Temple of God
Now it’s a walking, talking temple
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Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NET)
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This little verse is quite radical.
For most all of human history — certainly for the history of Israel — worship was done at a physical place with an altar. It could be an altar built at a sacred place, or a tabernacle, or a physical temple like the grand temple that King Solomon built.
Jesus changed all of that.
His sacrifice, once for all, made it possible for God to create living & mobile temples:
You and me.
(That is, if you’re a believer and accept the salvation of Christ.)
So when Jesus told the disciples not to worry about Him leaving them, and that it was to their benefit, it was because they would soon be indwelt with the Holy Spirit and become these living, mobile temples.
It’s kind of funny that, even today, we set apart the church building as more special than other buildings.
But, it’s not.
Because the sacred temple of God is not a building … it’s people.
That changes things.
It changes where I go and what I do. If I were to constantly remind myself of the reality that I am a walking & talking temple of God — dragging the Holy Spirit along with me wherever I go (a whole other series could be written on that imagery) — then would I act the same as I often do?
Would that cut down on my sin?
For me, yeah, I’d probably stop temptation a lot earlier.
So, I guess it’s important for me to keep this imagery fresh in my mind.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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