Welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
The Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
This week we continue our study focusing on Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
Today we are talking about The Temple Of God.
Text
1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Prayer
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Introduction
The subject of this message is a metaphor to describe the nature of the Christian.
It may apply to the collective group, the church, and it may apply to the individual Christian.
Today we will study the passage in detail, discuss the subject in detail, and finally, make an application.
- Consider the temple of God.
The phrase “know ye not” is an introduction.
If this were translated into modern terminology, it would probably read, “This is the same thing I have told you before.”
It is a phrase used by Paul to emphasise an important truth.
The phrase “That ye are” designates to one to whom the words are addressed.
According to Ephesians 2:21, the words can be rightly interpreted collectively or individually.
For the Christian, the first thought would probably be toward that of an individual.
However, a more careful thought will lead one to see that much of the entire epistle of 1 Corinthians is directed to the church.
The phrase “The temple of God,” is the heart of the subject.
The word “The” needs to be noticed.
This does not refer to a sample among many temples.
It refers to the one and only temple.
The word “temple” denotes a shrine where deity resides.
So the truth is that human beings are the shrine where God dwells.
2. Consider the temple that Christians are.
The church is the temple of God.
The Spirit of God dwells in people, not buildings built with hands.
The church is the spiritual organism.
That is where God dwells.
He dwells in the people of the church for the glory of God, not for our glory.
The church os to bring people to faith in Christ for salvation.
The Spirit builds and dwells in believers as a church.
The individual is the temple of God.
This indwelling is the culmination of the work of grace.
The heart must first be quickened, renewed, and purified.
The only person in whom the Holy Spirit abides is one who has been born again.
The Father and the Son make their abode with the person who loves and obeys the Son.
John 14:23, Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
3. Consider how this truth should affect each Christian.
We are warned about the destruction of the temple.
This is true of the church.
It is a terrible thing to tear down the church.
The word destroy means to corrupt morally or defraud it character.
One can defile the church by deliberate attack or by negligence.
Any abuse given to the human body is applicable here.
This is a strong argument against the abusive use of narcotics of any kind.
It also applies to lack of rest, over eating, and the like.
The Scripture says, “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
The fact that we are the temple of God should encourage holy living.
Our duties to the church are duties to the Spirit of God.
God’s temple must not be marred.
Our duty to the care of our body is a duty to the Holy Spirit.
We must not destroy our body.
Conclusion.
As individual Christians, each of us should take positive steps to remove from our lives anything that could be detrimental to the body of the church or to our human bodies.
We should take positive steps to make ourselves pure and acceptable to God.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
Giving
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us
2022 IS A YEAR OF REPENTANCE AND BLESSINGS
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