The Bible describes the Temple of God which was God’s dwelling place among His people on earth. But in what way are we the Temple of God?

This is the topic which we will explore in this post by looking at what the Bible has to say.

Our Bible Quotation of Focus

In our Bible quotation of focus, God speaks to all Christians, that is, those who are true followers of Jesus Christ.

God says, “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.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit] 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.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.

Some Clarifications

OK, I have just said a number of things that I need to clarify before we proceed to answer the question posed above.

First of all, for those who are new to Bible notation, “1 Corinthians 3:16, 17” is a reference to the Bible, which is a collection of books. In the Bible, each book consists of one or more chapters, and each chapter has numbered sections called verses. The quotation referred to as “1 Corinthians 3:16, 17” is taken from the book of 1 Corinthians in the Bible, the 3^rd chapter, and the 16^th and 17^th verses.

Secondly, you may be asking, Who is God? Well, the answer is that God is a Family of three divine Persons, namely, the Father, the Son called Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This Family is known as “the Godhead” (Acts 17:29) in the Bible. What is God like? “God is love.” 1 John 4:8.

Thirdly, you may also be asking, Who is Jesus Christ? Is He the same as the Son called Christ? Yes, He is the same divine Person.

When Christ was born in human flesh over 2,000 years ago, He was called “Jesus.” Matthew 1:21.

Fourthly, I gave a brief definition of a Christian above as a true follower of Jesus Christ, but you can read my previous post for more information on who is a Christian.

Bought with a Price

God declares, “Ye are bought with a price.” 1 Corinthians 6:20. What does this mean?

The answer is that all humanity were bought by God “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:19.

This raises the question, Why? Here we need to consider the legal case through which humanity is saved by Jesus from eternal death (annihilation) as is explained in my previous post.

The short answer is that there is an ongoing war in the universe between good and evil, between a good God and a wicked angel named Satan, and Satan’s evil angels.

What is the issue in this war? It is who will have dominion over the universe, God or Satan?

The Temple of God: An Overview

Now, “God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.” Psalm 47:8. So, as God is holy, He desires that every human being be a holy Temple of God.

That is, in this Temple, “there shall in no wise [case] enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.” Revelation 21:27. For God asks every person, “Shall…[Satan’s] throne of iniquity [wickedness] have fellowship with thee?” Psalm 94:20.

Obviously, since God is holy, our answer to this question from God should be a resounding, No! Absolutely not!

The rest of this post then will describe what being holy like God looks like in our humanity.

The first point to note though, is that God says, “Thy renown [fame] went forth among the heathen [unbelievers] for thy beauty [of character]: for it was perfect through my comeliness [magnificence], which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 16:14.

So then, humanity cannot make themselves holy. Every human being needs God’s help to be holy.

The Temple of God and the Heart

God declares His will for all humanity, saying, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour [uproar], and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31, 32.

“Keep thy heart [from sin which is evil and wrongdoing] with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of [eternal] life.” Proverbs 4:23.

“My son [and daughter], give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” Proverbs 23:26.

“Behold, I [God] stand at the door [of your heart], and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup [dine] with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20.

We see then that if we as the Temple of God are to be holy, the heart must itself be holy. Therefore, the language of our hearts should be, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [of love] is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8.

Thus, God is enthroned in the heart that delights in the law of God.

The Temple of God and the Mind

God’s desire for every human being is the “casting down [of] imaginations [reasonings], and every high thing [every demon] that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5.

When our thoughts are held subject to Christ, then we are the Temple of God.

The Temple of God and Worship

God’s words to humanity are, “Give unto the LORD [God] the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD [God] in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:2.

“Thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD [God], whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21.

Here we see that as a holy Temple of God we worship God and God alone, and none other.

The Temple of God and Passion

“Now the body is not for fornication [sexual relations between persons who are not married to each other], but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.” 1 Corinthians 6:13.

“Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot [prostitute]? God forbid.” 1 Corinthians 6:15.

“What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot [prostitute] is one body? for two, saith he [God], shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord [God] is one spirit [mind].” 1 Corinthians 6:16, 17.

“Flee fornication. Every sin [evil and wrongdoing] that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth [does evil] against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18.

Likewise, God also says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery [sexual relations outside someone who is not one’s own marriage partner].” Matthew 5:27.

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthew 5:28.

So, when we are a holy Temple of God, we shall keep our passions in right lines and, therefore, we shall not commit any sexual immorality.

The Temple of God and the Eyes and Ears

God says, “Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal [right].” Psalm 17:2. He desires that we should say with our whole heart, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.” Psalm 101:3.

Moreover, God says, “Blessed is he that” (Numbers 24:9) “walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood [bloodshed], and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil.” Isaiah 33:15.

“Thine eyes shall see the king [God] in his beauty [of character]: they shall behold the land [heaven] that is very far off.” Isaiah 33:17.

So, if we are to be a holy Temple of God, we must guard what kinds of music and speech we hear, what movies, television shows, videos etc. that we watch.

