Your body is a temple!
It sounds like an advert for some high-promise low return beauty product, but actually it's from the Bible, but it's not about beauty...
...because truth is so much deeper than looks!
The Bible is talking about your body being the dwelling place of God. Where did that idea come from?
In Acts chapter 2 we find this group of people - Jesus' disciples - who are about to embark on a lifetime of serving God and making the world a better place to live in. So they're all gathered together in 'one place' (which was a way of talking about the temple) and while there God fills them with his Spirit which helps them to actually make the world a better place.
What's strange about this is that traditionally, God's spirit was supposed to be in the temple - not in a group of people who happen to be in the temple.
Unless God was changing how he did things!
No longer was God going to be confined to a place or a building, but he was going to be intrinsically part of the positive effect on the life of an individual and how they live.
What would that be like?*
So when we're talking about your body being a temple, maybe it's not a question of 'should I or shouldn't I', smoke that, drink that, buy that, take that, borrow that, wear that.
It's a question of - if God's spirit is in me (and not a 'holy' building) what impact should that have on the lives of those around me?
*3000 people changed their lives on the basis of the evidence on day one!
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3 comments:
Hi Dave,
Thanks for starting this site - what a good idea it's great for those of us who have to look after small people on a Sunday night, of which there are many so i will be spreading the word !
I think our body now being the temple means that the people I'm surrounded by should have access to the Father through me - so through my words/ advice/thoughts people should get a glimpse of God's perspective on their life or situation . Through my hands / actions people should get a glimpse of how things operate in the Kingdom of Heaven and see what justice, mercy , kindness and forgiveness really look like in day to day life and not just remain nice concepts or ideals.And through my face people should see a reflection of love and acceptance and respect for their existence that maybe they don't see in many other places - some people may have never seen it. So that's what I think and keep trying ( and quite often failing ) to do every day.God bless, joanna.
Great thoughts!
I love your comments about moving from concepts and ideals. we can talk all we like about being a living breathing reality of the temple of God. However, many people have just turned our church buildings into a 'new temple', which was never the idea!
Instead of 'Let's go to church' we need 'Let's be church!'
Paul said this in 1 corthintians 6:19-20
19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
This further emphasises that the Spirit lives in us. I love the bit in the bible where Paul says the love of Christ compels us. In this case he wasn't saying do this or do that but in here he was saying that a realisation(a greater insight) of God's love urges them to do what they do.
God's Spirit dwells in us. Which is evidence that God lives in us (1 john). So a true understanding of this shouldnt result in legalism, instead it should result in freedom to live a right life(true worship).
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