We are presently looking at terms which describe the New Testament church. In our previous lesson we considered it from the viewpoint of a household or family. Another term applied to thtose people who make up the church is "temple," and this emphasizes the worship aspect of the church. In the Old Testament God's temple was where he said he would meet with his people and where they came to worship him and offer their sacrifices. A record of the temple being built by Solomon may be read in Second Chronicles chapter seven. God also told his people his name would be recorded there (Exo. 20:24).

In the New Testament God also has a temple; one that is spiritual in nature. In Ephesians 2:19-22 Paul is addressing those who were once Gentiles in the flesh. But they had obeyed the gospel, and so had become a part of Christ's church. In the above verses he speaks in terms of a building, using such terms as "foundation" and "corner stone." In fact, in verses 21-22 he uses the term "building." Then he says these people "groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

The Old Testament temple was built according to God's plans and directions (1 Chron. 28:9-10). Preceding the temple was the tabernacle, built by Moses. In Hebrews 8:1-5 we find some things said concerning this, and among them we find that God gave Moses explicit directions in its construction. Moses was to erect the tabernacle "according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." The same was true at a later time when Solomon bilt the temple; it was done at the precise direction of God. Likewise, God's spiritual temple, the church or his people, came into being just as God directed.

The foundation of this spiritual temple is Jesus Christ himself (1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20). This was predicted by the prophet Isaiah some 700 years before the fact (28:16-17). But a foundation presupposes a superstructure. The apostle Peter makes it clear as to the composition of this building. He said, "ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5). Note the worship aspect of these terms - "holy priesthood; spiritual sacrifices," etc. Only those who are obedient believers can be a part of this building; the disobedient can never be, for the rejected God's plan for it (1 Pet. 2:7-8).

The strength and endurance of any building depends upon its foundation and stones being firmly fixed together. This comes about when those people who compose the building work and worship together in peace and harmony. They look to Christ as their strength, and it may then be said that "the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of ever part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:16).

Are you a part of God's temple? Do you regularly and scripturally worship God? Obedience to the gospel will accomplish this! Why not consider it today? - Bill Moseley