1 Corinthians 6:12-20

1599 Geneva Bible

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 6:12 Secondly, he showeth that the Corinthians do simply offend in matters indifferent. First, because they abused them: next, because they used indifferent things, without any discretion, seeing the use of them ought to be brought to the rule of charity: and that he doth not use them aright, which immoderately abuseth them, and so becometh a slave unto them.
2. 1 Corinthians 6:12 Whatever: but this general word must be restrained to things that are indifferent.
3. 1 Corinthians 6:12 He is in subjection to things that are indifferent, whatsoever he be that thinketh he may not be without them, which is a flattering kind of slavery under a color of liberty, which sealeth upon such men.
4. 1 Corinthians 6:13 Secondarily, because they counted many things for indifferent which were of themselves unlawful, as fornication, which they numbered amongst mere natural and lawful desires, as well as meat and drink: Therefore the Apostle showeth, that they are utterly unlike: for meats, saith he, were made for the necessary use of man’s life, which is not perpetual. For both meats, and all this manner of nourishing are quickly abolished. But we must not so think of the uncleanness of fornication, for which the body is not made, but on the contrary side is ordained to pureness, as appeareth by this, that is consecrated to Christ, even as Christ also is given us of his Father, to quicken our bodies with that virtue wherewith he also rose again.
5. 1 Corinthians 6:15 A declaration of the former argument by contraries, and the applying of it.
6. 1 Corinthians 6:16 A proof of the same argument: a harlot and Christ are clean contrary, so are the flesh and the Spirit: therefore he that is one with an harlot (which is done by carnal copulation of their bodies) cannot be one with Christ, which unity is pure and spiritual.
7. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Moses doth not speak these words of fornication, but of marriage: but seeing that fornication is the corrupting of marriage, and both of them is a carnal and fleshly copulation, we cannot say that the Apostle abuseth his testimony. Again, Moses hath not this word (Two) but it is very well expresseth both here and in Matt. 29:5, because he speaketh only but of man and wife: whereupon the opinion of them that vouch it to be lawful to have many wives, is beaten down: for he that companieth with many, is sundered as it were into many parts.
8. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Another argument why fornication is to be eschewed, because it defileth the body with a peculiar kind of filthiness.
9. 1 Corinthians 6:19 The third argument: Because a fornicator is sacrilegious, for that our bodies are consecrate to God.
10. 1 Corinthians 6:19 The fourth argument: Because we are not our own men, to give ourselves to any other, much less to Satan and the flesh, seeing that God himself hath bought us, and that with a great price, to the end that both in body and soul, we should serve to his glory.