In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
(Eph 2:21 and 22).
There are too many believers who do not appreciate the tremendous mercy and unsearchable grace that God has brought them into when He redeemed them and brought them into Christ. Those of us who were Gentiles (not natural Jews) were very far from God; heathen, unbelievers, uncircumcised both in flesh and heart, sold totally to sin and without any hope at all. At that time we were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of Promise, having no hope and without God in this world. But now, we have been brought near by the Blood of Christ and are no longer strangers but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. These assertions are mind boggling. That I, who could never come close to God before, is now a child of His, in His household and a citizen of His Kingdom and a partaker of His commonwealth and an heir of His. On top of all this, God has built you together with His other people (both Jews and Gentiles) into a temple to become His holy Habitation. If the import of this hits you, then your first response should be to stop first, and thank God and praise the Living God. That God has chosen to inhabit you with others and that you carry Him about is quite awesome and should elicit praise from you at all times if you understand the mercy He has shown you.
God is the immortal, invisible and the only potentate who dwells in unapproachable light. Man is the crown of His creation and He loves him and wants him to be His agent/delegate/ representative etc. After man fell and became separated from God, He began pursuing him again. At a point in history, He chose Abraham and promised that his descendants (the Jews) would be His special people and that He would give them the Land of Canaan where they still dwell today. Years later, when He brought them out of the bondage of Egypt in the Exodus under Moses, He led them from above in the pillar of cloud by the day and in the pillar of fire by the night. But it seems that the LORD was not content with that and wanted to dwell among the people and relate more closely with them. So, He told Moses to ask the people to bring Him an offering of certain specified items:
And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
(Ex 25:8-9).
So the reason God ordered for a tabernacle was so that I may dwell among them. There was no other nation or people on earth among who the LORD dwelt. This made the Isrealites different from every other people and became one of their strong distinguishing marks. Take note that the LORD insisted that His tabernacle must be built after the pattern that He would show him (Moses).
Now, God’s presence in you will also distinguish you and make you special and different from every other person who does not have that presence.
So, Moses built God the tabernacle according to the pattern He showed him. So God came down and dwelt in that tabernacle among His people and His presence moved with them through the wilderness and into the land that He promised them. Then years later, David thought to build Him a temple but it was Solomon his son that built Him a magnificent temple and begged Him to let His eyes be there, so that if anyone prayed towards that temple, He would see and answer. That temple was a palace for God and truly grandiose and magnificent but in Acts 7:48, Stephen speaking by the Holy Ghost brings an insight that:
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Hath not my hand made all these things?
(Acts 7:48-50).
This revelation makes it clear that God does not dwell in houses made with human hands. He is the Almighty and no house built by man can contain Him. So, it is clear that Moses’ temple and Solomon’s and the ones built after the return from the exile in Babylon were all figures or types of the House He would dwell in. Truly God wants to dwell among men but He does not dwell in temples made with human hands.
Eventually, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was in the beginning with God came to earth and became a man. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,… (Jn. 1:14). When this happened, God’s perfect tabernacle was now among men and so God dwelt among men truly as He ever wanted. God found a home in the Lord Jesus Christ and from within Him did wonderfully on earth. His desire for ages to dwell among men had finally been fulfilled perfectly
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
(Col 2:9).
This Scripture says categorically that all of God lives in Christ fully. He embodied all of God and He found a temple in which He could work unhindered. So, at last, God found what He had been looking for and was happy and did glorious things. He lived in Jesus and worked for Him to accomplish His will on earth.
Eventually, Jesus was crucified for the sins of mankind. He resurrected on the third day and finally ascended into heaven to sit at God’s right hand. Now, God still had a need for a temple on the earth. So, soon after Jesus ascended He sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to form the Body of Christ, the Church. The Church is the Ecclesia – those who are called out from different nations (both Jews and Gentiles), who believe in the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. These form the Church and the Body of Christ on the earth. They became the temple of God, indwelled by God, the Holy Spirit. Listen to 1 Cor 3:16 and 17.
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 Cor 3:16-17).
