(From a conversation. 🙂 )
Indeed, as it is clear from a scriptural perspective that it is impossible for a part of your body to lead you into sin, this can only be referring to cutting off fellowship with evil men: “a companion of fools shall be destroyed”.
It is the pagan Gnostic idea that our physical bodies are intrinsically sinful, and actually tempt us as if they are separate sinners or demons. Paul uses the term “flesh” figuratively sometimes for sinful desires, saying the lusts of the flesh are various sins – not the desires of our actual physical bodies, such as desires for food and sleep.
The idea that our actual bodies are intrinsically evil is impossible to make agree with God’s Word, who made our bodies in his own image and called them very good before sin existed: the body is a Temple, which is why it should be veiled/clothed, and kept holy to God.
“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” Ep 5
We are to love our physical bodies the way Christ loves us, and on this is based the love of a husband!
To the above comment I would add this: the same applies to “the world”: it is some places in Scripture used figuratively to refer to the world of sinners because of their commonality and how they have defiled the world.
It is again an extrabiblically invasive idea to condemn the physical world as intrinsically bad. Again, when “world” refers to sinners, the “things of the world” are listed as various sins that are committed; Scripture never lists as evils the things of the actual physical world, such as mountains and trees and stars.
Again, the world was created by God for his glory and was called very good. Rather than being put down in Scripture, the world is the exaltation of God:
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead” Ro 1
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.” Ps 19
God’s rebuke to Job could be summed up as, look at the world around you, and see me.
#SabbathPosts 2023/05/13