"Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are" (vv.16-17).
The Corinthian Christians were carnal, fleshly, and as we have already seen, full of envy, strife, and division. Paul compares them to an un weaned child, unable to digest the solid food of the Word (vv.1-2). And, as a result, they had not grown Spiritually. They were like a house built of straw, weak and unable to withstand against the temptations of life. Though Paul himself had laid a solid foundation for them (v.10), many within the church were caught up in a lifestyle of sexual immorality (1 Cor. 5:1), common to the people of Corinth in that day. So Paul hearing of their immorality, warns them with our text (vv.16-17). "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."
Paul's warning rings just as loud today as it did back then. As men, living in southern California, in the summer (or any season for that matter), we are constantly bombarded with visual temptations. As a result, we need to guard the gates to our temples (our eyes, our minds) constantly. And like the knights of old, do battle with any threat that comes to our kingdom with our sword and shield. And, not allowing any Trojan Horse through our gates.
Today Satan works overtime to rob us of our purity, our character, and our valor as men, using every tool in his arsenal. So we need to work harder at standing guard over our souls, our rewards, our vows to God, by devouring the solid food of His Word. Building ourselves up, training our bodies, bring them into the submission of His will, and defeating the fiery dates of the evil one.
Therefore my brothers train, that your temple will remain a holy place, reserved for God, with NO TRESPASSERS allowed! Because Satan is constantly working to breakdown our defenses. One for all, and All for "The One!"
The Truth: "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:12)
