In 1 Corinthians 6, the Apostle Paul appears to share with us a line of reasoning that was popular among the believers in this young, Greek church: "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food." (v. 13) But the original context in which this comment was being used wasn't a biology class or a discussion of dietary issues. From the context in which Paul uses it, it seems the Corinthian disciples were reasoning about a person's sexual appetite by appealing to our physical appetite for food. "If we satisfy our 'stomach-ly' hunger with food, when we want, how we want," the reasoning seems to go, "then we should also satisfy our hunger for sex, when we want, how we want." But notice the moral assumption here: our dietary desires and our sexual desires are equally natural, therefore satisfying either of these desires is ultimately an amoral issue. And fundamentally, Scripture does affirm one aspect of this reasoning: the fact that (again, fundamentally) dietary desire and sexual desire are natural appetites. Indeed, God did create human beings with both of these desires.

But when we continue past 1 Corinthians 6:13, we discover how Paul exposes the critical flaws in this kind of thinking. First, Paul rightly points out that both earthly food and our digestive systems will eventually be abolished. They are simply functional features of this age, not realities of eternal significance. But in contrast to the stomach, second, one's body--(specifically, your body as a sexual "vessel" (1 Thessalonians 4:4)--does have profound, spiritual aspects, aspects that really do have eternal significance; for though our bodies die, God "will also raise us up by his power" (v. 14). What are these spiritual aspects of our bodies as sexual vessels? That even though you can and should "glorify God in your body" (v. 20), according 6:9–11, it's possible (for example) to abuse the inherent 'oneness' power of sex in such a way that it results in joining Jesus to a prostitute. It's helpful to see that this shocking thought is built on the reality that, third, a Christian's body no longer belongs to him or her (v. 19b). That body was "bought with a price" (v. 20), and now serves as "a temple of the Holy Spirit" (v. 19a). Thus Paul is able to say, "The body is... meant... for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." (v. 13) What should we do with such knowledge? All of this powerfully argues for a very practical prescription: given that natural (i.e., God-designed), sexual appetites can lead to unnatural (i.e., sin-distorted) outcomes, we should humbly trust that God knows what is best when it comes to satisfying such desires.

In a world that regularly preaches about doing whatever "feels good" or "feels right" sexually, a world that ferociously advocates for sex/sexuality as a 'judgment-free zone' (and often mocks or vilifies those who even suggest guardrails or boundary lines), the Corinthians' flawed reasoning might sound to many like ancient wisdom to be celebrated. But many who rightly speak of sexuality as a beautiful, natural part of human existence wrongly assume that our sexuality is not also tainted by the ugly, me-centeredness that lies behind so much of our suffering. Dismantling his readers' "stomach"-informed reasoning, Paul argues that sex and sexuality become unnatural whenever we stray from our Creator's loving design. That's why Paul can say so matter-of-factly, "The body is not meant for sexual immorality," (v. 13) and "Flee from sexual immorality..." (v. 18). What is God's loving design for sex? Aspects of it can be found all over this section of the letter, from prohibitions (5:1, 11; 6:9, 15) to prescriptions (7:1-5, 8-9). These passages can serve as a helpful introduction to the fuller witness of Scripture on this subject. If our deepest desires truly have been satisfied by the abundant grace of God, then it's important we understand his will in this area, so that each of us might also "glorify God in your body" (v. 20)(as well as help guide others, just as Paul does here). And in light of this issue, if our past waywardness, our past transgressions, our past pursuits of what is unnatural, are weighing heavy on us, Paul's words earlier in the chapter are even more helpful. Be encouraged by how Jesus graciously and decisively redeems us from our unnaturalness for his newness, a newness that he alone has made possible:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral... nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality... will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. 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. (vs. 9–11)