YOU Are the Temple of God : Built Together as One

While Paul was in Ephesus, he got some not-good news from Corinth. They were starting to argue and separate into little groups, and starting to be okay with sin. So just like any loving father and good shepherd would do, Paul wrote them a strong letter scolding them.

He wrote:

To the Expression of God in Corinth,

Family, I am hearing that there are disagreements and divisions between you. Please no. You need to be joined together in one mind and one heart. I am hearing that some are saying, “I’m of Paul” or “I’m under Peter” or “I like Apollos.” That’s terrible. Is Christ Jesus divided into little groups? No.

Who is Paul? Who is Apollos? We weren’t crucified for you. We’re just servants. I planted the seeds of God in you. Apollos watered them. But WHO do you think makes those seeds grow and flourish? GOD!

You are God’s House. Don’t you know that YOU are the Temple of God and that the Holy Spirit of God lives in you!?

Did you know?

Did you notice what Paul just called the believers in Jesus? “God’s Temple” — His Special House!

Do you remember way back in Ezekiel’s time how God had promised that He would have a new house that would be His greatest House? A house not made with man’s hands and not made of stone. But a House where His Glory could come and fill every nook and cranny?

Well, now you know that the previous houses were just shadows. The real Temple is Jesus. And His people become the Temple when His Holy Spirit comes to live inside of them.

So Paul is trying to help them understand: “Hey, you aren’t just you anymore. Once Jesus comes to live inside of you, you are the Temple of the Lord. So Live His Life. Show the world around you what He’s like.”

The sad thing is that a lot of people today don’t understand this or live this. Many have wrongly thought or been wrongly taught that it’s okay to have all these divisions and that going to a brick or stone or wood building is the way to try to find God or please God. But, God’s glory isn’t in a building. God’s glory, His Shining light… the answers to all of humanity’s little questions is found inside of those PEOPLE with His Spirit inside.

Corinthians, You are the Temple of God. The Holy Spirit of God lives in you! All things are yours. And you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.

So stop feeling puffed up and proud. What do you have that wasn’t given to you? Nothing. So stop the boasting.

My children, I’m serious. You may have 10,000 people who have taught you something in Jesus, but I am your Papa in Christ. So, I’m warning you that you better cut it out. I’m gonna come there, and when I do, I will know who is walking in pride versus who is walking in power. For God’s Expression on earth is not in words, words, words… but in power. So you decide. Do you want me to come ready to discipline you or to hug you in love and gentleness?

I’m also hearing that there are some terrible crimes against God happening there, and you’re proud of it instead of sad about it. I’ve already judged what is going on, so you need to hand over to satan this man living in sin… so that he can be saved in the end.

Don’t you know that a little yeast in the dough affects the whole ball of dough? So this person’s sin is like yeast that is affecting all of you.

Did you know?

If you don’t quite understand what yeast is… Then you can just remember that picture I showed you before about how a little bit of doggie poo on a plate makes the whole meal dirty. You can’t mix holy and unholy things or everything becomes unholy.

God’s Family was always meant to be Holy — Set Apart as Special.

His Family, His House, is the place where God is comfortable walking around and making Himself at Home. It is His place of companionship with people.

And just as in the days of Nehemiah, there is a protecting wall around His City, His House. But now the REAL wall is an unSeen wall.

So when Paul says, “Hand this man over to satan,” it’s like Paul is saying, “This man can’t be a part of the Family anymore. He can’t be inside the protecting wall anymore.

“It’s not good for him — because he’s living in sin and you’re letting him think that he’s safe with God when he’s not. And it’s not good for you — because a little unholiness in God’s House works its way into everyone’s lives. Everyone is dirtied and hurt by it.”

Together you are meant to be ONE PURE loaf of bread with NO yeast. So get that yeast out by not hanging out with anyone who calls themselves a Christian but is living in yucky sin. Don’t even eat with that person.

Don’t you know that your bodies are all parts of Christ’s body? So stop joining your body to sin. Don’t you know that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit? He is in you. You are not your own. You were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

When you come all together, you’re acting as if you’re unconnected (which is just not true).

Of course there are different kinds of gifts in the Spirit, different kinds of service, and different kinds of work… but it’s all the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God at work. Some people have wisdom, another knowledge, or faith, or healing, or miracles, or on and on.

It’s like how the body has many parts, but it is ONE. That is the way it is with Christ. We were baptized by one Spirit, so we make up one body. But a body has many parts.

If the foot said, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it would still be part of the body.

And if the ear said, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it would still be part of the body.

And if the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if the whole body were an ear, how would you smell?

But God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just where He wanted them to be. And it all works together perfectly that way.

The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

That’s ridiculous. Even the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. So all its parts should have equal care for each other. If one part hurts, every part hurts with it; if one part is happy, every part is happy with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church many different gifts — special messengers, special seers, teachers, healers, speaking different languages. Eagerly want the greater gifts.

And yet, the most excellent thing you can do is Love…

Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians how to really love each other in God’s way. So go on to the next stories to hear about that, as well as to find out what the Corinthians did when they got Paul’s letter scolding them.