Defile the Temple - Part 4 (8/19-21)

19-21 August - Defile the Temple of God - Part Four – Manna by Dorothy Callies

1 Cor. 3:17 KJV “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy …”

From the research, I have studied some commentaries and I pray that these might be helpful of what Paul meant from this verse. It was difficult for me to put things in order since I discovered that this verse Paul had covered many issues about how a person can defile the temple of God. Reading from 1 Corinthians Chapter 1 through 6 gives a clear understanding what Paul was referring to about “defiling the temple of God.”

3:17 HIM SHALL GOD DESTROY. Paul presents one of the strongest warnings in the New Testament to anyone responsible for building the church of Christ. This verse has special relation to all those in teaching and in leadership positions.

Here are few examples of how they can corrupt and defile the temple of God by: (1) Adultery or fornication practice (1Cor. 5:1); (2) Practice lies, deceptions, and selfish ambition (Acts 5:1-11); (3) Promoting false doctrine, rejecting apostolic teachings of Jesus Christ, and showing indifference (lack of feeling) to Scriptural truth (1Tim. 4:1; Jude 4);

(4) Practice favoritism and divisions (1Cor. 3:3-9); (5) trying to build the church by worldly wisdom (1Cor. 1:18-2:5); (6) Trying to build distorted (twisted) gospel (Phil. 1:15-16, Gal. 1:6-9). (7) And more of Paul’s writing which tells us how the temple of God can be defiled.

From number two, here is one example of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. Peter through the power of the Holy Spirit exposed them of lies about how much they gave money to the church and both were instantly destroyed by sudden death. They had defiled the temple of God with lies. “And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things” (verse 11). This story should encourage us to increase our greater respect to the temple of God which lives in us.

The Corinthian church was being defiled by some. Some had an attitude of disgust, a spirit of ill will (unfriendly feeling), not willing to learn—grumbling, griping, complaining, quarreling, arguing, dividing spirit—destroy the spiritual fellowship of the church.

Now the question we might ask this, “How does God destroy a person if he or she had defiled the temple of God?” From the commentary of the Preacher’s outline: “Church—Judgment: there is the seriousness of defiling the church. The person who defiles the church shall face terrible judgment. Note two words “defile” and “destroy”: they both come from the same Greek word (phtheiro).

The point is striking: the person who troubles the church will suffer the same kind of trouble himself. Whatever he sows, he is definitely going to reap. Troublemaking within the church destroys the spirit of unity and love within the church. To corrupt and destroy the church is to invite God to corrupt and destroy the troublemaker. Note that the punishment is not specifically described. It is simply made clear that he who does such terrible thing as trouble the church will suffer a terrible punishment. He will be destroyed: wrecked, torn apart, ripped, devastated.”

To be continued.