It’s easy to associate church with a building and to admire wonderful buildings like cathedrals. The temple in Jerusalem, built by David’s son, Solomon, was a magnificent edifice whose destruction by the Babylonians was a low point in Israel’s history. Nonetheless, when Paul asks the Corinthians if they do not know that they are God’s temple (1 Cor 3:16, 1 Cor 6:19-20) or when the writer to the Hebrews comments that we are God’s house (Heb 3:6), the truth is that our identity as God’s people is more amazing than we could have imagined – God does not simply dwell with us, but actually dwells in us!
In the Old Testament, the presence of God was symbolised by the ark of the covenant in the Tabernacle, the detailed construction of which can be read in Ex 25-29. There, we see the precise details God gave to Moses and how the holiness of His presence meant the high priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year. The presence of God was what made the Tabernacle special and set apart the nation of Israel. Now, through the sacrifice of Jesus, a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, we realise that Immanuel has come not only to ‘tabernacle’ among us (John 1:14) but has come to dwell in us by His Spirit.
Paul is exasperated that the Corinthians have not realised the implications of this great truth, accusing them of worldliness and a failure to understand God’s great plans for His church. Our identity as God’s house/ temple gives us worth, dignity, value and purpose. It should affect how we live our everyday lives, for we are now being built, like living stones, ‘into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.’ (1 Pet 2:5)
In the last chapters of the Bible, John writes about his vision of heaven after Jesus returns. (Rev 21-22) He sees an extraordinary depiction of the new city of God, but something is conspicuously missing. There is no temple in this new Jerusalem. There is no need of a temple. Jesus is right there with His people: ‘And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”’ (Rev 21:3) Just as God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, so once again God is dwelling with His people. That is ultimately what life is all about, and what our identity is meant to be: the people of God, living with God, God’s house, God’s temple.