A.C.T.S. reflection

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

¹⁹Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Adoration

God is worthy of worship not only with our words but with our whole lives. His gift of the Holy Spirit shows how closely He draws near to His people and how deeply our bodies matter to Him.

The words “your body is a temple” invite us to recognize the holiness of God’s presence in ordinary, embodied life. Paul identifies this presence as “the Holy Spirit within you,” showing that God is not merely watching from a distance. The phrase “whom you have from God” points to His generosity in giving His Spirit. The closing command, “So glorify God in your body,” makes worship the fitting response to His presence and His claim upon us. We adore Him by recognizing His holiness and offering our whole selves to His honor.

Confession

This verse invites us to acknowledge the ways we treat our bodies and choices as though they belong only to us. We can honestly confess where we have sought our own desires without considering what honors God, trusting His mercy as we turn back to Him.

Paul’s question, “Or do you not know,” calls believers back to a truth they may not be living out. In the surrounding passage, He is warning against sexual immorality, so this reminder has a concrete connection to bodily choices. “You are not your own” challenges the assumption that our desires alone should govern what we do. The command “glorify God in your body” invites honest reflection on where our actions have failed to honor Him. Confession means bringing those failures before God rather than hiding them, and turning toward the life that fits our belonging to Him.

Thanksgiving

We can thank God that we belong to Him and that He has given us His Holy Spirit. Our belonging was purchased at great cost, reminding us that His love is not distant or casual.

The phrase “whom you have from God” names the Holy Spirit as a gift, giving us a clear reason for gratitude. God has not left His people to live faithfully without His presence. “You were bought with a price” points to the costly redemption accomplished through Christ’s death. Although these verses do not describe that death in detail, their language reminds us that belonging to God came at a cost we did not pay ourselves. We can give thanks both for His redeeming love and for the Spirit who dwells within us.

Supplication

Ask God to help you honor Him in the everyday ways you use and care for your body. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to turn away from sin and live with a grateful awareness that you belong to God.

“So glorify God in your body” gives our requests a practical direction: we need help to honor God through our actions. Because Paul calls the body “a temple of the Holy Spirit,” we can ask for a deeper awareness of His presence in daily life. In light of the surrounding warning against sexual immorality, we can pray specifically for purity and strength to turn away from temptation. “You are not your own” also invites us to ask for willing hearts that welcome God’s authority rather than resist it. These requests respond to the grace already described in the verse: we belong to Him, and His Spirit is within us.

Prayer prompt

In your own words, praise God for His presence, confess where you have resisted His care and authority, and thank Him for making you His own. Ask Him to show you one concrete way to honor Him with your body today.

Make this reflection your own

Reflect on 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Reflections on this page are generated with AI to guide your own prayer — always read the passage yourself first. Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.