THE TEMPLE
Psalm 133, 134, 1 Corinthians 6
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples 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 bodies.”
The Temple that was built by Solomon was, by all accounts, a grand building. Bolstered by the promise that God made to David, that his house would be established forever, it symbolised Israel’s belief that God would never allow Israel to be conquered.
This confidence was challenged by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7) who pointed at the way Israel had failed to maintain the standards embodied in the Law: “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.” Ultimately the gross disregard of Israel for God and their appetite for sin resulted in their rejection by God, the destruction of the Temple and the end of Israel as a political nation.
However, another descendant of David, Jesus, has paved the way for a new type of Temple to be built, with us, who acknowledge Jesus as king, the beneficiaries. What does this Temple that resides with your spirit mean to you?
The Temple that resides in us is built by the Holy Spirit, providing us the space in our spirit to fellowship with God in prayer and in the reading of his word. It makes sense for us to acknowledge that we are therefore to be holy and Paul encourages us to honour God by treating our bodies (and ourselves) with due regard and respect.
The theological truth that we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit has direct impact and implication on the way we conduct ourselves, the way we care for ourselves, the ready access we have to the Presence of God, and the responsibility that we have as servants of God to worship him with our lives.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)