The purpose of this lesson: To stress that God sees a Christian congregation as His temple representing Him.
While there was a continuation from Judaism to Christianity (God worked through Judaism to provide the Christ on which Christianity is founded), also there are some powerful contrasts between Judaism and Christianity. One of those contrasts is seen in the existence and the role of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Many insights are gained into Christianity through understanding the perspectives and practices of first-century Judaism.
There are genuine contrasts between first-century Judaism and the Christianity of the New Testament. (For example, proselytism, the salvation of all people, salvation based on faith rather than ancestry, etc.) However, one should approach God’s work throughout the Bible as a continuation that had the single objective from the problem’s beginning (the problem of sin and evil). God was determined to produce the Christ to solve what people could not solve of themselves. God was continuously at work in differing ways as He pursued a single objective.
Both Judaism and idolatry (in most of idolatry’s forms) were geography oriented. The sites that were selected for altars or religious buildings commonly had to be “holy” sites. These religious sites could be designated/looked upon as being holy for a variety of reasons. Prior to erecting sacrificial altars or religious buildings, there commonly was a “reason" for regarding the place appropriate for the religious purpose. Examples of this view prior to the existence of Israel as a nation or the existence of the tabernacle or temple can be seen in Genesis 8:13-22; 12:7, 8; 23:7-14; 26:22-25; 28:10-17 (note especially verse 17); 33:18-20; and 35:1-15.
While the concept of “holy geography” is foreign to many Christians’ thinking, it was a basic view in the Old Testament and a common view in the New Testament.
In Judaism, the site used for holy purposes was holy [thus, there was “holy” geography] (consider Deuteronomy 12:1-14). In the Christianity revealed in the New Testament, there is no emphasis on a “holy” geography. While it is true that (1) Jewish converts to the resurrected Jesus Christ honored the Jewish temple as containing the presence of God (consider Acts 2:46 and 3:1) and that (2) Jewish converts and gentile converts did express faith in God in contrasting religious acts (consider Romans 14:1-15:3), there was no “stress of necessity” placed on geographical sites. The Christian regarded everything to be holy because (1) God the Creator is the source of everything, and (2) everything has the potential of being sanctified. Consider Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy 4:1-5.
While the nation of Israel had to participate in sacrificial worship to God at a single place, such is not required of Christians in the New Testament. The Christian view of “holy” differs from Jewish concept of “holy” in basic ways. Both see “holy” as separated for God’s use, but the “how” often differs.
One of the huge contrasts between Judaism and Christianity is in what is considered temple. In Judaism temple was a place, a geographical site. This fact must not be emphasized in ways that are not true. God’s concept was that holy or penitent people would come to a holy place to praise Him through animal sacrifice and to make petition to Him through prayers. However, animal sacrifices and prayers were ineffective, were an insult to God, if holy or penitent people did not come to the temple. Even if the animal sacrifices were correct, the methods of offering were correct, and the place was correct, God was insulted if the people were wicked and not repentant (read again Isaiah 1:10-15) The fact that unrepentant, wicked people came to the temple never deceived God! Being at the temple did not transform wicked lives (determined to continue wicked practices) into righteous lives.
A huge deception under Judaism or Christianity was/is that wicked people dedicated to wicked pursuits and motives can deceive God by obscuring their wickedness with correct procedures. With God, correct procedures are meaningful when those procedures come from holy or penitent people.
In Christianity, believing people who are devoted to obeying and following the resurrected Jesus are God’s temple. Thus, the deliberate, understood wickedness of the man or woman converted to the resurrected Jesus Christ is an attack on God’s temple. The congregation in Corinth was riddled with wicked acts, wicked attitudes, and wicked practices. These Christians practiced division (chapters 1:10-4:21), were sexually immoral (chapter 5); were justice driven--not compassionate (chapter 6:1-10); were inconsistently judgmental (chapter 6:12-20); were confused about marriage (chapter 7); were confused about confronting idolatry in the converted (chapter 8); were confused about Paul’s example (chapter 9); were confused about the appropriate presentation of self in worship (chapter 11:1-16); were confused about the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11:17-34); were confused about the purpose of spiritual gifts (chapter 12); were confused about the role of love among Christians (chapter 13); were confused about the importance of edification (chapter 14); were confused about resurrection (chapter 15); and were confused about Paul’s collection (chapter 16:1-9).
