God’s Temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
Where does God live? If you asked that question throughout history, people will give different answers. Some might say the heavens. Some might think of a idol. Others might picture the grand temples of the past—the Jews would think of the tabernacle in the wilderness, Solomon’s temple covered in gold, or the second temple where Jesus walked. But none of those answers quite get it right. The truth is, God has always been about dwelling among His people. And what He has done through Christ has transformed His dwelling place in a way far greater than any of those physical structures.
Paul asks the Corinthian church a stunning question: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). It’s a reality they hadn’t fully grasped. And maybe we haven’t either. Because if we are God’s temple, that changes everything about how we live, how we worship, and how we represent Him to the world. Today, we’re going to explore what it means to be the temple of God—not just as individuals, but as His church.
God's People/God's Temple
In the beginning, God walked with man in the garden (Genesis 3:8). That was the original temple—creation itself, filled with God’s presence. But when sin entered the world, that closeness was lost. Do you know that this hurt God? Throughout the remainder of the Bible, we see him saying again and again that what He is doing is for a purpose. He says, "They will be my people and I will be their God."
So God made a way to dwell with His people again. First, He instructed Moses to build a tabernacle, and when it was completed, “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34-35). Later, Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, and “the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD” (1 Kings 8:10-11). God’s presence was unmistakable.
The function of this temple was to serve as the meeting place between God and His people, where sacrifices were offered for atonement, prayers were lifted, and worship was conducted according to God’s commands. It was a place of holiness, a symbol designed to reflect God’s presence among His people and call them to a life of obedience and devotion as the covenant required. God promised that they could pray toward that temple and he would hear those who were faithful and help them in their distress. However, this temple was also a shadow of something greater to come—a dwelling place not made with hands but built by God through His Spirit, where His presence would reside in His people rather than in a physical structure.
But something happened. Israel sinned. They treated the temple as a lucky charm among many rather than a sacred dwelling. And so, Ezekiel saw a vision—God’s glory leaving the temple (Ezekiel 10:18-19). The temple was eventually destroyed and God will promise to build a new Temple where he will dwell with his people. A second temple was built in Jerusalem (Ezra), but the glory never returned in the same way. People longed for God’s presence again.
Then Jesus came. He was the temple. He was God in the flesh, walking among His people (John 1:14). He even said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). He was speaking of His body, because in Him, God’s presence had come in full. And when He ascended, He did something incredible—He sent His Spirit, not to fill a building, but to fill His people (Acts 2:1-4). Now, Paul tells us, “You are God’s temple, and God’s Spirit dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
What does that mean? It means that wherever God’s people gather, God is present. It means that the glory of the Lord has returned, but in a radically different way—not in a building, but in the hearts of His people. And that leads us to our next point.
What Does It Mean For the Church To Be The Temple?
One United Group (Eph 2:19-22)
The temple wasn’t just about individual holiness. It was about God’s people being built together as one. Ephesians 2:19-22 says that the church is “being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Every believer is a stone in this great structure, held together by Christ, the cornerstone.
This means that division in the church isn’t just a disagreement—it’s a break in God’s dwelling place. In the Old Testament, the temple had different courts—dividing Jews from Gentiles. But Christ tore down the dividing wall (Ephesians 2:14). Now, there is one temple, one body, one people of God.
So, what does that look like for us? It means we must value unity in the church. It means we must build each other up, not tear each other down. It means that if God is dwelling in us, then we must treat one another as sacred.
However, unity does not mean compromising holiness. That leads us to our next point.
A Holy People (1 Cor 6:19-20)
If we truly are the temple of God, then that changes how we live. The Old Testament temple had strict laws about purity—only the priests could enter certain areas, and sacrifices had to be made to cleanse from sin. It was set apart for God’s presence.
Paul builds on this imagery when he says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you... So glorify God in your body.” Just as the physical temple had to be holy, so must we.
Sin corrupts. It defiles the temple. That’s why Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 3:17, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” Strong words. But they remind us of something crucial: we cannot take lightly what God has made sacred.
Practically, this means we must fight against sin, both personally and as a church. How we treat one another matters. Gossip, division, impurity—these things defile God’s dwelling place. Romans 8 reminds us that the Spirit dwelling in us is not passive; He works to sanctify us, leading us away from sin and into a life that pleases God. Paul says, "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13). The Spirit reveals the truth to us as we study God's word. He strengthens us, reminding us that we are no longer slaves to sin but children of God. When we honor God’s presence among us, we want to reflect His holiness to the world.
Paul’s words in Ephesians 3 remind us that we should be praying for this strengthening, asking that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith and that we may be "rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:16-17). Through this, we collectively grow stronger as the temple of God, reflecting His glory and power in the world.
Pure and Authentic Worship (John 4:21-24)
If the church is God’s temple, then worship is central to our identity. Worship in the Old Testament was centered in a building, with sacrifices and rituals. But Jesus transformed worship completely.
John 4:21-24 – Jesus told the Samaritan woman that worship is not about a place, as she had supposed, but about worshiping “in spirit and truth.” She wanted to make it about place, saying, "You worship in Jerusalem, but we worship on this mountain." Jesus' response illustrated a major issue. To her, her people, and most of the Jewish people worship was about fulfilling some requirement and serving God in a way that they liked. Worshipping God was very much based on that in the Old Testament so Jesus said, "You worship what you do not know, but we worship what we know for salvation is of the Jews." He pointed out to her that, at that time, they were worshipping as God had instructed. The temple was in Jerusalem. But, Jesus said, his people (a.k.a. his church, the temple) were going to worship in spirit and truth. Worship would no longer be about a physical location. It would be about God.
Romans 12:1 – We are called to present our bodies as living sacrifices, meaning our whole lives are acts of worship. There is no break from worship as the temple of God. The light is always burning. The bread is continually being refilled.
True worship is not about location, tradition, or ceremony—it is about a heart devoted to God. Worship is about aligning our lives with His will and exalting Him in everything we do. We worship individually and collectively to exalt our God and our creator.
Conclusion: Living as God’s Temple
So, where does God live? Not in a temple made with hands. Not in a church building. He lives in His people. We are His dwelling place individually and collectively. God is in us, Christ is in us, and the Spirit is in us. They are breathing life into our mortal bodies, providing us with living hope for eternity.
That means we must live differently. We are set apart. We are filled with His presence. We are united in Christ. We must worship Him in truth. And we have a mission—to reflect His glory to the world.
One day, the final temple will be revealed. Revelation 21:3 gives us the ultimate picture: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.” No more need for a building, for we will fully dwell with Him forever.
Until that day, let’s live as His temple, holy and united, showing the world what it means to be the dwelling place of God.