What It Means to Be a Temple of God

Hello again!

This is what God gave me today in His word:

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)

Something some people don’t realize, is that all Christians are temples of God. – Something which is understandable, as it isn’t exactly an idea that springs to the mind easily. – being a temple of God means several things, almost all of which we can see in the above verse:

It means we’re holy, that God will destroy those who destroy us, and that God’s very spirit dwells within us. Let’s look at these each, individually:

• We’re holy. Meaning that Jesus has now washed us clean, and that we’re spotless in the sight of God. But, along with this, it also means that God’s spirit helps to overcome sin struggles. Which is, of course, the usual way in which we think of “being holy.”
• God will destroy those who destroy us. Those who tear us down/try to stop our ministry will “reserve their due.” Look at 2 Timothy 4:14 to see some of what I mean.
• God’s Spirit dwells within us. Thus we have power to demolish strongholds, arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. In addition to that though, having God’s spirit dwell within us also means two more things: we no longer want what our old Spirit, the flesh, wanted (i.e. instead of wanting to sin, we should now want to please God). And we each have gifts of the Spirit (read this post for more on that subject: https://goldenbible.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/to-each-his-own-gift-is-given/).

Addition to all those things though, there’s one more: because we’re the temples of God, our bodies are no longer are own:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

We were bought with a price: Jesus’ blood. Thus, we should now serve God as best as He has enabled us! We’ve been bought at a price: let’s keep that in mind as we go about our day today.

You are Loved!

Joshua Cleveland