So, God has a temple on earth today – the Church, the Body of Christ. This consist of all genuine believers in Christ Jesus. Whether it is the universal Church or her local representation (the Local churches), the believers on earth at every given time form His Body and are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. His intention is to dwell in them and work through them. Unfortunately, not all believers appreciate this, hence, the questions to the believers in Corinth: Do you not know that you are the temple of God? The Corinthian brethren did not seem to appreciate this by the way they were living- fighting, quarrelling, breaking into parties, etc. And we need to take note of the warning quickly that the Temple is holy and that God will destroy any who seeks to defile it.
Now, apart from the whole Body being the Temple of God, every member of that body is in particular a temple of God. So, you should also know that you are God’s temple and that He dwells in you by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in your heart and you carry Him anywhere you are and go, all the time and under all circumstances. Friend He lives in you. You, a child of God, are God’s habitation. He wants to live and move and work in you and through you. What a wonderful thing it will be for you to appreciate this and live accordingly. Unfortunately again, many believers, temples of the Holy Ghost live like everyone else and live such common lives and even live in sin. Heaven wonders how this should be and sounds the alarm again:
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
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.
( 1 Cor 6:18-20).
These verses of Scripture makes it explicit that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you. Friend, He is in you; He is there whether you feel like it or not. When you lie down on your bed sleeping He is in you. When you wake up, He is in you. When you are sweeping and doing your morning duties He is in you. When you are doing your quiet time He is in you and supposed to be teaching you. When you are washing your body and cleaning up He does not leave but remains in you. When you go for the morning assembly He is there in you and others. When you go to the dinning hall He does not leave and comes back again after food. When you are in the classroom He is there in you. He is there all day and all night and becomes terribly unhappy and grieved when you do certain things. Heaven wonders whether you really knew He is in you when you stole someone else’s things; insulted someone; copied in the exam hall, over ate in the dinning hall, disobey a teacher or prefect, etc. He was particularly grieved when you were lusting after others of the opposite sex or same sex or when you were watching pornography and very bad films or masturbating; you could see how alarmed Heaven was when you did these things with the Holy Ghost in you and asked – Do you not know… How could you do such things and defile God’s temple if you know? Friend, you do not own yourself but belong to God. He paid a very heavy price to make you His. He owns you and has made you His temple and is living in you. You are not common but supposed to be holy and live reverently as one embodied by the Holy One.
WHAT MANNER OF LIVES?
Since it is true that we as a whole – the entire students and staff – are the body of Christ in the school and you particularly, how must we conduct ourselves so that God’s purpose in this place will not be frustrated or even aborted? What manner of lives should we live?
The summary answer is that since we are the Body of Christ and particularly members of it, we should live like the Lord Jesus lived when He was on earth and so gave us an example that we should walk in His footsteps. If we live like He did then we will provide God the temple He needs to work on earth. If we live contrary to Him then our lives will be full of questions like the ones we see that was asked the Corinthians.
Now let us look at a few issues that will make us the type of Temple that will fit God and give Him pleasure so that He can operate unhindered.
YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN
We have assumed that you are properly and truly born again for without this your life cannot be built into a Temple for the Holy Ghost. Without being born-again, the new creation life is not possible and so one cannot grow to become like Christ no matter the training arranged. To be born again, one simply has to acknowledge that he is a sinner, repent from all his sins and turn to Jesus Christ and put his faith in Him. Such must believe that Jesus Christ shed His blood and died on the cross; was buried and rose again for the justification of all such believers. No work is required but just to Repent and Believe on Him. All that turn to Him in repentance and believe in Him and call upon Him will be saved, for He will not cast away any that comes to Him like this. If you are not sure of this do it right away and you will be saved.
KNOWLEDGE
From where we have already read in 1 Cor 3 and 6 where we saw the Body of Christ as the Temple of God and the individual member as also the temple, the crucial question in both passages is that of knowledge and ignorance. In 1 Cor. 3:16, the question is – Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? In 1 Cor 6:19, the question is –What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, …Both questions assume that the people concerned should know this truth, but their behaviour negated this knowledge.
So you need to look at this truth, ruminate it across your mind and keep praying about it until you have a revelational knowledge of it. And a mental knowledge will not do it. A correct behaviour can only come out of an accurate knowledge that has become deeply implanted into the heart.
So, you must take time to study and meditate until you know this, revelationally.
EVACUATE AND RECEIVE
And Jesus 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.
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
(Matt 21:12-14).
