We Are God's Temple

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT?

Yes. 1 Corinthians 3:16

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers/unbelievers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that GOD the HOLY SPIRIT dwells within us corporately, as a church and as individuals.

IV. TEXT:

1 Corinthians 3:16 (Amplified Bible)

Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for we are GOD's temple and the Spirit of GOD dwells in us richly.

VI. TITLE:

We are GOD's temple

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: 56 A.D.

C. Place written: Ephesus

D. Purpose: To purify the church from divisions and immorality.

E. To whom written: Corinthian church

F. Main theme: Unified and pure living, in the midst of an impure world.

G. Keyword: love

VIII. MAIN BODY:

1 Corinthians 3:16 (Amplified Bible)

Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?

1 Corinthians 3:16 (King James Version)

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

A. The believers corporately are the temple of GOD

"Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary),"

1 Corinthians 9:13 (Amplified Bible)

Do you not know that those men who are employed in the services of the temple get their food from the temple? And that those who tend the altar share with the altar [in the offerings brought]?

1 Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified Bible)

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own,

1 Corinthians 6:9 (Amplified Bible)

Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality,

1 Corinthians 6:16 (Amplified Bible)

Or do you not know and realize that when a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? The two, it is written, shall become one flesh.

I love the believer's gathering every Sunday worship services, every dawnwatch (prayer meetings), every practices on Saturdays and every Midweek services on Wednesday. I love to be with the people of the same faith, hope, love and conviction of the HOLY SPIRIT.

Hebrews 13:1 (Amplified Bible)

LET LOVE for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail].

1 Peter 2:17 (Amplified Bible)

Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor.

We have a CHRISTian fraternity that we love and support of whose Head is the LORD JESUS CHRIST and not a mere human being, compared to the worldly fraternities.

B. The Spirit of GOD dwells in us.

"and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?"

1 John 4:12 (Amplified Bible)

No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!

1 John 4:15-16 (Amplified Bible)

Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God.

And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.

And on each of us as a believer the HOLY SPIRIT dwells within us, and has decided to make our bodies as His Permanent dwelling place.

Romans 8:9 (Amplified Bible)

But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God].