THE TEMPLE OF GOD

I Cor. 3:16-17 Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple.

A temple is a place of worship. It is a place where God meets with man and man meets with God. It is a place where souls are purified from sin, where thanks is given, where praise is offered unto God for His wondrous blessings and goodness. A temple is where man learns more about God and from God.

Every child of God is a temple, God's chosen place to dwell. He lives in every believer's soul through the Holy Spirit. God considers the soul of His children a sacred place. He says that He will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins His temple. Let us think about that for a moment.

Anyone who would cause one of God's children to fail spiritually will be judged by God. Anyone who would jeopardize his own soul by rejecting God and sinning against Him will be judged by God. Anyone who would do something to desecrate his soul will be judged by God. The soul is a sacred trust that we dare not take lightly. God considers the soul of His children to be holy.

We, God's children, are His temple. Whether it be individually or collectively as a church, we are God's temple and are made holy where the Holy Spirit dwells. We dare not take this lightly. God commands us to be a holy people, a people after His own heart. Take good care of your soul and God will dwell there forever; desecrate or neglect your soul and you will answer to God for it.