What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
2 Corinthians 6:16 NIV
Imagine waking up every morning knowing you were chosen as a dwelling place for the Divine. Not a majestic cathedral, but your very body, a temple consecrated to God’s presence. Sounds incredible, right? Yet, this isn’t some unattainable aspiration; it’s the reality God offers each of us. But with such a privilege comes a responsibility. In this verse, Paul reminds us that: “…we are the temple of the living God.” Therefore, just as we wouldn’t carelessly desecrate a sacred space, we shouldn’t treat our bodies with apathy.
Meanwhile, there is a danger that lies in ignorance. God created us to be His temple, His dwelling place. He desires to live in us and through us, so that the world may see His glory and love. However, when we fail to grasp this profound truth, we risk living according to the flesh, succumbing to desires that defile God’s temple. Romans 8:5-8 paints a stark picture of this path:
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:5-8 NIV
The flesh is the part of us that is opposed to God and His will. It is the part that wants to gratify our sinful desires and impulses, without regard for God’s holiness and standards. The Bible warns us that living by the flesh leads to death and destruction, both in this life and in the life to come. It also tells us what the acts of the flesh are, so that we may avoid them and repent of them.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 NIV
These acts of the flesh defile God’s temple and make us unfit for His presence. They also grieve the Holy Spirit, who lives in us and helps us to live a godly life. But there’s good news! The alternative is life, peace, and a harmonious relationship with God. By choosing the “mind governed by the Spirit,” we become vessels of His transformative power.
Therefore, we must make a choice: to live by the flesh or by the Spirit. To live by the Spirit means to surrender our lives to God and to follow His guidance and commands. It means to seek His kingdom and His righteousness above all else. It means to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. Furthermore, it means to bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) It means to renounce the idols that compete for our affection and devotion, such as money, fame, power, pleasure, or anything else that takes the place of God in our lives.
The Bible doesn’t mince words: defiling God’s temple has consequences. 1 Corinthians 3:17 warns, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person.” Yet, alongside this cautionary message, we find a beacon of hope in 2 Corinthians 6:17-18: “Come out from them and be separate… and I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Imagine embracing this incredible offer: becoming a living embodiment of God’s love, a radiating example of His transformative power. Imagine experiencing the joy, the wisdom, the peace that comes from being His chosen dwelling place. It’s all within reach, not through strenuous rituals, but through a surrender to the Holy Spirit living within us.
This journey can be challenging, but we don’t walk it alone. God equips us with His Spirit, a guiding force that empowers us to overcome temptations and cultivate righteous living. Practical steps like prayer, scripture study, and seeking fellowship with fellow believers can provide the support and nourishment we need to flourish.
Remember, choosing God’s presence isn’t just about denying ourselves; it’s about discovering a deeper, more fulfilling existence. It’s about becoming an instrument of His light, sharing His love with the world. So, let’s step out of the things that defiles and embrace the glorious reality: we are God’s temple, and He desires to dwell within us, radiantly alive.