God does not dwell in temples made with human hands, as it was with the temple at Jerusalem.
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”
Ephesians 1:13 (NKJV)
One of the great privileges you have as a believer is the gift of the Holy Spirit that you received at salvation.
The Bible makes it clear in Ephesians 1:13 that when you believed in the gospel, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. The reality of every believer is that you carry the Holy Spirit in you, which is the Spirit of God.
It is very important that you understand what it means to have the Spirit of God dwelling in you. That God, who is holy, chose to dwell in you; it is a sacred reality that you must be conscious of.
When Paul was instructing the church at Corinth about shunning sexual immorality and every kind of sin, he reminded them about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in them.
1 Corinthians 6:19
New King James Version
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Paul was reminding the believers about who they are: they are the temple of God. When Paul wrote this, the temple in Jerusalem was the most significant structure in the Jewish world. The temple was considered the dwelling place of God’s divine presence on earth. It was the place where sacrifices were offered for the worship of God. When we look through the Old Testament, we see scriptures that point to this.
2 Chronicles 7:1-2
New King James Version
1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house.
This text shows Solomon dedicating the temple to God. The Bible says that the glory of God filled the temple; it even says that fire came down from heaven to consume the offering and sacrifices that were made to God. The temple was a sacred place of worship. It was a place where heaven touched earth because the presence of God was there, being made manifest.
When Paul asked the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,” the picture that probably came to their minds was the temple in Jerusalem. But now Paul was opening their eyes to their reality as believers: that each and every one of them is the temple of God. This means that they carry the presence of God. Paul needed to bring them to an awareness of this truth so that it could influence how they conduct themselves and steward their bodies. In John 2:19-21, Jesus made a bold statement:
John 2:19-21
New King James Version
19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
When Jesus said this to His disciples, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” they thought He was referring to the temple in Jerusalem, but Jesus was actually speaking about the temple of His body. And this was also pointing to every believer. That is why the Bible says:
Romans 8:11
New King James Version
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
The same Spirit that was in Jesus now dwells in every believer. And because you carry the Spirit of God, you are His temple. You are the temple of God, housing His very presence.
Acts 17:24
New King James Version
24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
God does not dwell in temples made with human hands, as it was with the temple at Jerusalem. Rather, He chose to dwell in the temple made with His own hands. God, who created us, chose us to be His temple.
Always remember that you are the very presence of God. You are a mobile temple. Wherever you go, the presence of God is present. Whatever fills you, fills the temple of God. This is the reality of every believer: that you are the temple of God. Your whole body is the temple of God. What a privilege it is to host the God of heaven and earth!
Having this understanding of who we are and walking in the consciousness of it would influence how we live, how we steward our bodies, and what we allow into our bodies. You must stay aware of the fact that you are the temple of God. Your body is sacred and holy, set apart for the Lord.
Prayer
Thank you, Father, for your Spirit that is dwelling in me. I recognize that I am the temple of God. I remain conscious of the reality that I carry the presence of God everywhere I go.
