The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-20
SHOULD NOT MAKE BODY
AN INSTRUMENT OF SIN
DR.. johnson Tells Congregation to
Keeps Bodies Clean. Health
full and Pure.

Having for his theme THE Home
of the Soul" Rev. j. r. johnson
preached a forceful and interesting
sermon last night to a congregation
that hacked venab le-Street Baptist
Church. In part, DR. johnson said:
I'm the announcement OF my sub
ject most of you, no doubt, have let
your thoughts turn heavenward. We
are prone to forget that our souls are
at home now; not the final home, but
the earthly home. In our text Paul
contrasts the present and future home.
the old and the new. We know that If
our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of
God. a house not made with hands
eternal in the heavens. The first is
IAN earthly house, a building of clay.
"a corruptible body. a temporary, tent
like abode. We are In it now, these
bodies. The second Is heavenly
mansion, a building of God, a glori-
fed body, eternal in the heavens, We
will occupy it at the second coming.
I'VE ought to be interested in the
first as we'll as the second. They are
closely related. Paul makes a strong
plea for the care, the purity and holi-
mess of the body. OF course, we are
not to make more of the house than
the occupant. The home is simply
for the occupants welfare. There are
beautiful homes with brownstone
fronts sheltering a devil within. So
there may be handsome. strong. we'll.
groomed bodies occupied by an evil,
sinful tenant. Christianity exalts both
soul and body and closely relates
them. Fear him who is able to de-
stroy both soul and body in hell.
Christ wants to save both. You have
no right to abuse your body. Though
1t be corruptible, in that 1t will return
to the dust, 1t is to be kept clean,
healthful. never abused and never
made an instrument of sin. To de-
stroy 1t Is to destroy the possibility
! of the souls highest jo' and service.
We are learning the great lesson of
environment. The study of medicine
now is preventive. The dentist seeks
to save the tooth instead of extract
/ ing It, E,ugenics has its place.
| Mistook Law Of Liberty.
! The Corinthians seem to have mis-
took the Christian law of liberty about
eating meats. Some felt free to In
dulge any fieshly inclination thinking.
according to the ancient philosophy,
that the soul was not affected. that
there was no sin. But know We not
that our bodies are the members OF
Christi Shall l, then, take the mem
bers OF Christ and make them the
members OF an harlot? God forbid.
There is many physical wreck be-
cause of this hellish sin and no fewer
/ spiritual ones. Let not sin reign in
your mortal body. Present your
J1A.3 ixri,. nrffi r.
ceptable unto God. which is your
reasonable service
Body Homo Of Holy Spirit.
The body is not only our home. but
that of the Holy Spirit and the Christ.
Know We not that your body Is the
temple Of the Holy Spirit? He that
is Joined to the Lord is one spirit
with Him. So ye are not your own.
For We are bought with a price: there
fore, glorify God in your body and in
your spirit. which are Gods. No
Christian has a right TO abuse his
body with strong drink, or any drug.
or exposure. or sin
1--WE will have another home. II
will be SO much superior to the first
that the moving should bring no ter
rors, however we hate to give up the
associations and memories of the first.
| We will like the other when we move
III. we look Tor tife cdNiohI the,
lord Jesus Christ. who shall changes
| our vile body that it may he fashioned
like unto His glorious body. There Is
a natural body and there is a spiritual
body. We will not be spirits in heaven
without corporiety. We will be cloth
ed upon with our house, which is
I from heaven. Perfect heavenly man
hood requires body, soul and spirit.
IT will be building of God, imperish-
able and glorified."