Being the Temple of God

In our sermon at Church yesterday was a lesson on the Holy Spirit. I love it when yesterday's sermon is supported by my Monday morning Bible study time. As I am currently reading and studying in Numbers this morning my lesson pointed to how God dwelled in the sanctuary and that the people of Israel actually had fear of God's presence in their camp. The people of Israel spent far too much time since being led out of their captivity in Egypt complaining and becoming rebellious against their leaders, Moses and Aaron, so God used the staffs to show the people who He had put in charge to do His work. This reminded the people of the dangers of the common people in approaching the Tabernacle.

Numbers 17:12-13
And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”

Under the law the priests were the only ones allowed to approach the tabernacle. And even they had strict instructions as to how that was to be performed and to violate those standards brought death.

But we live under the New Covenant and for many reasons it is the better one. You see God no longer dwells in buildings or tents. He dwells in His people, the Church.

Acts 7:48
Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands

1 Corinthians 6:19
 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?

But this does in no way diminish the holiness of God. What it does though, is give us access to God because Jesus has cloaked us in His righteousness and by covering us with the blood He has shed, we are now justified and seen as holy by the Father. So holy that God choose to make us, those who are truly Christians, the very temple of God. We are His dwelling. We are the temple.

This must change how we live. First of all, we do have the power of God living in us through the Holy Spirit, so we can live and walk in holiness. We also have the responsibility to show the lost of this world who God is by shining the light of Christ to them. They may never walk into a church but every time they approach us they are approaching the temple of God.

I have failed miserably in being God's temple. How about you?

Hear God's Word in this.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
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.

We must respect what we have been charged with. We must encourage and respect our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ for they are God's temple.

It's a new morning, a new day, and a new week. It's time for us Christians to change and to live in a way worthy of what God has made us. I leave you with one more Scripture to ponder as you start this week. We live under a better covenant as Christians. Let us encourage and help each other grow our temples into the Holy Sanctuaries they are meant to be. We've been given so much. We are so blessed. God commands us to be more than we are.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.