We Are The Temple of the Holy Spirit

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul while he was in Ephesus (modern-day Turkey) during his third missionary journey. Paul wrote to a Christian community that was still very young. They were passionate about their new faith but also unstable. They lived in a city that was powerful and wealthy, but also deeply corrupt.

Corinth was a major center for business, culture, and religion in the Greek world. But the city was strongly influenced by pagan religions and was known for its moral corruption. Idols and false gods were everywhere. One of the strongest influences was the worship of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Her cult was famous for sexual immorality and idol worship.

This made it very difficult to establish a healthy church and even harder for new believers to remain faithful to the Gospel. Corinth was worldly, rich, cosmopolitan, and proud. Most of the believers had no deep background in Scripture, since many of them came out of pagan religions and from lower social classes. This explains why Paul faced so many challenges in teaching and guiding them.

Does this sound familiar to our world today? Scripture is not only a historical record, it continues to speak to us in the same way now.

What Paul Addresses in 1 Corinthians

Paul’s letter does not only focus on one subject. He speaks about many issues inside the church, divisions and arguments among believers, tolerating open immorality, disorder in worship and communion, confusion about the use of spiritual gifts, the need for order and discipline

But in the middle of all these problems, Paul lifts up the truth: real love is not found in idols or false gods, but in the living God. And this God works through His Holy Spirit in His people with care, holiness, justice, and truth.

Our Bodies: The Temple of the Holy Spirit

Paul teaches that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This means that we are called to live in holiness and purity. If we belong to Christ, our bodies no longer belong to us. They belong to God.

While the world runs after passion and selfish desire, we worship Christ, who gave His life for us, redeeming and saving us through His perfect love shown on the Cross.

The Old Testament Temple

In the Old Testament, the Temple in Jerusalem was divided into different areas. Each section had a special meaning and level of holiness. The outer court was for the people of Israel. The innermost part, the “Most Holy Place” or “Holy of Holies,” contained the Ark of the Covenant. Only the High Priest could enter this most sacred area, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. That was where God’s presence was revealed in a special way.

Paul knew the promises of God. The Old Testament already showed that God had a greater plan. He wanted His people to be guided by His Spirit, walking by faith and not by sight, not depending on the dead works of the Law. Paul also understood that the Temple itself was never the final goal of God’s plan.

As the prophet Ezekiel had declared:

“For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land. I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.”Ez. 36:24-27

Paul later refers to this promise again in his letters to the Romans and the Galatians.

Christ: The Perfect High Priest

After Jesus gave His life on the Cross, He became the perfect High Priest. He entered the true Holy of Holies, not a man-made temple, but the heavenly one, offering His own blood. For everyone who belongs to Him, our bodies have now become God’s temple where His Spirit lives and works.

This shows us something very important: the church building itself is not the real holy place. Our bodies are. Filled with the Spirit of God, we are the living temple. Together we form the Church, made of living stones, with Christ as the cornerstone.

The Holy Spirit

Paul mentions the Holy Spirit to show that something far greater than what people experienced before knowing God is now at work inside believers. The Spirit is God living in us, guiding, teaching, and empowering us for holy living.

To understand the Holy Spirit, we must first understand God’s nature. God is one, complete, and indivisible. Unlike humans, God has no parts; He is whole and unified. His oneness shows that He is the one true God, a truth taught clearly in both the Old and New Testaments (Isaiah 45:5; Mark 12:29-32).

Jesus commanded His disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

God is one in essence, but He exists as three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, equal, and united in nature. Though humans cannot fully understand this mystery, it shows that God is both all-powerful and relational. This truth forms the foundation of the Christian faith.

The Holy Spirit is a distinct person within the Trinity. He has intellect, feelings, and will. Jesus called Him “He” and named Him the Comforter, showing that He is personal, not just a force. The Spirit teaches, guides, convicts, intercedes, and speaks. He can also be lied to, resisted, grieved, or blasphemed.

The Holy Spirit also has all the attributes of God. He is eternal (has no beginning or end), all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. His divine nature is shown in creation, giving new life, and inspiring Scripture. He participates in baptism, apostolic blessings, and church leadership. Scripture even calls Him God directly (Acts 5:3-4), proving that He is fully divine, not just an influence or power.

The Holy Spirit does the works of God: creating, giving new life, inspiring Scripture, and raising the dead. Everything He says and does is treated as God’s words and actions, showing that He is equal to the Father and the Son. While some people in history have questioned His divinity, Christian teaching consistently affirms that the Holy Spirit is fully God.

When Do We Become the Temple of the Holy Spirit?

We become the temple of the Holy Spirit at the moment we repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ. By God’s grace, we are justified in Christ, forgiven, and adopted into His family. At that moment, the Spirit comes to live inside us.

This is not something we can earn, it is a gift of God. Jesus said: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13

When we belong to Christ, His Spirit fills us, gives us strength to obey, pours God’s love into our hearts, and seals us for eternal life.

Why Does God Make Us His Temple?

Paul answers in 1 Corinthians 6:20: “So glorify God in your body.” God created us, saves us, and gives us His Spirit so that we may honor Him in everything we do. He wants to restore a close relationship with His people. He renews His love and power in us, men and women made in His image.

How Should a Child of God Live According to the Spirit?

Paul reminds us that we no longer belong to ourselves. Just as Jesus obeyed His Father, we are called to do the same. Jesus did not seek His own will but the will of His Father. This kind of obedience pleases God. He delights when His children honor Him in every action of their lives.

How Do We Become the Temple of the Holy Spirit?

This question is essential. Without the Holy Spirit, we remain far from God and are not yet part of Christ’s Church.

But the good news is that God came to save us through Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit, lived a sinless life, died on the Cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, now seated at the Father’s right hand. Through Him, anyone who believes is saved, brought back into a right relationship with God, and receives the Holy Spirit. If we trust in Him, repent of our sins, and ask, He will give us His Spirit. This promise is for today.