God's Temple

Alba 3-16-2025

GOD'S TEMPLE

I Corinthians 3:16-17

Throughout history people have created structures to be used as places of worship, and offer sacrifices, and to meet with their god or gods. When the children of Israel were still in the wilderness, after leaving Egypt, God gave instructions how to construct a Tabernacle as a meeting place for worship and service. In Exodus 29:43 God said, “And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory.” The Tabernacle was a tent that could be moved as the people moved. Finally they were able to get to the promised land.

One day King David looked at his palace made of cedar and thought “It’s not fair that I live in this wonderful palace, but the Ark of the Lord dwells in the tent.” So he desired to build a temple for the Lord. But God told him that he would not build that temple, instead his son, Solomon, would. Solomon did build that temple as a permanent House of the Lord, and dedicated it to God where people could come and worship, pray and sacrifice to the Lord. The Temple was constructed to be the dwelling place for God among His people.

On the Day of Dedication, God filled the Temple Courts with His presence. Israelites from all corners of the Kingdom came to the Temple to worship and sacrifice to God. The Temple was made to be a place of holiness, dedication, consecration, and worship. The Temple was the dwelling place of God. In those days you could walk through Jerusalem and see the Temple and know that's where God was. In our text for today, the apostle Paul makes the amazing claim that now the church is God’s temple. And we’re not talking about church buildings or services, we are talking about the community of people.

I Corinthians 3:16-17 says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” God doesn’t need a physical temple anymore, because you and I are it! The first thing we see is that Scripture clearly says...

1. Christians are God's Temple

The same Greek word for “temple” used here is used in other New Testament passages to refer to the physical Temple in Jerusalem, such as in Matthew 23:16. However, in this context, believers are now God's dwelling place. God’s will, His plan, is for us to be a holy temple in which He may dwell.

a. What is the temple of God? Remember that it is a place of worship. When Solomon prayed at the dedication of that first temple, he was amazed at the greatness of God and said, “Lord God of Israel, there is no God above or on earth below like you.” Then he said, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” (I Kings 8:23&27)

I think Solomon was right to feel small in the presence of God. And yet now, scripture tells us that this very God is willing to live in us! So we should be a place where God is worshiped in our lives. That means more than just singing some hymns and praise songs. Worship is to be a way of life.

b. Again, what is the temple of God? It is a place of sacrifice. Those sacrifices began in the Tabernacle and continued in the Temple. All the sacrifices were put in place to break down the barrier between God and mankind. Sin, even unintentional sin, could be put under the blood of the sacrifice. This is a powerful image that underscores the importance of the death of Jesus on the cross, and the sacrifice of Himself for us, so that our sins could be forgiven.

Then because of what Jesus has done for us, Romans 12:1 calls us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Notice, we don't have to be put to death on an altar in order to please God. We are to live for Him. And Hebrews 13:15 calls us to “continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” And verse 16 tells us, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” In other words, as the temple of God today, there are sacrifices that we should give. Have you given God a sacrifice of praise lately? Have you offered the body in which you live to be a place of reasonable service to God?