(15) Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. (16) What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. (17) But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (18) Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Numberless very blessed things, are contained within the compass of these verses. I beg the Reader's attention to them in order. First. The Apostle reminds the Church of a precious truth; which is so plainly taught in the Gospel, and supposed to be so perfectly known and understood by every regenerated child of God, that he takes it for granted, they all knew it, and were daily living in the enjoyment of it; namely, their union, and oneness, with Christ. Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ. The sacred holy body of Christ which the Son of God took into union with him is Personal. But Christ's mystical body is the whole Church. Now, it is highly important, that this should be thoroughly understood, and, apprehended, by every member of Christ's mystical body. The whole person of a child of God, he whom the Father hath given to his dear Son, and whom God the Son hath betrothed to himself, and redeemed by his blood and righteousness from this time-state of sin and corruption; is truly, and virtually united to Christ, in body, soul, and spirit. For though the body is not renewed at regeneration, and it is the spirit only that is quickened, which before this gracious act of God the Spirit was dead, by reason of the Adam-fall, in trespasses and sins; yet the whole man is united to Christ, and as a member of Christ's body of his flesh, and of his bones, is part of Christ. And in proof of it, whenever a child of God's, his spirit joins the society of the spirits of just men made perfect; and though the body returns to the dust, yet, in consequence of an union with Christ, as his glorious Head; he will arise from the dust of the earth at the last day. This proves that the whole person of a child of God is united to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Secondly. The Apostle takes it equally granted, the Church knew, that, by virtue of this union with Christ, one and the same Spirit lived, and acted, in both. He that is joined unto the Lord is One Spirit. This glorious and momentous truth became too important, in Paul's view, to be lost sight of by the Church. For what could be equally interesting? The same Almighty God the Spirit which anointed, filled, and made blessed the human nature of Christ; anointed, filled, and made blessed all his members. In Christ indeed, as in a fountain. In them as in a vessel. But still One, and the same. The Lord giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Christ. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, John 3:34; Colossians 2:9. But unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Ephesians 4:7
Thirdly. When God the Holy Ghost quickens the soul of a child of God by regeneration, he becomes a life-giving, soul-renewing source, in the spiritual part of the person; and makes the body his temple, according to his original and eternal promise, Ezekiel 36:25-28; Leviticus 26:11-12. So that, by virtue of this, the Holy Ghost becomes a quickening Spirit, to give a vital union between Christ and his members, and to keep alive the principles of grace he hath planted, and maintain that life in the soul, as a branch in the vine. And, while influencing the spirit of the believer, in opening Continual communications from Christ, as the Head to his members; the redeemed are enabled to mortify the deeds of the body, by His indwelling presence, Romans 8:13
And, lastly, to mention no more: what endears the whole to every child of God is, that this personal union, by which the believer is united to Christ, as God-Man, in body, soul, and spirit; is an everlasting, indissoluble union, which nothing can separate or destroy. Because I live, saith Jesus, ye shall live also, John 14:19. Hence, the Apostle was taught by the Holy Ghost to comfort the Church, both with the secrecy, and the safety, of all the people of God. Your life, said he, is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then ye shall also appear with him in glory, Colossians 3:3-4
From all these considerations, and more than these, which are included in the Apostle's observations; he argues, both the shame, and sin, of joining, the members of Christ's body, with the members of an harlot. And he shews, as plain as words can make it, that as the whole Church, and every individual of the Church, is chosen by God, bought with the price of Christ's blood, and renewed by the Holy Ghost; they are no longer their own property, but Christ's, by every tie which can make them so, both by creation, and redemption; and therefore are called upon, to glorify Him, whose right they are, in body, and in spirit, which are God's. I beg the Redder to observe, that it is Christ, who is here spoken of as God, whose right the Church is, by having bought it with a price. And this by the way becomes a very plain, full, and decisive testimony to the Godhead of Christ. And very blessed it is, when a child of God, gives the glory to Christ as such, both in body, and in spirit, which are his.