Oh, boy, former procrastinators. I’m sloppy in this area, but I’m seeing more clearly the importance of temple maintenance. In the Old Testament God made clear His design for the temple Solomon built, and He made clear the people and duties for maintaining it. But now – we are His temple.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-20
First, God’s Spirit dwells in us because He has saved our souls. Think of that! The Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – lives in you and in me! What a plan! The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us.
“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23.
Next, since Jesus bought us, we are not our own. That rubs against our independent way of thinking. Yet the Holy Spirit’s power in us changes and matures us, loves others through us, uses us to build His kingdom. We’re God’s dwelling place. We’re tempted to say, no, I live in me. But we have exchanged our lives for His.
Finally it strikes me that my behavior uses my body. That sounds odd, but it sheds light on “glorify God in your body.” Whatever I do should show God’s goodness. We are to present our members – our body parts – to God as instruments for righteousness. (Romans 7: 12-13, 19) We say “yes” to this.
So, since God makes His home in us and instructs us to use our bodies for His glory, we should pay attention to the health and strength of our bodies. We do this not to worship or exalt our bodies, but to respectfully repair and strengthen them for God’s use.
What part of temple maintenance is easiest for you to put off?
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