Bible Questions and Answers

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

The difference between fornication and other sins is that fornication often has internal health consequences as well as spiritually damning ones. In Paul's day, especially in Corinth, state sanctioned prostitution often associated with idol worship was rampant and unbelievably casual even by today's standards. Sexually transmitted disease was widespread.

Seven reasons from Pauls letters to Corinth why the believer should flee immoral sexual relationships: 

[from: www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/comm/46_ico/ico07.html]

1. The immoral will be excluded from the Kingdom of God: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral... nor adulterers will inherit the kingdom of God" (1Co 6:9,10; cp Gal 5:19-21).
2. You were separated from immorality at baptism: "You have been washed... separated... and justified" (1Co 6:11).
3. Your body belongs to the Lord: Therefore you are not free to do as you wish with your body: "The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body" (1Co 6:13).
4. The body will be the subject of a future resurrection: "God who raised Christ by His power will raise your body by the same power" (1Co 6:14).
5. Your body is a member of Christ: "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?" (1Co 6:15). Immoral unions violate the oneness with Christ. The believer is one spirit with his Savior. The "one spirit" is a oneness in thinking and attitude (John 17). You cannot be of "one spirit" with the Savior and of "one flesh" by union with an immoral person (1Co 6:16).
6. Fornication is a sin against one's own body (1Co 6:18).
7. You are not your own: "You have been purchased with a price; therefore glorify God in your body" (1Co 6:20).

I hope you have found this helpful.

God bless,
Mike