To attack a congregation or a part of a congregation is to attack God’s work. Remember, a growing congregation contains multiple generations, those with much wisdom and knowledge and those with little, spiritually mature and immature, degrees of spiritual ignorance, etc. Nurturing instead of attacking is not easily or simply done! God’s objective is not perfection but growth.
Twice in this massive spiritual confusion Paul used the fact that Christians are to view themselves as God’s temple to address the Corinthian Christians’ massive spiritual confusion. The first is in 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17. The problem Paul dealt with was the problem of their internal division. Of the many spiritual problems this congregation had, Paul dealt with this problem first. Paul regarded this problem as foundational to all their problems—1:10-4:21 dealt with the problem of their division in some way. Paul wrote more about their division than he wrote regarding any other problem they had!
Internal division seems to have been Paul’s priority concern at Corinth. To understand that Paul addressed their problems by comparing them to a temple or sanctuary would have been profoundly meaningful then as those people lived in the time of temples and temple procedures/etiquette. Paul’s illustration likely meant much more to them than it means to us.
One of the approaches he used was centered on the realization that the congregation was God’s temple. He began with “Do you not know…” (3:16)? It is appropriately assumed this was NOT the first time they were exposed to this concept. “You are God’s sanctuary because God’s Spirit lives in you collectively as a congregation. If a converted person is at fault in destroying God’s sanctuary, God will destroy that person! God’s sanctuary is holy, and you (collectively) are that sanctuary.” Internal division is destructive to God’s purposes. Internal division results in the wrath of God. To cause division within a congregation attacks God’s work in Jesus Christ in a basic way that guarantees God’s anger—and He will act in His anger!
The transition from a temple being a place of altars and animal sacrifices to a people was not an easy transition! Though they likely had been told (that concept), they had not completed the transition. Paul was very plain about the importance of making the transition! To attack God’s temple made God angry enough to destroy. That was clearly understood by them! Paul rarely pictured God as destroying a Christian. However, destroying God’s temple would anger God so much the He would destroy the destroyer!
As casual as Christians are about creating congregational division, as justified as Christians seem about generating congregational division, Christians today must not understand the seriousness Paul attached to that problem. Paul attached this seriousness to congregational division for two reasons. (1) Such division is a fundamental attack on God’s purposes. (2) Such division is a failure to recognize who every Christian is in Christ. No person can honor God while holding those two basic misconceptions. Those who are a part of God’s temple cannot attack God’s presence in self or in others in Christ.
Promoting or creating internal division is extremely dangerous spiritually! An attack on a congregation is an attack on God and His eternal purposes.
For Thought and Discussion
1. In what way was there a continuation between Judaism and Christian?
God was continually at work to bring the world the Christ.
2. Both Judaism and idolatry were what? That differs from New Testament Christianity how?
Both were geographical site oriented. There was no emphasis in the Christianity of the New Testament on a “holy” geography.
3. Use the temple to illustrate a huge contrast between Judaism and Christianity.
The illustration should include this: the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was focused on a geographical site. Christianity in the New Testament was focused on the people in Christ being God’s temple.
4. What never deceived God? The temple never transformed what?
Wicked, unrepentant people never deceived God even if they did “correct things with right procedures.” Correct temple procedures did not transform wicked behavior into righteous behavior.
5. How can Christians attack God’s temple?
When those declaring themselves to be Christian use wickedness with deliberateness and understanding to attack a congregation, they attack God’s temple.
6. Discuss how the Corinthian congregation had wicked acts, attitudes, and practices.
The congregation at Corinth had internal division, were sexually immoral, were justice driven, were judgmental, were confused about marriage, about confronting idolatry in the converted, about Paul’s example, about the presentation of self in worship, about the Lord’s Supper, about spiritual gifts, about the role of love, about edification, about resurrection, and about Paul’s collection.
7. Twice Paul addressed their massive spiritual confusion in what way?
Paul used the temple twice to address their confusion.
8. Discuss Paul’s treatment of their internal division.
The discussion should include an understanding that internal division is destructive to God’s purposes.
9. Discuss the fact that internal division is destructive to God’s purposes.
The discussion should include the understanding that internal division destroys people instead of saving people. It produces a divine anger that also destroys the destroyer.
10. Give two reasons for internal division being serious.
a) It is a fundamental attack on God’s purposes.
b) It is a failure to understand every person in Christ is a Christian.
11. Those who are a part of God’s temple cannot do what? Why?
They cannot attack God’s presence in self or in others in Christ. God’s temple is composed of all who are in Christ—God does not ask for your permission to extend forgiveness to other Christians.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 8