The Temple Of The Living God
By Lindsey Campbell
To me, 2 Corinthians reads as a scrap-book of the apostle Paul’s thoughts, feelings, experiences and reflections on the church in Corinth—an outpouring of love, pride, and grief. But pasted into the middle of this intimate monologue is this month’s Worship with the Word passage.
““I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
For we are the temple of the living God
Wow! I don’t feel as grand and unwavering as a large building. But let us step inside this “temple” and explore its features…
It is Christ, by His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, who makes us a “temple”, and as God told Samuel “, people look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7).
Earlier in this letter, Paul describes “treasure in jars of clay” (2 Cor 4:7) – we are living witnesses of God’s all-surpassing power, and “though we are outwardly wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Cor 4:16).
By God’s Holiness, we are holy! (Lev 11:44)
Next comes the ancient truth – the proof, and God’s precious promise:
I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. (2 Cor 6:16)
God’s promise to dwell with us, by welcoming us into His family, is a refrain repeated throughout the Old Testament. Our God is faithful – He loves us and has great affection for us. “Do not fear, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are mine” (Isa 43:1)
Chosen, Redeemed, Set Apart
Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you (2 Cor 6:17)
To separate ourselves – be set apart - is to fully submit to God; to do so, we must humble ourselves - and be vulnerable before Him.
Let us repent, and cry out “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow” (Ps 51:7). For repentance is the foundation of holiness – and purity results in love for God, for His church, for our neighbours and unity.
I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty ( 2 Cor 6:18)
When God expressed this promise to King David’s descendants, he had chosen him, set him apart, protected and blessed him. (2 Sam 7:14)
We too are chosen. We have been redeemed. We are set apart for him. We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation. God promises such privileges to us – His loyalty, a royal inheritance, and a personal, loving, intimate relationship with Him. What a precious gift we have received through Christ’s redeeming sacrifice.
Reflection
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Cor 7:1)
Surely, reminding ourselves of these amazing promises leads us to a desire for purity in all aspects of our lives: dying to sin and striving for holiness and righteousness. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Cor 1:20)
This month the MHOP community prepares to leave our “home” of the last 5 years. The cabin has been a wonderful space where we have encountered God’s presence, His blessing, and His attentive ear.
It is, however, a “jar of clay”: The treasure – and MHOP itself - is not defined by this lovely building. We must be wary, whilst remembering the last five years with joyful and thankful hearts, of idolising our temporary home and our memories of our God-encounters.
We step onward on our journey, joyfully praying for God’s blessing over the new ministries that will grow there. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what we see is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2Cor4:17)
Further reading: Isaiah 43; Ezekiel 20
