1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

Looking at the context, I believe "any man" here have to believers. There are three mention of "any man":

1. "Any man" (v.15) whose work is burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ will suffer loss of reward, "but he himself [referring to the "any man"] shall be saved".

2. "Any man" (v.17) refers those who are indwelt by the Spirit of God (v.16). The body (1 Cor. 6:19,20) of "any man" is holy for it is the "temple of God". If "any man" defiles his body, "him" (that is, his "flesh") shall God destroy ("destruction of the flesh"), but his "spirit" is SAVED (1 Cor. 5:5).

(Note: nothing wrong with calling one man's body "the" temple of God. There is only one church of God, but there is nothing wrong with calling a local church "THE church of God which is at Corinth", although we know that "THE church of God" is composed of believers not only in Corinth but also by all saved believers.)

3. "Any man" among the Corinthian believers ("among you") is not to deceive himself.

I believe the word "defile" refers to sin done in the body. Fornication has been the subject of the context for 1 Corinthians 5:5 and 1 Corinthians 6:19,20, but there is no indication in the Bible that defilement of the body is limited to that.

Biblestudent is making some very good points.
Luke, I also thought Kiwi did a pretty good job on the first page of the thread, his posts 4, 9 and 10 seem pretty solid to me.

It also seems to me that all of us are destined for physical destruction anyway. It's just a matter of time. We all have an appointment with death (Hebrews 9:27), there are no glorified, sin free bodies walking around on earth (Romans 3:23) we are all wrapped in sin cursed flesh.

Going back to your comment in post no. 7:
Because we have defiled this temple (our body) in the past, as believers, and repented, are we so proud to think that our bodies are still not dying around us on a daily basis? No, we are all in the same physical boats!
The wages of sin are death. Sin has KILLED US. (Romans 7:11)

After the fall, God sadly stated, "MAN IS FLESH."
"And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Gen.6:3).

Does this mean we are doomed to total destruction? No.
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galatians 5:24)
Notice that implies our positional standing with regard to the flesh CHANGED FOREVER when we became adopted children of God.

But even Paul wrestled with the flesh and don't ever forget it, as shown in Romans chapter 7:

14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Also keep in mind that this would fit in with what is said in the book of Jude:

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4 KJV)

The funny thing is that Rob Bell, and Donald Miller come to my mind as I meditate upon these Scriptures. I'm not sure if these wolves have denied Lord Jesus, but Unitarians sure do. It are these sorts of folks that I believe these Scriptures speak of when they speak of defiling the Temple (the Church age temple that is).

Peace and Love,
Stephen

Luke, the answer to your question lies in doing a study of how the Temple in the OT was defiled.

Also, I don't think these passages speak of blood bought sinners defiling their flesh with sin. If this were so we'd all be doomed to Hell, but it is not so. Jesus Christ payed the price for all past present and future sins, and He is merciful and just to forgive us if we will confess our sins to Him.

Peace and Love,
Stephen

Rob Bell is perverted. I've never read anything of his. Anyone that would write a book and call my Saviour a sexgod is wicked and vile. Whenever I see him, I think of some hip hepcat sodomite hanging out in starbucks with a fagbag and an art folio.

Hey Stephanos, I notice you referred to 1 John 1:9 here, do you believe that God will forgive a Christian who doesn't confess his sins to Him?

Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Jesus referred to a plural of people while using a singular noun to refer to the individual. I'm pretty sure these people were not joined together in one body/spirit, nor are they going to put on a raiment that surrounds all of them as a unified body of people, so why does the Paul have to be talking about the Church as the only temple of God and not the believer as an individual?

As for defiling your body, people do it in many ways, and usually involves giving in to the fleshy desires such as doing drugs, sex, smoking, drinking, even things like eating to much. God has set it up so that your flesh will be destroyed through these things. Cancer, diseases, obesity, etc., will eventually kill you if you indulge in these things for to long.

Besides, the thought of the Lord's body becoming defiled is just silly. I mean, have you guys seriously thought about that? Are you saying we can make the Lord spotted with sin after He came out of the pit of Hell to be sinless forever and having the ability to give us that sinless perfection?

Good point. I looked at Matt 6:25 yesterday when I was studying this topic, and came to the same conclusion.

No, I think salvation is accomplished by the finished work of the Cross. But is it not indicative of a rebirth in Christ if a person acknowledges his or her sinfulness to God and asks Him for forgiveness? Since we all struggle with sin each day, wouldn't it make sense that we confess these sins to God as well (especially since our sins are done against Him)?

Here is a good article on this:

http://withchrist.org/MJS/the%20cross.htm

Peace and Love,
Stephen