GOD’S TEMPLE I Corinthians 6:1-20 June 17, 2008
When I say church most of us think of the building where we assemble once or twice a week. Tonight I want to talk to you about the church and no I am not talking about this building or any other meeting place. Tonight I am talking about the temple of God the body, your body, my body, the true temple of God. If you are saved you are the sanctuary of God. We are the dwelling place of God! That should tell you how important you are to God. He chooses to live within you. You should keep God’s house this human body Holy and Acceptable. A place where God feels welcome a place God can truly call home. If you have defiled the temple then God has moved out.
This entire chapter is dedicated to instructing the people on ways to glorify God. Paul tells the Corinthians and the Christians of today to STOP thinking of self and START making it all about God. Most of us today have a one complex, it’s all about #1 it’s all about self no ONE else matters only me. Paul reminds us that this type of thinking will condemn our souls and cost us our place in heaven.
I Corinthians 6:1-8 show us how we are to conduct ourselves in our disputes. It also tells us how we are not to conduct ourselves. If you have a disagreement with someone you are not to run out and get you a lawyer. If you have a disagreement with someone you are not to go out and start a new church. We are to settle our disagreements the Godly way. What is the Godly way you might ask? Well first we should pray about it, then we should discuss it not argue it but discuss it if still we cannot settle it we are to it take to counsel in the church quietly. Paul asks why not rather be wronged or cheated rather than to hurt your testimony of God to the unbelievers?
I Corinthians 6:9-12 show us how we are to conduct ourselves in our liberties. I myself tend to over eat to often something I have been working on as of late. Now you might wander what does that have to do with liberty. Well it is not against the law for me to eat all I want to. It is not a sin for me to eat what I want. Paul tells us that just because it is not against the law or just because it is not a sin does not mean it is good for me. Back to my over eating I am diabetic that means that a lot of what I eat can cause my blood sugar to be all out of shape. When I over eat and gain weight I cause myself to have even more blood sugar related problems. Paul warns us that just because something is permitted does that mean we should do it NO!
I Corinthians 6:13-20 show us how we are to and how we are not to conduct ourselves with God’s temple. Back to the over eating for moment. When I over eat and harm my body I am doing damage to God’s temple that is when it becomes a sin. Now there is a lot more to taking care of God’s temple than just staying healthy. We need to remember the other things that defile the temple. Sexual immorality also defiles the temple. What is sexual immorality? Sex outside of a God certified marriage. Lust for another is sexual immorality. Sex outside of marriage destroys lives. Someone once said that sex outside of marriage is like robbing a bank you get something but it is not really yours and someday you will pay for it. Sex within marriage is like putting money in the bank there is security and the investment pays interest.
There are a lot of things that defile God’s temple. Your filthy language, your dirty jokes, your questionable jokes, your casual attitude toward service to God, and the list goes on. All that we do we are to do for the glory of God.
David Brainerd once told Jonathan Edwards “I do not go to heaven to be advanced but to give honor to God. It is no matter where I shall be stationed in heaven, whether I have a high or low seat there, but to live and please and glorify, God... My heaven is to please God and glorify Him, and give all to Him, and to be wholly devoted to His Glory.”
Do you live your life each day for the glory of God? When you wake up each morning do you go to God in prayer and ask how can I glorify you today father? As you stroll through the day do you look around and wander am I glorifying God in my actions? Did I smile today and show someone I love Jesus?
You are temple of God if you are saved and walk righteous in the eyes of God. Does your temple represent God tonight? If not I challenge you to clean it up.
