Greetings,
Is that an attempt to say the temple of God is corrupt?
That we can or should put up with satan's residency in ourselves?
What a yucky train of thought!
It is written..."For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" (Heb 7:26)
Neither Jesus not the Father abides with evil.
If God permits may i add some to this?
The Temple was a sacred place, with courts, areas and porches, etc and as you entered it there were limits put on each person as to how far 'in' they could go.
We need to stop and consider this more 'correctly' in order to better grasp some of these references made as we travel the road.
For example, at a certain place, one could not proceed with death being the punishment if they did, these being such as Gentiles, those who had had contact with dead bodies, various sick people, those who had had contact with menstruous women, those who had that day been through one of the ritual cleansings from the various needed/prescribed cleansings, women, etc etc
The keeping of the 'rules and regulations' was a very serious task and the solemnity with which the holiness of the Temple was to be approached and entered was detailed as well as thourough in its carrying out of all the requirements so that no profanity would defile the Temple. Inviolable is a word that describes it well - we get 'violate' from the same word. So to get the picture, there were many ways the Temple could be violated and the keeping it holy was a must.
What we can, but must not forget is this:
For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
we see this again in Exodus 34:14 ; Deuteronomy 6:15
The sort of jealousy we need to understand as very much a part of the not defiling the Temple with any unclean thing, be it an image or a person, the uncleaness was met with the strongest of vehement indignation and wrath. If we can better understand this we also will see a lot more clearly the things that were behind many of the Scriptures we read, in the New Testament.
For us now we have the same intensity to face and to expect from the same GOD and LORD of the Old Testament times. When we read and/or quote verses about the Temple we MUST keep these things in mind so that in our interpretations we do not suggest profanity against that which He HAS made Holy.
We have two verses being touched on here that must be considered...
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. 1Corinthians 3:16 and 1Corinthians 3:17
If you loked at the previous Scriptures regarding the jealousy of GOD you will see, in these two verses, a significant deliberation put forth by the Apostle. He knew what he was talking about, the Apostle Paul probably better than any of the Apostles, having been, previous to conversion, a level one Pharisee and a zealous one at that.
To refresh your mind,
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Exodus 34:14
(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. Dueteronomy 6:15
So, if any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy, takes on a whole new meaning.
Now, ye are the Temple of God, the Temple of God is holy, which you are.... we must consider by what means was the Old Temple clean? Once a year the High priest, after he had offered up all sacrifice for himself (to be cleaned and acceptable) entered in to the Holy of Holies, the innermost part of the Temple. He HAD to be extra clean, so to speak. Throughout the year, daily the strictest of rules/law/requirements had to be adhered to.
How then is the New Temple made clean? Is it by anything we can do?
Who HAS made His Temple clean, Holy, acceptable?
Guarantee to you is that it is none of us either prior nor after conversion at any point in time either now or in eternity that any of us or all of us altogether can make any part of the Temple He has Cleansed any cleaner.
Now, stop here. Ye are the Temple which is Holy, made holy By Christ Jesus alone. Think about it.
Not one has done the work of Christ. None can.
So, ye are the Temple. We are told that if any man defile the Temple... that is, defile you, usually plural, not individuals, which we tend to overlook... him will God destroy.
THIS is not about us, the members of the Temple doing the defiling but those who might come in from the outside uncleaned and so defile it (us, the Temple) with the pollution whereby he is defiled.
Our God IS a jealous God and ye are His. Do not be deceived.
we read in 2Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
....Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27
yes, let us be thankful that we do have a high priest....
For such an High Priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Hebrews 7:26
and has entered in....
and to recap, It is and was because the Spirit of God was/is indwelling the Temple that the Temple is Holy. Ye are the Temple of God, not made with hands, yes, ye are the Holy Temple kept Holy by the indwelling of the Spirit of God.
Be encouraged and take confidence, not in yourselves but in Him, Who has entered in....
Bless you ....><>
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. 1Corinthians 3:16-17
