In the last Day Share we learned that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are the temple of God. God's Holy Spirit is living in each believer individually and collectively as a church. The Jews were proud of their temple because that was the residence of Yahweh. Although God is omnipresent which means that he is everywhere at the same time (Psalm 139: 7-12 ), He was pleased to dwell on earth in a temple. Now since the death of the Lord Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God is not associated with a building but with people.
The temple was considered a holy place. It was set apart for service to God and there were restriction on accessing the temple. Paul speaks here of defiling the temple of God.
But Paul is not speaking of the massive structure in Jerusalem which was nicknamed Herod's temple. This was a replacement for the previous temple built by King Solomon. The Christians in Corinth probably did not have a building of any kind. They met in a house or a public building rented for that purpose. Paul is emphasing that the Holy Spirit lives within individual believers and a local church is comprised of such believers all with the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is what made the church sacred and holy. It was not the architecture of the building and Janie and I love visiting cathedrals and abbeys etc. But we need to remember the implications of Paul's teaching- the presence of the Holy Spirit sanctifies the church which is the community of like-minded believers in the Lord Jesus.
And Paul is issuing a very severe warning here. In order to understand the severity of the warning, we must examine the actions of the people involved. The same Greek word is used twice - once to describe the offence some Corinthians had committed and once to outline their punishment. The Greek word is phtheiro and it means to shrivel or wither or to spoil or to ruin, especially meaning to defile or to corrupt. It is interesting that the same word is translated in two different ways in the King James Version.
If any man defile (phtheiro) the temple of God, him shall God destroy (phtheiro); for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. [1 Corinthians 3:17 KJV]
There is no doubt that this is a serious warning about the holiness of God's temple or the local church made up of believers who have the indwelling Holy Spirit. God is holy and he will not tolerate defilement of his dwelling place.
Here is this same verse according to a Greek scholar
"If, as is the case, anyone morally corrupts the inner sanctuary of God, this person God will bring to the place of ruin, for the inner sanctuary of God is holy, of which holy character you are." [1 Corinthians 3:17 Kenneth S Wuest]
In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul again stresses the holiness of God's temple
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”
Therefore,
“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”
And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
[2 Corinthians 6:16-18]
This solemn warning about the need for living holy and separate lives in a corrupt world was in the context of idolatry. But in the passage we are looking at in 1 Corinthians 3, Paul is referring to the divisions in the church. They were divided into cliques or factions as they were following men. This is, of course, a form of idolatry. The Corinthians were given human church leaders the place reserved for God. There were other problems in the church including sexual immorality and pride.
This passage is a warning to us that God will not tolerate defilement of the local church because it is his dwelling in the locality. What an awesome responsibility on church leaders who have the God given role of leading and governing the local church. The church members must also be always aware that their conduct may cause defilement of the local church - where God dwells.
There is no doubt that this passage is stating a solemn warning to us that God will not tolerate defilement of his church. Some commentators also suggest that God's punishment on those who cause such defilement is even more severe than what was spoken about earlier in the chapter (verses 12 to 15) when Paul was talking about those who were using wrong materials in the building up of the church. This may have referred to the content of their teaching or to the motives. In this case, they were still saved - even though their work was destroyed. But in this verse, it seems to be much more serious. They have polluted the church and they are going to be punished. They are suffering God's punishment for their sins. In other words, someone who does that has never truly been a child of God and is condemned to eternal punishment. This is a very solemn lesson from the word of God.
We are too ready to play down the holiness of God and his hatred of sin and defilement.
[Photo by Karren McPherson from Maddiston]
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