Scripture reading:
Exodus 25:1-27:19
1 Corinthians 3
At the heart of the entire bible is the idea that the Lord created us to live among us. He knew Adam and Eve would sin and bring separation but that He would restore us and come to live in us.
And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
Exodus 25:8
This verse could also be read as “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell within them” which is what Paul taught is the case for the person in Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16
This creates an interesting problem for the believer who thinks he can have his cake and eat it too, so to speak.
There are many who believe that because they are saved by grace that they can continue to live as those who are in the world, but this is in direct opposition to the clear teaching of scripture.
While it wonderful that the Lord wants to live in our hearts and be a part of our lives, He commands that we be holy as He is holy and that we repent of our sin and walk with Him.
I wouldn’t call this a cost of a life in Christ but a benefit. Sin brings death even a person saved by grace and the Lord would have us avoid the correction we would endure when we willfully sin.
The Holy Spirit desires to live in our hearts but He will not tolerate sinful living and a rebellious heart. Just read the next verse in 1 Corinthians 3:
If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
1 Corintians 3:17
Sounds harsh but the Lord is a consuming fire and He cannot abide sin in His presence. Consider that the Lord wants to eliminate chaos and create a world we all want to live in.
How does He create a world without sin, what we would call heaven? He must deal with sin. But what the Lord would prefer is that we take care of our sin without His judging us.
Cleaning out the temple and keeping it holy. This can only happen if we understand that we are that temple and that we are no longer our own but that we belong to God.