Where is the temple of God today? Now we know that God is both immanent and transcendent. As such, we know that no building can hold God, (1 Kings 8:27). And yet, God has in the past claimed certain places as special residences for His spirit. The Old Testament temple was called the “house of the Lord”, (1 Chr. 28:12), and Jesus called the temple in his time, “My Father’s house”, (John 2:16). When the first temple was dedicated, the Lord’s cloud filled the house of the Lord, (1 Kings 8:10), indicating God’s presence there. But where is God’s temple today?
The answer, of course, is Christ’s church. Peter said that the church of Christ is composed of living stones. Therefore, each of us, as members of Christ’s church, are individual living stones of the figurative “temple of God”.
1 Peter 2: 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Now we know that our bodies are temples in which the indwelling Holy Spirit lives. However, collectively, all members of Christ’s church are also, corporately the temple of Holy Spirit. We, therefore, are priests of the Holy Temple of God.
1 Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
What does it mean to be a “priest” in Christ’s church, and what does it mean to “offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”?
To begin with, it means that we are ordained by Jesus Christ himself, our great High Priest, and do not need humans to ordain us, or to intercede for us before God.
Hebrews 3: Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Hebrews 4: 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
What does it mean to offer spiritual sacrifices?
What did the priests in the O.T. do for the people? They offered up sacrifices for the people, representing them before God. As such, their purpose was to bring people to God. As priests, is it not our duty to bring people (unbelievers) to God as well? Peter says that we are to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Mat. 5:13). As priests, we are to proclaim God to the world.
How do we do this?
Evangelism is a part of it. But another part is in how we live. We are to be the light of the world. We are to show people God’s glory through our actions and attitudes. We are to go out into the world and bring dead stones to Christ. And we are to show the world that we belong to Christ’s church through good works, not for obtaining salvation, which Christ has already accomplished, but on behalf of a fallen world, which desperately needs to believe in Christ. If they can see God at work through His priests, then perhaps they will believe, and be saved.
Remember Christ’s analogy of the body. Christ is the head. We are the body. Just as we purpose things with our heads, and then use our bodies to accomplish those tasks, Christ, as the head of the church, uses the body to accomplish His purposes in the world. But we must give up our own wills, and submit to the will of Christ, and He will accomplish much through us. For apart from Him, we are nothing.
May God’s will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen
The answer, of course, is Christ’s church. Peter said that the church of Christ is composed of living stones. Therefore, each of us, as members of Christ’s church, are individual living stones of the figurative “temple of God”.
1 Peter 2: 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Now we know that our bodies are temples in which the indwelling Holy Spirit lives. However, collectively, all members of Christ’s church are also, corporately the temple of Holy Spirit. We, therefore, are priests of the Holy Temple of God.
1 Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
What does it mean to be a “priest” in Christ’s church, and what does it mean to “offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”?
To begin with, it means that we are ordained by Jesus Christ himself, our great High Priest, and do not need humans to ordain us, or to intercede for us before God.
Hebrews 3: Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Hebrews 4: 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
What does it mean to offer spiritual sacrifices?
What did the priests in the O.T. do for the people? They offered up sacrifices for the people, representing them before God. As such, their purpose was to bring people to God. As priests, is it not our duty to bring people (unbelievers) to God as well? Peter says that we are to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Mat. 5:13). As priests, we are to proclaim God to the world.
How do we do this?
Evangelism is a part of it. But another part is in how we live. We are to be the light of the world. We are to show people God’s glory through our actions and attitudes. We are to go out into the world and bring dead stones to Christ. And we are to show the world that we belong to Christ’s church through good works, not for obtaining salvation, which Christ has already accomplished, but on behalf of a fallen world, which desperately needs to believe in Christ. If they can see God at work through His priests, then perhaps they will believe, and be saved.
Remember Christ’s analogy of the body. Christ is the head. We are the body. Just as we purpose things with our heads, and then use our bodies to accomplish those tasks, Christ, as the head of the church, uses the body to accomplish His purposes in the world. But we must give up our own wills, and submit to the will of Christ, and He will accomplish much through us. For apart from Him, we are nothing.
May God’s will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen
