THIS IS BIG
Saints, this is Life-altering. The truth that God’s Presence literally moved from a tabernacle or a temple, to being inside of us, changes everything about everything. EVERYthing.
Yes, the “Jesus” who walked on this earth – – the Son of God who spoke Truth, healed the sick, raised the dead, and loved us enough to take our sins upon Himself so that we might have eternal life – – that Jesus actually lives inside of us by His Spirit. Inside of you. And me. The saints. The Church.
THE MYSTERY
The Ark of the Covenant was the place of God’s Presence for Israel. He hovered over the Ark when the priests were present, and you probably remember the scary things about them going into the Holy of Holies. How can it be then, that such a God would take up residence within us?
Paul calls it “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people – – which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1:27* Sadly, that mind-boggling truth is rarely preached and is still a mystery to many Christians.
THE TRUTH
1 Cor. 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
I Cor. 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, – -?
Eph. 2:22, – – in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
I Peter 2:4-5 says that we are living stones who are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood.
Consider also I Cor. 3:9, Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 4:12, I Tim. 3:15 and Heb. 3:6.
The misnomer that a building is God’s house, and that what take place there can be assumed to represent the Church of Mt 16:18 which is about our Father’s business, cheats us out of much truth and Life. Perpetuating that error is essential for the ongoing program, budgets and power of many institutional churches even if it is counter-productive for the Kingdom of God, but there is something better!
Ponder this before the Lord and next time we’ll consider “something better.”
*Scriptures are nasb unless otherwise noted
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, OH
March 5, 2021
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