An Habitation of God

2024-06-24

The church is the habitation and temple of the Holy Spirit.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22)

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5)

We as individuals, these “lively stones,” are temples of the Holy Spirit as well. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

If this be so, there are many questions to ask. Why do churches not reflect this grand habitation? Why do we so quickly excuse our sin, which is an affront to the Spirit who lives within us? We grieve and we quench and the result is this worldly vain religion that we see in our country.

What does the Spirit say? If anyone defiles His temple, He will destroy him. Our Lord and Savior is the chief cornerstone with which everything else is supposed to align. The glorious temple of God offers up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable. The stones do not live to themselves, but to God.

But here we are, a worldly society that is not practically holy. Dull of hearing, we need to be awakened to the Spirit’s voice. We must be personally holy by considering ourselves one with Christ and crucified to the world. We have so much spiritually, being freely given all things, but we are so needy. Lord, please show us what we need to do, and what repentance we need.