20160718 Monday, July 18 2016
1 Corinthians 03: Where Is The Christian Temple Of God Today?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"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"

The LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) commanded Moses to build a Tabernacle, a tent, to house the Ark of the Covenant not long after the Ark itself was constructed (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Tabernacle). When the Ark and the Tabernacle were permanently parted in the time of Eli (see The Parting of The Ark and The Tabernacle), it was later brought to Jerusalem by King David and housed in another tent (see The Ark's Arrival In Zion and King David's Psalm Of The Ark). A Temple made of stone and cedar was King David's idea, not the LORD's (see The Ark Of The LORD In The City Of David and David's Temple Prophecy).

"15:1 And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. 15:2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. 15:3 And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it." (1 Chronicles 15:1-3 KJV)

"17:1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains. 17:2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee." (1 Chronicles 17:1-2 KJV)

The Temple, which was completed by King David's son and successor King Solomon, was much greater in size and magnificence than the Tabernacle, but the design and prophetic function was the same. It was a structure with the Law of God in its heart - an object-lesson portrayal of those who lived their lives by it (see Where Is Your Tabernacle?).

The reason that there will be no physical Temples or Tabernacles in the Kingdom of God (see When Will There Be No More Temples Built In Jerusalem?) is because the children of God will each then also be the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Until then, true Christians are in the process of building the spiritual Temple that they will be i.e. "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."

The Holy Spirit cannot be divided up by humans who lust to "lead." As Paul humbly explained, "So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

"3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." (1 Corinthians 3:1-9 KJV)

The Truth of God did originate with any human. The true Church of God was not founded by any human (see What's The Expiration Date Of The Church?).

"3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 KJV)

Temples are symbolic and prophetic places of learning - they have never been an end in themselves. Converted Christians are moreover places where what Temples portray is being fulfilled i.e. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

"3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 3:23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." (1 Corinthians 3:16-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: What was the Christian prophetic significance of the Levite High Priest entering the Most Holy Place of the Temple on the Day of Atonement?
See The Christian Day Of Atonement: Past, Present and Future