1 Corinthians 6:15 Meaning and Explanation
“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 an harlot? God forbid.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Believers' bodies belong to Christ as His own members, so joining them to immorality is unthinkable.
What Does 1 Corinthians 6:15 Mean?
Paul presses his point with a vivid image: those united to Christ are joined to Him so closely that their very bodies are His members, parts of His body. To then join such a body to a harlot is a contradiction he recoils from with 'God forbid.'
The horror Paul expresses flows from love, not mere rule-keeping. Union with Christ is intimate and total; it lays claim to the whole person. Sexual sin is grievous because it drags into impurity what now belongs to the Lord. The believer is not an isolated individual free to do as he wishes, but a living member of Christ Himself, called to honor that holy union in every act of the body.
1 Corinthians 6:15 in the Original Language
melos (μέλος), 'member' -- a limb or part of the body, here the believer joined to Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 6:15
What does 1 Corinthians 6:15 mean?
Believers' bodies belong to Christ as His own members, so joining them to immorality is unthinkable.