Here we see the Lord Jesus cleanse the temple in His day. He arrived Jerusalem and went into the temple and drove away all those that were buying and selling in the House of God. He then overthrew the furniture of the money changers and the seats of those that sold doves. These men were seated – established in the temple for generations; they were entrenched and never thought it was possible to dislodge them. Note that it was the persons merchandizing that were first pushed out before their furniture. Then note what Jesus said is written about the temple. It shall be called the house of prayers not a den of thieves. Also note that it was only after he had successfully cleansed the temple that those in need came and He healed them.
Jesus’ exercise here then becomes instructive to us concerning the temple. One, there were some men with their activities and paraphernalia complete and entrenched before Jesus came. This would represent Mr. Flesh and his activities and properties that had been entrenched in your life before the Lord Jesus came along into your life after you received Him as your Saviour and Lord. But Jesus cannot operate side-by-side with them. Impossible! What fellowship can light have with darkness? If he must take His place in you (His temple) then those former occupants, their wares and activities must be uprooted and cleared out; they must be ejected. Note that it is not the wares to deal with first. If for example someone is watching pornography on his handset, the handset is not the basic matter. If you take away the handset without dealing with the man using it then, he can still replace it with an even more sophisticated one. So the person to deal with first is Mr Flesh, then his wares and activities will follow. God will deal with all that if you open up and beg Him to cleanse your heart and evacuate from it Mr Flesh and all his properties. It is only then that some thoughts, lusts and activities going on inside you can stop and then prayer, which is the primary activity in the temple can start. It is only then that the Lord Jesus will take His rightful place in you and from you He can do good and heal those in need of healing, deliverance, etc.
You can see that even though you are supposed to be the temple of God what is going on in you and the output is very contrary to what is expected. It is now time for you to ask Him to come in and sack Mr. Flesh, his activities and wares. You have not been handling it well because you have been putting the cart before the horse. Now ask Him to deal with the culprit – Mr Flesh – first. Then the furniture he uses, etc, will follow and the Temple will be ready for the Rightful Owner. Once you do this, then the Lord will take His place and the Father’s age long desire to work from within you will commence and who knows how many He will heal and bless from within you.
ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION
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.
(1 Thess 5:23)
You can see God’s desire for your life. It is entire sanctification – spirit, soul, and body. He wants you to draw away from the world and evil and be set apart more and more only for Him. He wants you to have peace and be pure. This is something to pursue progressively through an intimate and growing relationship with the Lord Jesus in discipleship. You must continue to vigorously say No to sin and deny yourself all the time. Then you must carry your cross and follow Him as you obey His Word, submit to His dealing etc. This is how to go on to perfection and attain wholesome and entire sanctification. All your evil friends and influences that tend to corrupt you must go and you must commit yourself to following Him. If you do this steadfastly He will sanctify and use you to His glory. If you do not, you will continue to defile God’s temple and there will be repercussions for that.
HONOUR HIM
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
(Ps 22:3)
God is holy and enthroned as King and the praises of Isreal are His throne. Apart from your heart being His habitation, your praises are also His habitation. He inhabits His people’s praises. So, apart from showing forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, by living a blameless life, you should make praising Him your lifestyle. Praise is comely and honours the Almighty. Rather than foul up His atmosphere and dishonour Him with murmurings, complaints, grumblings, etc, honour Him with the incense of praise and become a pleasurable habitation for Him and He will ever show you the light of His countenance and give you of the fatness of His house.
CONCLUSION
God, the Almighty has revealed His need to you. He wants a House/Temple/Habitation so that He can dwell among men and accomplish His purpose of saving men and making them to be conformed to the image of His son so that He may be first born among many brethren. And remember that He insists that it must be built according to Pattern, the Lord Jesus being the perfect Habitation, Pattern and Model. He will accept nothing else.
What is your response to this need? Will you throw down your life at His feet and ask Him to take you and make you His tabernacle? Will you set the Lord Jesus before you and keep beholding Him and becoming changed gradually into the same image? Will you build up yourself in your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost? Will you allow Him to build you up into a temple fit for His habitation? You can become the answer to this Holy need and become really blessed and a blessing to your generation, if you say yes to Him and fall into His hands to be built into His habitation according to His pattern. If you do this, then, together with other saints you will become the huge edifice that He will inhabit to dwell and work among men.