[Photo by Jeremy Zero on Unsplash.]
Read 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. Paul makes a statement that must have shocked his readers - especially Jewish ones. He was saying that they were the temple of God. God had taken up residence in their lives. For Jews God was associated with a temple - a building in Jerusalem where he dwelt
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. [1 Corinthians 3:16-17 ESV]
Notice how Paul introduces this staggering statement. "Do you not know?" This is a favourite question in Paul's writings. The Corinthian believers were proud of their knowledge and wisdom but Paul is saying that there is an important truth that they do not know and they should know and they need to know. There are two important lessons for us in these verses
You are God's temple. The temple was the dwelling place of God. While they were travelling through the desert on the journey from Egypt to Canaan, God was present with them all the journey and his residence was a tabernacle - a large portable dwelling. There were so many instructions regarding the building of this big tent because it was the centre of the life of the Israelites and the dwelling place of God. In fact, God had a dwelling place right within this tent and it was the most holy place or sanctuary. No human being could enter there. King Solomon, the son of David, built a magnificent temple and there was also an inner sanctuary at the centre of this temple building and courtyard. There are two Greek words Paul could have used - one to describe the whole temple courtyard and building but he chose the other one which described the most holy place where God dwelt. Here is how one Greek scholar translate this verse. "Do you not all know that all of you are God's inner sanctuary and that the Spirit of God is making His home in you? " [1 Corinthians 3:16 Kenneth S. Wuest]. This is staggering. God is not dwelling in the building which people might refer to as the church. He is dwelling in all of the people who make up that church.
Indwelling Holy Spirit. God's Spirit dwells in you. We have already studied the work of the Holy Spirit in John's Gospel [See, for example, The Holy Spirit in John's Gospel 27/05/2021] One important point is that the Holy Spirit is fully God. We must not underestimate the importance of the Holy Spirit. Before he went to the cross Jesus promised that there would be another of the same kind who would come and would act as a comforter or an advocate. The Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost. He is present in each and every member of the Church. He is indwelling every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. This truth has gripped me this morning as I cycled along the Union Canal. No matter where I am and no matter what I am doing, the Spirit of the Living God is indwelling me. The thought of the holiness of God's Spirit was speaking to me. I am a sinner and I am aware of the old nature within me, but yet by God's grace I have the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in my heart and life. This is a challenge to my thought life. It is a challenge to my conversation and conduct every day.
Do you not know? Do we live our lives as if we do not know these two important truths? Do we not really know that the Holy Spirit is living in our lives? Are we not really aware that we are the dwelling place of God in his inner sanctuary? The word know can mean to know intellectually but it seems to me to be a much deeper idea of knowledge. It is knowing experimentally and from experience. We must be very careful with our bodies and how we treat them and we must be careful to live holy lives.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? [1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV]
Here we have another 'Do you not know,' question. It is in the context of sexual immorality. We should behave in such a way that we are respecting the holiness of the indwelling Spirit of God. Here is an old hymn written by a dear Christian lady called Francis Ridley Havergal (1836 -1879)
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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