"Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."1Cor.6:13
I read this verse and I wondered what the apostle was talking about. It made no sense to me. The words do not seem to be inspired or God-breathed. So I did a little study and I came up with something that made it make sense to me. Paul is quoting popular culture here. Evidently this was slang that that generation used, And, looking at the context, it made me wonder if it was not slang for sex. Like, if you only want the milk, don't buy the whole cow. Paul was using popular culture to illustrate a spiritual point about sexual purity.
Paul also talks about the power of appetite to bring us into slavery to sin. Lusting for anything is unlawful, even if it is not inherently evil in itself. Food is good. Sex in marriage is good. Money is good. But lusting after the good can make it evil.
In verse 11 we get an idea of Paul' audience. He is addressing the new converts in Corinth. Newly saved, newly forgiven, newly washed, newly Spirit-filled. He was trying to steer them away from the world to serve the Lord only. People just coming out of darkness into God's glorious light. And evidently he used a phrase they all would be familiar with.
The key is to discover what thing are not just good, but also helpful. What things can we consume that will draw us closer to God.
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