In the indulgence of depraved appetites they had even united with the heathen in their idolatrous festivals, thus endangering the faith of those newly converted from idolatry. Paul counsels them to firmly control their animal passions and appetites. The body, the master-piece of God’s workmanship, like a perfect and well-stringed instrument, must be kept in soundness, in order to produce harmonious action. He says that unless he should put in practice his own exhortations, by striving for the mastery over self, observing temperance in all things, he would, after preaching to others, himself becomes a castaway.{LP 167.1}

Når en fordærvet appetit føjes har de gået sammen med hedningene ved deres afgudefester, og derved sat deres tro i fare, som lige er blevet omvendt fra afgudsdyrkelse. Paulus råder dem til at kontrollere deres dyriske lidenskaber og appetit fast. Legemet, som er Guds mesterstykke, ligesom et fuldkomment og velstrammet instrument, må holdes i sund form for at yde harmoniske handlinger. Han siger at hvis han ikke praktiserer sine egne fomaninger, og behersker sit selv, er mådeholdene i alle ting, vil han efter at forkynde for andre, selv lide skibbrud.