Holy Spirit as Temple

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said: “I will live in them and walk among them and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." ~ 2 Corinthians 6:16

Those in whom the Spirit comes to live are God's new Temple. They are, individually and corporately, places where heaven and earth meet. ~ NT Wright

YOUR body is a temple.
OUR body is a temple.
Individually. Corporately.
The Spirit dwells in each of us, yes. We become a living, breathing host for the Spirit at work in the world.
But not just in each of us alone. Also in each of us together.
The Spirit in me. The Spirit in you. The spirit in US.
The church is the church because the Spirit is at work as we are gathered together. But the Spirit continues to work as we leave the church and take her out into the world. Each one of us becomes a little church - a little temple - to bring God to a hurting, needing, world.
Heaven and earth meeting together not just in a building, but in us.
And in us gathered together even when not in the building. Us gathered together in companionship, love, service...
Often "your body is a temple" is used as a way to warn people off of bad eating, drinking, or unhealthy sexual habits.
But while healthy habits are important for the care of our bodies, being the temple of the Spirit means so much more than that.
It means that we get to be heaven to those who need it.
It means that heaven lives in us when we need it.
Over and over, individuals coming together so that the Spirit can dwell and live and work.

Prayer: Spirit dwell in me so that I can bring a bit of heaven to those I meet today. Amen



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