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.

The Temple of God

I was having a conversation with my son the other day and he mentioned that he has met Christians who do not believe that there are things in life that are spiritual. This stunned me. God says differently in His Word.

 John 4:23-24, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

 Yesterday I saw the Spirit of God come over a grown man and bring him to tears. During a Bible study of The Gospel of John we were discussing the church and how God now longer dwells in a temple made by human hands but that He has made His temple in the hearts of His people, the true church. Suddenly this man was unable to speak and tears ran down His eyes. We all just stopped talking. After a few minutes he spoke and said that he was experiencing the happiest moment he had ever felt and began simply praising God. He said for those few minutes he was unable to speak. It was an amazing moment for all of us. There was nothing fake or contrived in it. It was simply the power of God's Word moving in a man and leading him to worship in spirit and truth.

 This man is a former drug dealer who has shot a woman and was himself shot during a drug related gun battle. He grew up in East St. Louis and has seen and done many terrible things. Through the power of the Gospel this man has changed his life. God has chosen him to make His abode.

 I feel concern for anyone who calls themselves a Christian who does not believe in spiritual things. I cannot and do not pass judgment on those who claim Christ as their savior but if I were them I would start reading God’s Word and I would examine myself to see I am in the faith. The Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit is given to all believers at the time of conversion. I would study Ephesians chapter 6. I would become a Berean and search the scriptures daily.

 I have seen many times the hand of God move and in my own life, in spite of my rebellious and sinful nature, have experienced the Holy Spirit’s presence. To see it occur right in front of my eyes in a brother in Christ was a joy-filled experience and I was moved to draw closer to God through it. It was worship experienced in its purest form. Reverent worship, the kind that reminded me of Moses when he came into the presence of God in Exodus 3:4-6, “When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. “Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.”

 Fellow Christians, we are the Church and we are the Temple of the one and only living God. Let us worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. We should treat each other accordingly, for to treat each other badly is to profane the Temple of God. We should recognize the holiness of God and at times become speechless that He has chosen us be His Temple. That should move us to tears.