Together // 1 Corinthians 3:16

Today’s verse gives us a beautiful image for what it means to live as part of God’s family. We read that Paul wrote how everyone together is the Temple of God. A little context here is important. The Temple of God in Israel was the place believed to be where God actually lived. It was the heart of Jewish religious practice where people gathered and even entered into commerce. The early Christians in Corinth did not have a centralized location like the Temple; rather they were gathering and doing life in homes or other smaller locations. Paul wanted them to know the practice of their faith was no less important without a Temple, because it was the gathering that was important, not the place. This echos the promise of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 18:20 that He was present whenever and wherever two or three or more are gathered in His name. God doesn’t need the inner chamber of the Temple for His home because He prefers the inner chambers of the human heart. Let’s close today’s message with a verse from Hebrews 10:25 and aim to live into it: “Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near.”