1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says,
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.”
Since Jesus died and the veil in the temple was torn, there is no longer a separation between God and His people. We now have access to God through His son, and His presence, which was once confined, now comes to dwell in us, making you and me a temple of God.
This is a privilege and an advantage that the people of the Old Testament did not receive. However, it also comes with some responsibility. Luke 12:48 reminds us, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required…”
So what does it mean to be a dwelling place for God?
The song, Sanctuary puts this beautifully. It is a simple chorus, that expresses a very complex prayer.
Lord, prepare me
To be a sanctuary.
Pure and holy
Tried and true
With thanksgiving,
I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for you.
To be a temple for God, you must be…
#1. Pure and Holy
Leviticus 11:44 says, “…be holy, because I am holy.”
First, we must recognize that the standards we strive to live up to are only possible with God’s help. Nobody meets the criteria except through Jesus, and the power they receive through the Holy Spirit.
That being said, one definition of pure is “free from any contamination.” Purification is often a difficult process involving heating to extreme temperatures or running through several chemicals and filters. Removing contaminants in your own life can also require extreme measures and sometimes be painful.
As the song says, “Lord, prepare me.”
#2. You Must be Tried and True
Becoming a Christian is not just one decision or one prayer. It’s something you have to decide every day in every circumstance. To be “tried and true” means you stick it out even when it hurts. Turning your back in the tough times would be like kicking God out of His own temple.
James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
If you are able to do that, you will develop an attitude of thanksgiving that the song talks about. The process may be difficult, but the result will be worth it!
Lord, prepare me!