This lesson teaches children that God wants us to be fair and kind to each other, and that our bodies belong to God and matter to him. It is designed for children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the activity.
Big Idea
God wants us to treat people fairly and kindly, and to honor our bodies because they belong to him. We were bought with a great price, so we can care for ourselves and others well.
Memory Verse
1 Corinthians 6:20
For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
(WEB)
Teach children to cross their arms over their chests, like holding something precious, as they say the words together. Then have them lift their hands up toward the sky when they say “glorify God.” Repeat it three times, getting slightly quieter each time.
The Story: 1 Corinthians 6 for Kids
Paul was a teacher who wrote letters to the church in the city of Corinth. The Christians there were not always getting along. Some of them were taking each other to court to fight over small problems, like who owed money to whom. Paul felt sad about this, because they were all family in Jesus.
Paul asked them a question that made them think. He asked, “Isn’t there even one wise person among you who could settle a disagreement between two brothers?” He wanted them to see that they could solve problems together with kindness, instead of fighting in front of people who did not know Jesus.
Paul also reminded them about who they used to be and who they had become. Some of them had done very wrong things before they knew Jesus. But Paul said, “Such were some of you, but you were washed.” God had cleaned them up and made them his own.
Then Paul talked about their bodies. He told them that their bodies were not meant for doing wrong, but for belonging to the Lord. He said their bodies were like a temple where God’s Holy Spirit lives. So Paul told them to honor God with their bodies and their spirits.
Paul ended by saying something very important: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” Jesus paid a great price to rescue us, so we belong to him. Paul wanted the Corinthians to remember how much they were loved and to live like it.
Read It Together
1 Corinthians 6:7
Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you, that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?
(WEB)
Point out that Paul was sad that Christians were treating each other unfairly. Ask the children how they feel when someone is unfair to them. Explain that Jesus wants us to be patient and gentle, even when someone hurts us.
1 Corinthians 6:11
Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.
(WEB)
Show the children that the verse says “you were washed,” “you were sanctified,” and “you were justified.” Explain that these words mean God made us clean and made us right with him, not because we earned it, but because of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
(WEB)
Help the children see that their bodies are special and belong to God, the way a house belongs to the family who lives in it. Remind them that God made their bodies and that they can use them to love and serve him.
Talk About It
- What is one way we can be fair to our friends when we disagree with them?
- Why do you think Paul was sad that the Christians were fighting with each other?
- What does it mean that Jesus washed us clean?
- How can we take good care of our bodies and show that they belong to God?
- When you feel tempted to be unkind to someone, what could you do instead?
Activity Ideas
Temple Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a simple temple or special building, then add a small heart or light inside to show God’s Spirit living there. Talk together about how our bodies can be like that building. Let them take the drawing home as a reminder.
Fair Share Game
You will need a bag of small snacks, like crackers or raisins, and a few cups. Give one child a handful of snacks and ask them to share fairly with the group without fighting over who gets more. Pause to talk about how sharing kindly is like settling a disagreement with love. Repeat with different children taking turns.
Memory Verse Card
You will need index cards or scrap paper, a pen, and a stick-on decorative item if you have one. Write the memory verse on the card in large letters and let children decorate it. Encourage them to keep it on their nightstand or in their backpack. Suggest they say it to a family member during the week.
Teacher Notes
Paul’s words here show that how we treat one another matters deeply, and that our bodies are part of our worship of God. Adults should understand that Paul was addressing real conflicts in a real church, and that his call to honor God with our bodies is about the whole of life, not just one area. The message is grace and belonging, not shame.
With children, avoid going into detail about the specific sins Paul lists. Keep the focus on being fair, kind, and clean because Jesus has made us his own. Let children ask questions, and answer simply and honestly, pointing them back to God’s love and care.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for washing us clean and making us your own. Help us to be fair and kind to our friends and family. Help us to take care of our bodies and our hearts, because they belong to you. We love you, and we want to honor you in everything we do. Amen.
