Episode 176 - "You (all) are God' temple" - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

This is a passage I heard a lot as I grew up in the church. It was always used in the context of some prohibition espoused by people in our local and denominational tradition. Don’t drink (alcohol)! Don’t smoke! I even heard some use this Scripture to prohibit listening to certain kinds of music, such as Rock and Roll, because “it changes the rhythm of your heartbeat and damages your body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit.” As an older man, I’m pretty sure the only damage to my body from Rock and Roll is my hearing from listening to it played very loud. I will say that wisdom should lead us to acknowledge the potential problems of indulging in some of these liberties of life. But, while I might tell a younger person, “Don’t smoke! It’s bad for you,” or “Don’t mess with the alcohol. It can lead to trouble,” I have a bigger problem with how people have used this Scripture in that way. It’s a wrong interpretation.

You might think to yourself, “Dave, what do you mean? This seems pretty clear. The Scriptures speak of how God gives us the Holy Spirit and it dwells within us.” Yes. The Scriptures do teach that. But that is not the primary point of what Paul is saying here. So, what is he saying, and how can I be so certain? Let me explain.

There are at least a few clues to help us understand what Paul means. First, when we examine the original Greek language for this text, everything here is in the second-person plural. To translate this into Texan, “Do y’all not know that y’all are the temple of God and that God’s Spirit dwells in y’all?” Paul reminds them that as a corporate body of believers, they are the temple of God in which God’s Spirit dwells. In other words, Paul says the local church is God’s temple.

Another clue supporting this is that from the beginning of this letter, Paul’s instruction has focused on the unity and harmony of the church. He’s not talking about principles for healthier lives as individuals. It’s all about the individuals thinking, speaking, and acting in a way that leads to unity and harmony as a church.

A third and perhaps strongest clue is at the end of verse 9 when he tells them, “You (all) are God’s building.” His assertion is that all of the believers are, together, a singular building. Verse 10 continues by speaking of one foundation which is built upon. It’s in verses 16-17 that we learn this building is God’s temple.

The warning here is that by letting “jealousy and strife” (1. Cor. 3:3) divide believers, we are responsible for destroying God’s temple, and we are at risk of incurring divine discipline. This is not about personality differences. It’s about reverence for the presence of God in the third person of the Trinity.

Prayer: Father in Heaven - Help me revere your purpose for the church and that you are with us in our gathering. Help us show mutual love and submission to reflect the unity and harmony perfectly existing within the Godhead.