure (total vulnerability and trust without shame or hiding).
The Distortion of Sin (Genesis 3): Sin distorted God's original intent, turning nakedness into shame, intimacy into hiding, and freedom into fear. Because human beings are whole integrated creatures, sin in sexuality ripples across the entire physical, emotional, and spiritual self.
The Gospel & Temple Identity: Jesus arrived to embody perfect humanity—showing that flourishing occurs in both faithful marriage and celibate singleness. Through Christ's redemption, believers are washed, sanctified, and justified. The Holy Spirit lives in believers, making our bodies walking temples bought at a price.
A Grace-Filled Contrast Community: The list of sins in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 describes who believers were, proving the church is meant to be a hospital for sinners rather than a self-righteous huddle. By loving each other we now show who we are.
Discussion Questions:
How does popular culture view sexual freedom and physical bodies compared to Paul's claim that "you are not your own"?
The sermon noted that Jesus lived a fully flourishing, whole human life as a single, celibate man. How does this perspective challenge current societal assumptions about intimacy and fulfillment?
Read 1 Corinthians 6:15–20. What does it mean practically for your daily decisions that your physical body is a "temple of the Holy Spirit"?
Genesis 1–2 presents God's design as One, Whole, and Pure. In what ways do you see these three areas distorted by the Fall (Genesis 3) in everyday life?
Paul tells the church, "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified" (v. 11). How does viewing this passage through the lens of grace change how we welcome people with messy pasts into the church family?
Where are you currently tempted to become "comfortably numb" or worn down by cultural standards regarding media, visual habits, or relationships?
What stops us from bringing our relational or sexual struggles into the light, and how can grace break the cycle of shame and hiding?
Practices:
Individual Practices
Flee Sexual Immorality: Actively follow Paul's instruction to "flee" by setting clear digital, physical, and emotional boundaries rather than attempting to negotiate with temptation.
Steward the Physical Temple: Treat your body as a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit by practicing healthy rest, physical care, and self-control, honouring God in daily physical habits.
Communal Practices
Cultivate a Contrast Community: Create an environment that honours both celibate singleness and marital fidelity as valuable gifts of grace, offering a healthy alternative to worldly models.
Banish Shame and "Fail Well": Establish safe group spaces where members can share entangling sins or past baggage without fear of judgment, allowing grace to increase where sin abounds.
Extend Genesis 1 Dignity to All: Engage people outside the church—including those with differing worldviews or sexual identities—with respect, dignity, and love, inviting them to experience the restoring grace of Jesus.
Additional Resources:
For a printable version of this guide click here.