God's Holy Temple

Last weeks blog was about because of our faith in JESUS and if we believe and accept that he came as God in the flesh. He gave his life on a cross to free us from our sin and eternal separation from God. JESUS restored our relationship with God, we are a child of God, we have eternal life, and we are reborn spiritually and have the Holy Spirit in us. We start a new life with the Lord and we become a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:17: ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’  He free's us, we are set aside for his purpose and we all who believe become part of God's Holy Temple. Ephesians 2:21: ‘We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.’ I like this translation because it says, ‘carefully joined together.’  We all become part of God's church and Christ is the head of the church. Ephesians 1:22:  ‘God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.’ The church is not a building, system, structure or place it is a sacred, spiritual, holy temple that belongs to God all who accept Christ are a part of. The church or God's temple is made up of all different kinds of people who believe that are filled with God's Holy Spirit, grace and love. 1 Corinthians 6:19: ‘Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.’  Ephesians 1:13-14: ‘And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.’  The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him’. The purpose of the church is to glorify God. We are all given spiritual gifts, time, experiences, and resources to accomplish this. What is very exciting for me and where my heart is and what he has shown me is this, I know that every believer is very valuable and loved by God and has something from JESUS that the people in the church need. It is clear in the word of God that this is true that we all need to play a part. It explains this in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, we are all given gifts to edify the church and how the church is compared to a body full of many different parts that function together and need each other. 1 Corinthians 12:21: ‘The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."   Many believers’ may not realize this or understand how valuable he or she may be or that they have these awesome things God has given them or done in their life. They may need a little help from others in the church like a mentor to help them have a closer walk with the Lord. So they can start following JESUS and start finding out who they are, their  own spiritual identity. I know I did and I'm able to help others but I am still finding out who I am and what JESUS has for me each day, it is a faith journey that I love and it brings me closer to him everyday. That is why I like Ephesians chapter 4:1-16 so well I think. Verse 1 says that each of us have been called by God. In other words we all have a calling a purpose from God himself. Then it talks about how we are unified in the church by the Holy Spirit and love and peace and humility from God. Verse 7 says that through Christ we are all given a special gift. Verse 11-12: ‘Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.’  I like this translation, it says it is their responsibility is to equip God's people and build up. In other words, do the great commission, equip and disciple the body of Christ. Teach them how to teach and disciple and love others. Take care of other peoples needs, help where you’re gifted or have resources and where someone else is weak or has a need. Take the time we have and invest in the body of Christ, watch out for Satan he is crafty and will weight you down with too much responsibility to where you are not investing in relationships or people in the body of Christ. Because when this is all over people and relationships is what matters, the body of Christ is God's temple that he loves and that is what is going to heaven. In the last blog I ended with Ephesians 4:16: ‘From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love.’  This is an awesome verse that speaks the need of every believer to be used and properly fitted in the body where they are helping others grow and full of love. I read a commentary that says, ‘every part is joined together and supplies love and vigor and helps nourishes all the others. Every member plays a part and no one is over taxed.’  Only JESUS can make this happen and has the plan. I think it is clear in God's word that he desires us to do this and help his church be healthy and strong and full of love. JESUS came to Peter after he was resurrected in John 21:15-17  and asked him 3 times do you love me Peter and told Peter to feed my lambs, take care of my sheep. What this speaks to me is JESUS says if you really love me then serve me and help take care of my people, the body of Christ and focus on this. Love on them, disciple them, be patient with them, encourage them to do the same so my church will healthy and full of love and stand out to the rest of the world and glorify God and be his Holy Temple. John 13:35, ‘Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.’