"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."
- 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Thursday, 14 December 2017 from 1800-2000(ish)
Rotolo's Pizzeria (1409 E. 70th St, Shreveport)
I hope that everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving, though I'm sure that you lamented the lack of a C&H last month. Could this have been the ignominious ending to 2017 intellectually robust spiritual fellowship? Fear not! Your final fix of manly character and conversation for this year is not in the past and will occur this Thursday at a new location. Rotolo's offers a slightly better location for you Shreveport brethren, a potentially cheaper menu, and $1 craft brew nights on Thursdays. To top off the pick, there's no smoking for you dainty-of-lung and under 21 is allowed so please feel free to bring the young men in your lives that would be encouraged and challenged to join us.
A quick insight into the philosophy of topic choice before getting into the meat: Every month I attempt to cycle between personal/applicable and overarching/worldview. Last month was more of the latter and some of the former as it concerned firearms, gun control, governmental limits concerning it, and a congregant's (potential) responsibility towards them. This month will hit more onto the former (or the belt, in this case): As the masthead verse states, our body is God's temple. What does that look like?
Questions:
- Does the temple imagery/description only apply to sexual sins (1 Corinthians 6:15-20)?
- Does God care what we eat? How it's sourced, raised, harvested, etc.?
- To what does/should the Latin phrase abusus usum non tollit (“Abuse does not take away proper use”) apply? Why?
- What defines defiling our bodily temples or putting it at risk? Smoking, alcohol, caffeine, tattoos, piercings, trans-fats, skydiving, roller coasters, etc.? Why and who/what decides?
- Should Christian liberty be negotiable in that it should be given up in deference to fellow Christians who are gravely offended or possibly tempted?
- As our bodies are not corrupt and imperfect, are decaying and dying in a fallen world, how much does this matter as we look forward to incorruptible, redeemed bodies in the life to come?
Readings:
- Fear, Shame, and Guilt at Lunch (Blog & Mablog: Douglas Wilson)
- Beer, Bohemianism, and True Christian Liberty (Grace to You: John MacArthur)
- Concerning Christian Liberty (Martin Luther)
