A SANCTUARY FOR GOD
ARE YOU A SANCTUARY FOR GOD ?
John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Exodus 25:8 And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exodus 29:43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory.
IT IS GOD’S PREFERENCE TO DWELL IN A TEMPLE NOT BUILT WITH HANDS, BUT A TEMPLE HE HIMSELF BUILT. OUR BODIES.
Acts 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
SANCTUARIES ARE ALL DIFFERENT. ONE IS MORE APPEALING AND INVITING THAN ANOTHER. HOW APPEALING ARE YOU TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD’S PRESENCE ?
1. YOU DON’T AS AS MUCH AUTHORITY OVER YOUR BODY AS YOU MAY THINK. GOD PURCHASED YOU WHEN HE DIED FOR YOU ON THE CROSS.
A. YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
B. YOUR FLESH IS A TEMPLE OF GOD.
–NOT A TEMPLE OF PHYSICAL FITNESS, NOT A PAWN IN THE GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
–IT IS A TEMPLE. THIS IS A MUCH HIGHER CLASS OF DWELLING THAN A TENT. [STRONGS # 3485 ναός naos nah-os’ = used of the Temple in Jerusalem]. SCRIPTURE SOMETIMES CALLS OUR BODIES AS BEING TABERNACLES–TENTS– FOR OUR SOUL AND SPIRIT. BUT, TO GOD, YOUR BODY IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. IT HOUSES HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2. THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE HE DWELLED WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE LORD.
A. WHETHER WE WANT TO AGREE, OR NOT.THE TABERNACLE, WHERE HE DWELLED TEMPORARILY HAD SPECIFIC RULES. GOD WANTED HIS ENVIRONMENT TO BE TO HIS LIKING.
Exodus 30:35-38 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD. Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
3. THE TEMPLE OF GOD IS A PLACE FOR COMMUNICATION. BOTH WAYS.
A. IT IS A PLACE FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
TRUE FELLOWSHIP IS DETERMINED BY OUR WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT GOD’S CONDITIONS. WE CANNOT MAKE UP OUR OWN TIMES AND PLACES.
Matthew 12:47 Then one said unto Him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee.
B. IT IS A PLACE WHERE FELLOWSHIP CAN BE BEGUN.
FELLOWSHIP REQUIRED DEALING WITH SIN FIRST. THE COME IN PURITY. THEN COME AT THE TIME OF GOD’S CHOOSING.
Leviticus 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
C. GOD’S SANCTUARY SHOULD BE PURE.
MUST DEAL WITH SPIRITUAL BLEMISHES (SINS).***The same is true before we partake in the Lord’s Supper.
Leviticus 21:17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
Leviticus 22:2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not My holy name in those things which they hallow unto Me: I am the LORD.
4. GOD’S SANCTUARY SHOULD BE PLEASING TO HIM.
A. MAKE YOUR BODY A PLACE WHERE GOD IS HAPPY AND PLEASED TO LIVE THERE.
***When buying or renting a house, we don’t look at places, and say, “I don’t like this place, I don’t like the nieghbors, I don’t like the parking situation, I don’t like the crime, it stinks, it is dirty, and I feel uncomfortable in it. But, I want to stay there.” People don’t do that, why would God ?
B. WOULD YOU FORCE SOMEONE TO LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY FELT IGNORED, WAS DIRTY, OR IT WAS COMPLETELY UNCOMFORTABLE ? THE HOLY SPIRIT IS BOUND BY GOD’S PROMISE TO STAY WITH YOU.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
5. YOU CAN BECOME A SANCTUARY FOR GOD.
NEED WISDOM ? NEED GUIDANCE ? NEED STRENGTH ? NEED FORGIVENESS ? ALL THIS CAN DWELL WITHIN YOU. WHY NOT GET STARTED TODAY ?
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
REPENT AND PUT YOUR FAITH IN THE ONLY SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS.
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THE HOUSE IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE PEOPLE THAT DWELL IN IT.
2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
”A Sanctuary For God”
A Bible Study with Dr. Ed J. MacWilliams
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