"Ye are the temple of God"

Hello To All:

Is it literally true, that each of us, who are converted to Jesus Christ; that is to say - is it literally true, that each of us, who is truly a disciple of Jesus Christ; that is to say - can we truly say yes, to the question: If we belong to Jesus Christ, are we, truly and literally, a temple of the Living God? According to the title for this posting, which is a quote from the King's Book, the answer is an absolutely compelling: Yes!

The title comes from 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, where we find written: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

We find a similar reference at 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, where we find written: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

And, again, we find a similar reference at 2 Corinthians 6:16, where we find written: "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

The temple built with human hands; the Jewish temple of the Living God, at Jerusalem, consisted of three parts: The Holy place - the temple proper - and the court of the Gentiles.

The temple, not made with human hands; the Christian temple of the Living God, also consists of three parts: spirit - soul - and body. We see the evidence of this, at 1 Thessalonians 5:23, where we find written: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

If we are to fully comprehend and experience the manifesting reality of Jesus Christ; and thus, if we are to truly enter into victorious discipleship in Jesus Christ: then, we must take some time to understand the relationship between the temple made with human hands and the temple not made with human hands.

With the indwelling and empowering presence of the Holy Ghost, working in and through the indwelling and empowering presence of Jesus Christ, we shall come to a deeper understanding of how we are, individually and corporately: "The temple of God."

Join with me, in the days (and perhaps weeks) ahead, as we grow in our understanding and application, of this most important relationship, between the natural and the spiritual: the relationship between the Jewish temple and the Christian temple.

In closing, let us take a look at a familiar text, from Colossians 1:25-27, where we find written: "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

It is this great "mystery," now revealed, but still mysterious, that we are going to examine: the mystery of "Christ in you" - who are "the temple of God."

Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus