The Temple – Seriously!
1Cor 3:16-17
7-31-16
How seriously do you take ‘distracted driving’? Did you know it was the number one
killer of American teens? Did you know that distracted drivers in their 20’s were involved in
38% of all fatal crashes? That’s enough to encourage us all to be serious and not a statistic!
The Corinthians were evidently distracted from their identity as God’s temple. The result
was disastrous! How seriously do you take your identity as God’s temple? Would Paul consider
you to be serious or a statistic?
I. Know You Are God’s Temple v. 16
A. Know? – Paul questioned their knowledge more in this letter than any other. Were
they ignorant or ignoring? Can you identify the difference in your life?
B. Temple of God – Corinth had many temples to many ‘gods’- __________________
Being the temple was strange to their world. It was also different from the Jewish temple, but
there were parallels – God’s presence, meeting place with man, mercy
The church, made of individual members is the temple of God.
C. Indwelling Spirit – The Holy Spirit in us is our guarantee of salvation, Eph. 1:13-14.
He leads our spiritual walk, Gal. 5:16-26. He is ever with us. We are accountable to Him.
II. Know God’s Temple is Holy v. 17
A. Man Defile – This serious word means corrupt, deprave, damage. In this context it is
spiritual like Satan did to Eve, 2Cor. 11:3, or the lusts of the old man, Eph. 4:22. The temple
here must be corporate – the body of Christ, as it fits the corrupt attitude the Corinthians
demonstrated as they rejoiced in immorality, sued each other, snubbed the weaker, despised the
body at the Lord’s supper, were arrogant regarding gifts and more in this letter.
B. God Will Defile – Salvation isn’t about our works, but the finished work of Christ, so
this must be about judgment and loss, v. 15.
C. Holy Temple – the basic idea of holy is set apart. As the OT temple was set apart for
Him, so are we!
D. You Are – Every believer is God’s Holy temple.
Are you serious about that identity?
Are you serious enough to present your body a living sacrifice – holy, Rom. 12:1-2.
Grace to you!