The Temple of God

How many times have you been reading the scripture that you have read multiple times and all of the sudden a particular verse jumps out at you? As I was reading in 1 Corinthians the third chapter, all of a sudden, the 16^th and 17^th verses caught my attention.  What does it mean we are the temple of God? I have read this passage many times over the years and never thought much about it, but this time it grabbed me. The scripture is “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1Cor 3:16-17 KJV). So, I looked up the Moffet version to compare it with the King James just for fun, and it makes it very clear.  “Do you not know you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells within you? God will destroy anyone who would destroy God’s temple, for God’s temple is sacred—and that is what you are.” (1 Cor 3:16-17 MOFF)

The longer I pondered the scripture the more I began to wonder about what I had read. What was the meaning of, “ye are the temple of God”? So, I began to look at how God spoke of His temple, and what it represented to the people of Israel. It was the place to go to for every situation they faced. Be it personal, physical, or spiritual. That is where they went when they wanted answers to their questions or to find forgiveness for sin. They knew that was where God’s presence was, and you could depend on meeting God there.

As I thought about this in connection with where we are today, we are born again into the family of God. We receive Christ into our heart and that includes the Holy Spirit taking up residence in our body. That means that we don’t have to travel to a distant place to talk with God because He is constantly at home in His temple. No matter where we are or the difficulties we face, God is with us.

If we are the temple of God, then we should be reminded that everywhere we go and everything we do and say is a reflection of God. God is constantly with us. We are taking the Holy Spirit of God with us everywhere we go. And He is witness to everything we do and speak. Jesus said “we are to let our light shine so that men may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt 5:14-16 (KJV)

Lest you feel this is an impossible task. Let me remind you when Jesus was talking with the disciples the night before His crucifixion in John chapters 14 & 15, He talked of a comforter that He would send and that He would be with us and in us.

In conclusion let me suggest that you take some time to reflect on the fact that the Most High God, the creator of heaven and earth, that sacrificed His only begotten Son to pay our sin debt, would love us so much that He would make us who are redeemed, to be His temple, and that He would send His Holy Spirit to live in us, His temple. What an amazing God we have that is with us and in us every day, all day, and is available to us continually, for all our needs, cares, and concerns. A song in our hymnal on page 384 speaks to this.

As we reflect on being the temple, how are we to respond?

Blessings,

Pastor Glen Suiter