Stewardship of Our Bodies

Some time ago, my heart grieved as I learned of a respected Christian leader who had fallen into a life of sin. He had obviously not intended to do so, but when the temptation came, he yielded. As a result, his wife, his family, his friends, and fellow Christians suffered heartache. Most tragically, his testimony and witness for the Lord Jesus has suffered untold damage. Many have ridiculed and rejected the cause of Christ because of his sin.

Since God wants us to live a holy life, the enemy seeks to entrap us in sin and defeat. One of Satan's methods is to tempt us to misuse our bodies.

But God created our bodies for His glory. By surrendering them to Him, He can use us to further His kingdom and help us grow in our faith.

This study will help you understand the importance of giving control of your body to God. You will also discover danger areas in using your physical self and how to help further the cause of Christ with different parts of your body.

The Spirit and the Body

1. Read I Peter 4:1-2 and Hebrews 10:1-10. How did Jesus regard His body?
2. What does Christ's sacrifice mean to us? (Hebrews 10:10) Look up the word "sanctified" in a Bible dictionary. How does this word relate to your stewardship?
3. What do you learn about the body of the Christian from Romans 8:8-9 and 12:1?
4. Express in your own words the additional reasons given in I Corinthians 6:19-20 for being a good steward of your body.
5. How are we to do this? (Galatians 5:16, Romans 12:1, Matthew 26:41)

Individual Parts of the Body

The Tongue

1. Why is it so important to be a good steward of the tongue? (James 1:26 and 3:2-6)
2. Why should you know concerning its use? (Matthew 12:36) List areas where you misuse your tongue. How has this affected your life? How should you use your tongue properly? (James 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:24, 29, Proverbs 21:23, Psalm 39:1)

The Heart

1. What must we understand about the heart? (Jeremiah 17:9) How can we counteract our natural tendencies? (Psalm 139:23-24)
2. What condition of heart does God require? (Psalm 51:17) What kind of heart does God look for and why? (II Chronicles 16:9, Matthew 5:8, II Thessalonians 3:5, Psalm 15:1-2)
3. What is the result of keeping your mind focused on God? (Isaiah 26:3) How can you keep your mind on Him? (Philippians 4:6-7, Deuteronomy 11:18)

The Hands

1. What does God think about the work of your hands? (Proverbs 12:14, 24) How did the apostles feel about the importance of what their hands had done? (Acts 20:34-35 and I Thessalonians 4:11-12)
2. How can we use our hands to glorify God? (Proverbs 31:20, Ephesians 5:28, Deuteronomy 15:10-11, Ecclesiastes 9:10)

The Feet

1. Contrast the feet of those who do evil with those who do good. (Isaiah 52:7, 59:7, Romans 3:15, Psalm 119:101,105; 56:13)
2. How do Romans 10:15 and Ephesians 6:15 relate to evangelism?

The Eyes

1. What is the importance of the eyes (Matthew 6:22-23) Describe what this means to you? What sins can we commit with our eyes? (Proverbs 21:4, 27:20, Jeremiah 22:17, Matthew 5:28, I John 2:16)
2. What privilege did the apostles have? (I John 1:1-3) How can we avoid temptation? (Psalm 19:8, 119:37, 121:1-2, 123:1)

The Ears

1. Write down ways we can misuse hearing. (Proverbs 21:13 II Timothy 4:3-4) What can listening to God give us? (Romans 10:17, John 5:24) How can you apply James 1:19-22 to your daily life? Give specific examples.

Sexual Expression

1. Compare the sexual sins in I Corinthians 6:9-10,13-18 with marriage in I Corinthians 7:1-8.
2. God considered David a man after His own heart, yet what was David's greatest sin? (II Samuel 11:2-5; 14-17; 26-27) 
3. What is God's stern judgment against misusers and abusers of sex? (I Corinthians 6:9-10) Why is it especially tragic if a Christian becomes involved in the misuse of sex? (I Corinthians 6:15-18)
4. How serious is sexual lust, according to Christ? (Matthew 5:28)
5. How can the application of the following verses enable you to overcome sexual lust? (Philippians 4:8, Psalm 119:9, 11; I Corinthians 10:13; Romans 6:11-13; I Thessalonians 4:3-5)
6. List the things in your life that tempt you to have impure thoughts. How can you apply these verses to each?

Life Application

1. How does stewardship of each individual part of the body affect each part?
2. How could it affect the body as a whole?
3. How would you apply I Thessalonians 5:22 to the following: The use of your tongue; desires of your heart; control of your mind; work of your hands; where you go; what you see; what you hear; your conduct with members of the opposite sex?

Adapted from The 10 Basic Steps Toward Christian Maturity, by Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Cru. All rights reserved.