Truth Of Honoring Our Body Beyond Modesty & Intimacy With God

Parental Discretion/Younger Viewer – WARNING: I will be using the word “sex” but for the purpose of understanding intimacy. Please read the Discussion Summary to see how the post is set up if you are concerned. 

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-Discussion Summary

I’m going to ask you to bear with me because the topic of sex may seem “taboo” to talk about especially in regards to this post topic. I just want to cover what that connection is suppose to mean in a marriage, and then jump to our connection with Christ, what our body represents, and how much more our intimacy is with Him. The world thinks they know what “intimacy” is, and I promise you intimacy with God is beyond what we know.

So I tried discussing something most people understand and are familiar with before going into the spiritual side of what having a union with Christ means.

I do think teens can totally read this, but as a parent, please go over this first to make sure you are comfortable with them reading this, and if you are a teen, I highly recommend getting your parent’s permission/opinon before reading. 

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(Again…as I started writing I was NOT planning on certain things going the direction they did…but I am following what is put on my heart.) 

I was reading a sister in Christ’s blog post, and she really touched on a topic that God began placing all sorts of pieces of scripture and thoughts upon my heart.

Check out Efua’s post here | The Power Of Nudity The Spirit Of Lust

As I was reading the post, I had the thought, “How do we honor our bodies when it comes to God?”

We sexualize the body too much. People joke about giving their bodies over to a spouse. But I do want to tie this in with what it means to give our body over to the Lord. I wrote about how it is important in understanding what it means for the Lord to know us, and if you haven’t read that post yet, I highly recommend you do. As this post ties into that. 

Related Post | Intimate Meaning In, “I Do Not Know You.”

I am going to ask you again to bear with me. 

 

The way we present our bodies to our spouse and the way we present our bodies to the Lord are polar opposite. Do not misunderstand me. The only similarity is that as a husband and wife they become one. As the Bride of Christ we are to be one with Him as well. But that’s where the similiaries end.

Sex is brief between husband and wife. It’s a connection, a very intimate one, that is meant to bond the couple together. And we know physical connection will not save a marriage. It won’t “save” a relationship. It won’t “fix” someone to become better. A married couple must work together in all things for the relationship to blossom and grow.

People think we honor the Lord with our outward appearance. Modesty. That’s at least…what you usually hear when the topic “your body is a temple…” you know the drill teens.

And sure it definitely is a sign of respect. But just like sex in a marriage is not the true key to knowing someone, to truly have a union with the Lord, it is not about one or two things we do or do not do with our body. Looking modest, for example, won’t led us to salvation. It won’t help us grow in Christ. It won’t “fix” us or “change” us.

In both the Old and New Testament we see people who know the law, who are “righteous”, and do everything correctly…on the outside that is.

(NIV) Matthew 23:26, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

This led me to think about what it means to honor our bodies when it comes to God. We first need to understand why we need to honor our bodies, which we did discuss.

(NIV) 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”

But seriously…let’s really think about it, okay. Just give me a few minutes.

Because of salvation, through Jesus Christ, we can have a connection, a true connection, with God the Father, and that is because Jesus, the tie, also gives us His Comforter, the Holy Spirit Who then lives inside of us.

Connecting to the symbolism of intimacy, I want you to understand how holy, sacred, and special this bond and union is with God.

When a couple is together because of sex that union is very physical and easily broken. It does not last forever, and its impression is not lasting. That’s why there is no true satisfaction and there will always be an emptiness for those who seek a stronger bond and comfort. Sex will NEVER provide that. Humans can never fully fill a void for another person. 

So take out the sexual theme of intimacy, which at its core is selfish. Let’s focus on a bond that is beyond these limits of that connection.

At our innermost soul, we are fully exposed. We are vulnerable. We hide nothing. We are naked.

Our chains, our burdens, regrets, anger, bitterness, you name it, it’s all there in our soul’s storehouse. 

Then we accept Christ in our repentance…

And He enters this place, our deepest place. Our nakedness fully exposed. And He’s like, “I forgive you. For your sins, I give you My life. My salvation will make this place new again. I will clothe you in purity and holiness. I will give you mercy instead of anger. I will give you joy instead of bitterness. I will take your stone heart and make it into flesh once more.” 

We stare at the floor of this darkened hole in our soul in shame. At the sound of His words, we see it become white. We feel a warm robe placed over our body, and we can look at Him without shame. 

Are you starting to see how precious this connection with Him is? 

Honoring Him with our body is beyond modesty.

It is living the right walk and life with Christ, to be Christ-like, so that our love for Him pours out of us. It can’t stay contained inside. His love for us washes over us, and we are constantly filled with His Spirit.

That’s where our honor comes from. Our love and desire for Him.

(NIV) Matthew 6:20-21, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Is He our treasure? Do we treat Him as such? Do we treat His temple, our body (including our soul connection with Him) like that? Is it sacred to us?

(NIV) Psalm 37:04, “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

The closer we get to Him the more natural we will make changes to our lives. Modesty, yes, one of them. We will choose things that are pure of Him and not tainted in this world.

Our expressions of these choices that reflect our bodies, what we allow our eyes to see, our ears to hear, our mouths to taste, our bodies to feel, and what we breathe in. These are all ways we honor Him. When we turn off the screen because we know there is cursing involved, nudity, and more. When we choose to not show off our bodies, our money, our status, or run our mouths about others in gossip, anger, bitterness, or jealousy.

How we honor the Lord with our body is a reflection of our walk with Him and the state of the temple His Holy Spirit lives in. How we honor Him with our body is an inward reflection.

(NIV) 1 Corinthians 3:17, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”

We are His temple. If we destroy the temple with sin, seeds of lust, envy, jealousy, anger, bitterness and more they will continue to grow, rot, and decay within us. If we destroy our temple, we have destroyed ourselves. 

The core of our intimacy with the Lord is selfless. It is not about gaining anything, truthfully, except Him, and because of Him, we gain everything. 

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If you would like a further explanation on this post, why I spoke about sex in a godly marriage the way I did and more, check out this post I wrote for clarity. Clarity In Yesterday’s Post In Discussing Sex In A Godly Marriage

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What are your thoughts on this post? Was it too much, did I step out of line? 

What does honoring your body to God mean? 

Month Scripture (NIV) Job 2:10, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Second Blog: Peeking Beneath

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