Key Passages: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:19-22
Key Idea: The church is the one Temple of God, formed by his presence to be his eternal dwelling and the place in which his people love him, love people, and teach others to do the same.
We live in a world of distractions, some good and some bad, which can capture our attention and turn our faces away from God. Individualism is prioritized, and community is too often neglected. Consumerism tempts us to look at everything and everyone as a resource for our own gain. Siblings, it ought not to be so among us, for we are the people of God.
God is with and among his people forever, uniting them as one people who live together in God's presence toward one shared purpose: love. God calls and forms his singular and unique church into a temple comprising all who trust Christ and only those who trust Christ. He alone chooses, protects, and disciplines this global and local, timely and timeless church. He alone is God-with-us, the source and center of our life.
As the temple of God, the church is the dwelling place of the Spirit, making division both impossible and despicable. Indeed, God the Spirit will bring destructive consequences on any who divide his church and profane God's temple. God gives every Christian a ministry assignment that builds up the Body of Christ, so we may serve alongside our siblings to maintain the church's unity, live worshipfully, and carry out our duties as priests.
The people of God form the temple where God dwells, and his people lead others in worship. Christians are valued structure set aside to bring God glory. Neither the physical building nor the gatherings form this structure. We do. Christians across time and space, generation and language, denomination and tradition, are one temple with a unity that never ends and never fails. This temple is secure in Christ, for we are his building, his temple, and he is our foundation and cornerstone. He holds us together forever and builds us up to be like him.
Since we together form the very temple of God, how should we live in this world? Our love for God and identity as his temple demand that we prioritize and practice Christ-centered worship and make time to be present with our siblings. (1) This love stands against the consumerism that tries to infect the church with works righteousness and the judgmentalism of personal preferences. We live by grace, so we treat one another with grace: the preferences of others and the needs of the Body come before ours. (2) This love stands against cultural individualism that tries to attack the mutual care and unity of the church. As God's one temple, the church remains a community of priests and siblings who choose to love one another. While individualism may try to turn us inward and trap us in silos, we choose to share our diversity as fellow priests of God, united as one in Christ. In him, we live as one building, one dwelling of God, one temple, declaring his glory everywhere. (3) This love stands against the distractions that can turn our faces and turns them into prayers to our Father, ways to worship him together wherever we are, and new ideas for ministry in the world. The sum of it all is this: as his temple, we reflect God's splendor and weightiness by pointing to him, not ourselves.
Who writes Academy? Laura has an MDiv in Christian Education, a ThM in Systematic Theology, and a PhD in Educational Studies. She also serves TFB as a guitarist (primarily) and singer in TFB's worship band. Jeff has a Certificate in Biblical and Theological Studies and is currently working on an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. He also serves as kitchen lead for TFB's Family Dinner, co-lead in the Young Adult Ministry, and as TFB’s bookkeeper.
For additional discussion see the following Musings by Laura:
