The temple we are to be

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Over 100 times in the New Testament, one finds the temple mentioned as a place to worship God, to hear teaching, and to offer up sacrifice to God. The temple was a physical building, but today from the International Gospel Hour, let’s look at the temple as a spiritual place. Again, that’s coming up. Stay right here with us.

SPEAKER 02 : 0:26

Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. For 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through International Gospel Hour. You are about to listen to another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, starting now!

SPEAKER 01 : 0:50

Well, thank you to our J-Web and greetings to all of you. Great having you with us once again for our studies from International Gospel Hour. We’ve been on the air or online since 1934 and we appreciate your contribution to our cause. The contribution of your time to listen and your interest in the things that be of God. We will not ask for your money for anything we offer through our broadcast. We have a couple of offers coming up shortly, and we’ll share those with you. If you’d like to reach out to us, as a matter of fact, we ask our listeners to touch base with us every now and then. Let us know from where you’re listening to our broadcast, from where you’re listening. We’d love to know where our listeners are from. You can call us toll free at 855-444-6988 and just say, Hi, I’m listening to you from maybe Birmingham, Alabama or Indianapolis, Indiana or maybe outside of Cincinnati. We love all of our listeners of International Gospel Hour worldwide. You can also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com and leave us a message through our contact tab. You can also write us at P.O. Box 118 Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334. Now let me give you all those again. You can call us toll free at 855-444-6988. Go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com and send us a message through the contact tab, or write us at P.O. Box 118 Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334. Again, we love hearing from our listeners here on International Gospel Hour. Let’s consider our lesson text of the moment for 1 Corinthians 3, 16 and 17, or from 1 Corinthians 3, 16 and 17. Now this is written to the church at Corinth when Paul says, Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. So Paul calls the church at Corinth, these members of the church, individuals, the temple of God. Now let’s elaborate a little bit on this text with some further thoughts. First of all, the temple, the individual, is not to be defiled, meaning to not corrupt, deprive, or destroy. Now since the Christian is the temple of God, then should not the Christian give attention to his or her care? We cannot corrupt where God dwells, which means we just cannot live any old way. A lot of times we claim church membership, but we live just any way we want. And you can’t do that. One must not deprive where God dwells. We cannot deprive ourselves of daily spiritual needs. And one must not destroy where God dwells. That will slowly tear apart one’s life when we do not adhere to living as the temple of God. Yes, friends, these scriptures are warnings and an exhortation to the church to live as the temple of God. So let’s examine the church in light of being the temple of God in worship, in work, and in walk, so that as the temple of God we may see our aim in life. We’ll look at this a little bit more in a moment, but first, here is one of our free online video studies that we think you will find of great interest.

SPEAKER 02 : 4:34

Does It Matter? is a free online video study. The most important question in all the world is, where will you go when you die? God has provided from the Bible all that one must know. Any questions about salvation, sin, and the church? They will be addressed from God’s Word. May we send you the link and give it a try? Just call toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, email, and just say, Does it matter? Again, call toll-free at 855-444-6988 and please leave your name, email, and just say, Does it matter? You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, email, and type Does It Matter in the message blank. We will send the link right out to you.

SPEAKER 01 : 5:31

Friends, in worship, the church is the temple of God. Again, the scriptures refer to those in the church as the temple of God. 1 Corinthians 6.19 What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? In Romans 8, beginning with verse 9, But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken or make alive your mortal bodies by his spirit who dwells in you. As in Bible times, the temple was a place to offer up sacrifices and worship to God. Well, the church is a temple that should be a living sacrifice, Romans 12, verses 1 and 2, and as priest, 1 Peter 2 and verse 9, One should offer up their lives and one should always desire to worship God. Now friend, let me stop here. We’re not advocating that everything we do in life is worship. But how we live our lives should be a sacrifice unto God as we walk faithful for Him. And conduct our lives as the lights of the world. Matthew 5, 13 and following. In work the church is the temple of God. From 1 Corinthians 3, beginning with verse 9, For we are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God, which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it, but let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear, for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one’s work of what sort it is. Let’s think about the following. First we see God’s laborers, which means we are to use His blueprint. We follow God’s pattern. One will see His directive to follow. Now what is interesting is, is that one finds the tabernacle of old built according to the pattern, Exodus 25, verse 9. So with the church in the New Testament, we’re going to build according to the pattern that is there. We’re not going to create our own church or our own denomination. We’re going to carry forth the pattern that we see in the New Testament. So as God’s husbandry, we’re going to use His seed, the Word of God, Luke 8, verse 11. In God’s building, we’re going to be using His materials. Well, obviously, if I follow His blueprint, then I must use the proper materials. Fourth, God’s foundation, that is the Christ. There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, Acts 4 and verse 12. And based upon that foundation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that’s where He said in Matthew 16, 18, Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. There’s also God’s awareness. We must be careful of what one uses and how one uses it. And one must abide by the codes as well. You know, if we’re building a house, we abide by the codes of the local laws. With God’s awareness, we abide by His codes from the Word of God. When you put it all together, friends, the house, as the church, is built. And according to 1 Timothy 3.15, it is the pillar and ground of the truth. So you see, we are guided how we are to worship. We are guided how we are to work. Let’s pause here for a moment. Here is another free offer. Would you like a Bible course by mail? Absolutely free. Our J-Web has the details.

SPEAKER 02 : 9:43

Our well-received Bible study course by mail is available to everyone absolutely free. Would you like to try it? All you do is call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, Home Study. That’s it. That’s all you have to do. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the Contact tab and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box. At your own pace, you can study the Bible in your own home. Again, it’s free. Give it a try. And it’s from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.

SPEAKER 01 : 10:22

In our walk, the church is the temple of God. You see, one knows that God is not really housed in a physical structure. In Acts 7 and verse 48, and affirmed in Acts 17, 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. But, of course, God dwells within us, 1 John 4, 15. His Son dwells in us, Ephesians 3, 16 and 17, and we walk with Him dwelling in us. Therefore, friends, it makes sense that if God dwells in us, then He must arrange His temple, His house, or our lives according to His way. Imagine someone invited you to stay with them. And let’s say that you show up with a moving van with all your furniture. You go in their house and start talking about moving a lot of things out, a lot of things in, rearranging, painting, and say, and all different things. But you’re going to say, whoa, you can’t do that. Well, why? Well, see, they may be living there, but it is not their house. It is still your house. Now, what if they gave you the house? Then you would have the right to arrange however you want. Therefore, if one is given his or her life to Jesus, he is the owner, and he makes his home, his dwelling place, in one’s hearts and one’s life. And as the owner, he wants his house arranged in the way he wants it. You see, God, Christ, the Spirit, dwells in the Christian, in worship, in work, and in one’s walk. So therefore, when we worship him, When we work for Him and we walk for Him, we will do it His way. What a joy to be known as the temple of God. But let’s live accordingly. And let’s continue our studies together at another time. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.

SPEAKER 02 : 12:21

God be with you, still be with you. Thank you for listening today. May this study prompt your search of God’s Word for His will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to our other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory.