"Paul refers to sexual sins as 'sin against the body.' By dishonoring the body, these sins violate the dignity of the person. … 'All other sins a man commits are outside of his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.' (1 Cor. 6:18).
"But Paul goes further. 'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?' (1 Cor. 6:19). The body is honorable not only because of the human person's dignity. It is also the temple of the Holy Spirit.
"Paul concludes, saying, 'You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body' (1 Cor. 6"19-20).
"How does the body become God's temple? Through the reality of Christ's redemptive work. … When the Word became flesh, the human body was brought into the life of the Trinity. Christ imprinted a new dignity on the body of every man and woman.
"With new dignity comes a new obligation. … The Spirit is a sanctifying gift of God. And by accepting the Spirit, the Christian receives himself again as a gift. He becomes what he was meant to be.
" The Spirit binds us to God. Paul exhorts us to be aware of the gift and its obligations. 'The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body' (1 Cor. 6:13). … By assuming a human body, God gave every human body supernatural importance. This entails a new measure of holiness for the body. In and through Christ, every Christian must control his body in holiness and honor.
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