Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

 

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

 

1 Corinthians 3:16: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

The statement that the saint is a temple expresses the Kingdom of God within the heart. It signifies that Jesus Christ dwells right within this heart, and if this is not proclaimed, everything becomes a futile thing, as if consumed by fire. This is because Jesus is the very temple and the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is connected by the Holy Spirit. It signifies that the Father, Jesus Christ, and the saints are united by the Holy Spirit. The Kingdom of God is not a visible kingdom, but rather a kingdom where God's rule is established in a spiritual sense.

God created the world to confine the spirits of the angels who sinned in the Kingdom of God, and by confining them in dust, they became human beings. God does not dwell in a world composed of matter. By placing the image of God within the heart of the first man whom God created, He established a relationship with God. The image of God signifies the temple, which is called the Old Temple. However, after separating the first man into male and female to create humanity, and allowing the spirit of a fallen angel to enter into them, God ceased to dwell within their hearts.

 

Afterward, God commanded humans to seek the Kingdom of God through visible things. This led to sacrificial offerings, oak trees, tabernacles, sanctuaries, and temples, but they neither sought the Kingdom of God within their hearts nor had any interest in it.

God sent numerous prophets to urge them to repent and seek the Kingdom of God, but they were indifferent; He sent Jesus Christ, whom He had predestined from the foundation of the world, but they killed Him on the cross.

After the resurrection of Jesus, God sent the Holy Spirit to restore the Kingdom of God within the heart and to ensure that the Kingdom of God comes to those who enter into Christ.

God demonstrates that the Kingdom of God is realized through the temple. In the Old Testament era, the temple was the visible temple; in the New Testament era, Jesus Christ, who is the temple, and the saints who enter into Christ become the temple; the temple established within the hearts of the saints becomes the new temple descending from heaven. First, the Kingdom of God, where the Father, Jesus Christ, and the saints are united by the Holy Spirit, is called the Third Heaven. The Apostle Paul mentions the Third Heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:2. The Kingdom of God is one, yet it is described as three. The First, Second, and Third Heavens are connected by the Holy Spirit and operate according to the word of Jehovah God. Although the Kingdom of God is one, it is visible to human eyes in three forms due to the angel who sinned within it.

Second, the Kingdom of God within the heart is a kingdom where the power of the Holy Spirit works. Romans 14:17 states, "For the Kingdom of God (he basileia tou Theou) is not eating and drinking, but righteousness (tykaiosyne), peace (eirene), and joy (kara) in the Spirit (pneumati hagio)."

He basileia tou Theou (ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ) signifies a special kingdom ruled by God the Father. This means that the Kingdom of God is not merely about eating and drinking in the flesh. However, Paul points out that the Kingdom of God is often perceived as being bound by certain legal regulations regarding eating and drinking. The Kingdom of God lies spiritually in righteousness, peace, and joy within the Holy Spirit.

These are virtues enjoyed in one's relationship with God. δικαιοσύνη (dūkaiosynē) signifies the righteousness of God, and εἰρήνη (eirene) is peace found through a relationship with God. CHARA becomes joy because one is with God. πνεύματι ἁγίῳ (pneumati hagio) is the holy spirit, signifying the Holy Spirit. It is a holiness possessed only by God. God is the King of righteousness, the King of peace, and the King of joy. This means that within the holy Kingdom of God—that is, the kingdom ruled by God—there is always righteousness, peace, and joy.

Regarding the righteousness of God, Romans 1:17 states, "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, from faith to faith, just as it is written: 'The righteous shall live by faith.'" What is the righteousness of God? The righteousness of God signifies eternal life (resurrection life). Matthew 5:6 states, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." It is those who lack eternal resurrection life who seek God's righteousness.

The reason God acknowledges those who enter into Jesus Christ as righteous is that resurrection life enters into them. The term "righteous" does not mean performing righteous acts or being fair and just, but rather being one who aligns with God's will. God's will lies in reviving the dead spirit. To those who realize God's will and pursue God's righteousness is to possess resurrection life, in which the Holy Spirit works.

Peace signifies those who bring about harmony. Romans 5:9 states, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Jesus is the one who brings reconciliation between God and sinners. Sinners cannot approach God. However, through Christ, even sinners can approach God. When sinners repent and die with Jesus, who died on the cross (when they are united), all their sins vanish, they enter into Christ, and become at peace with God. Therefore, those who are in Christ likewise cause other sinners to become at peace with God. By preaching the Word of God, they lead other sinners to repent and return to God.

Regarding joy, although one faces many difficulties while preaching the Gospel, the instruction is to do so with joy and gladness. Matthew 5:11-12 states, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward in heaven is great. For in the same way persecuted the prophets who were before you."

For a saint who has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and in whom the Holy Spirit works, the Kingdom of God always comes, bringing spiritual joy and a sense of happiness. In other words, the Kingdom of God depends on the state of the believer's heart. In carrying out the ministry of the Gospel, the people of the Corinthian church must preach the Ho Logos, who dwells within the hearts of believers; however, because they preach Jesus based on knowledge recorded in the Scriptures, Paul perceives this as laying a foundation of wood, grass, and straw. Therefore, Paul speaks of the temple within the hearts of believers.

A temple is built within the hearts of believers who are in Christ, and Jehovah God dwells there through the working of the Holy Spirit. Thus, within that temple, one encounters God the Father through the Ho Logos. The message is that if one does not know or believe in the Ho Logos within the hearts of believers, one is not properly laying the foundation.

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