Temple

 1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 


In this new covenant age we don't need specifically religious buildings like temples, churches and mosques. The Apostle Paul says that every believer is a temple of God. This doesn't mean to say we can just worship God in the garden though!

We should still physically meet up with other believers to worship God. Yet that was also the function of a temple: to meet with God. So when people meet us we should introduce them to our Lord.

No man is an island. Paul isn't saying we don't need each other. I haven't dug into the Greek but I suspect he's writing to the Corinthian church as a whole, not just an individual believer.

This is an astounding verse when we think about it. The Corinthian church with their divisions and licentiousness etc. weren't just a bunch of sinners. Paul insisted they were the temple of God who hosted the Holy Spirit of God.

'God, as your temple, may we be a place where people can meet with God, and find forgiveness and reconciliation with him. In Jesus's gracious name we pray, amen'.

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