God’s principles for guarding the eyes and ears also apply to all computer games. For God says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory [conceit]; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Philippians 2:3.

That is, God forbids all forms of competition. If we are a holy Temple of God we will not engage in competitions.

The Temple of God and Speech

God says that you should let all your speech be “sound [truthful] speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” Titus 2:8.

God also says, “Praise ye the LORD [God]: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely [beautiful].” Psalm 147:1.

For “in his [God’s] temple doth every one speak of his [God’s] glory.” Psalm 29:9.

If we are a holy Temple of God, our speech will always be truthful, full of praise to God and, therefore, pleasing to God.

The Temple of God and Associations

God says to all humanity, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” Ephesians 5:1. That is, God desires every human being to become a Christian.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1 Corinthians 15:333.

Therefore, to all Christians God says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers [non-Christians]: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14.

“And what concord [harmony] hath Christ with Belial [Satan]? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel [atheist]?” 2 Corinthians 6:15.

“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.” 2 Corinthians 6:16.

“Wherefore [therefore] come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18.

Thus, if we are a holy Temple of God, we will only choose other Christians for our friends and close associates. Everyone else we will view as a missionary field for Christ, to love them and mingle with them in an effort to win them to Christ, but not to become like them.

The Temple of God and Money

Now God says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” 1 Timothy 6:10.

Therefore, when Christ was on earth, “Jesus [Christ] went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Matthew 21:12, 13.

The condition of things in the Temple of God in Christ’s days is symbolic of the evil throng of demons who control the will of those not filled with the Holy Spirit, in harmony with the individual’s own sinful nature.

Instead, God’s will for all humanity is, “that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate [to be generous]; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. ” 1 Timothy 6:18, 19.

So, if we are to be a holy Temple of God, we must be willing to give of our money, and indeed of our possessions, to the cause of God on earth.

The Temple of God and Dress

Regarding our dress, God says, Let “women [and men] adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety [soberness]; not with broided [broidered] hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” 1 Timothy 2:9.

Moreover, God has left on record His words to the ancient Israelites. “For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked [stubborn] people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.” Exodus 33:5, 6.

So, God is against our wearing of jewellry and ornaments such as rings, chains, earrings etc.

Thus, if we are to be a holy Temple of God we will dress ourselves in accordance with God’s will.

The Temple of God and Food

God says of ancient Israel, “They tempted God in their heart by asking meat [animal flesh] for their lust.” Psalm 78:18.

“Therefore the LORD [God] heard this, and was wroth [angry]: so a fire was kindled against Jacob [Israel], and anger also came up against Israel.” Psalm 78:21.

“He [God] rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.” Psalm 78:27.

“So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; they were not estranged from their lust.” Psalm 78:29, 30.

“But while their meat [flesh] was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew [killed] the fattest of them, and smote [struck] down the chosen men of Israel. For all this they sinned still.” Psalm 78:30-32.

“Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” 1 Corinthians 10:6.

Moreover, God says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1. So, God forbids the drinking of alcohol in any form.

In addition, God says, “A man [God] which sowed good seed in his field [the world]: But…his enemy [Satan] came and sowed tares [poisonous and harmful plants].” Matthew 13:24, 25.

What does this have to do with our being a holy Temple of God? The stimulating diet and drink of today and the intake of other stimulants are not conducive to the best state of health. Tea, coffee, and tobacco are all stimulating, and contain poisons. They are not only unnecessary, but harmful, and should be discarded.

You may now be asking, What then shall we eat? Let us say as did a man named Daniel, “Let them give us pulse [things as grown] to eat, and water to drink.” Daniel 1:12.

That is, a plant-based diet of things grown that are “good for food” (Genesis 2:9), and water is God’s desired food for humanity. Such plants are grains, nuts, fruit, legumes, and vegetables.

This was the original diet given by God to the first human pair whom God created, named, Adam and Eve.

So then, if we are to be a holy Temple of God we must eat according to God’s original diet for humanity, avoiding alcohol and all stimulants.

Conclusion

We have seen then what it is like to be a holy Temple of God. The sum of it is that we should be able to say of ourselves in truth, “Thy [God’s] word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee [against God]. ” Psalm 119:11.

As God says, we should be as those who are “not purloining [not stealing such as by embezzling], but shewing all good fidelity [faith in God]; that they may adorn the doctrine [teaching] of God our Saviour in all things.” Titus 2:10.

God is calling every person to be a holy Temple of God and He promises eternal life to those who do so. Otherwise, you will experience eternal death (annihilation) from God.

Make sure that you are rewarded with eternal life, a happy life forever with God, by meeting God’s requirements which are not grievous.

How This Blog Teaches Bible Study

My blog posts take one or more Bible verses and unpack what is often the hidden meaning in them, to help you to gain in your understanding of the Bible, and to receive insights into how to study it. For God says, “Study [the Bible] to shew [show] thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing [interpreting] the word of truth [the Bible].” 2 Timothy 2:15. There are new blog posts every two weeks on a Monday at 12:01 a.m. in timezone UTC-5 (GMT-5).

Further Reading

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