Free Bible Commentary
“1 Corinthians 3:16-23”
Categories: 1 Corinthians“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, ‘He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS’; and again, ‘THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.’ So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Paul had described the church of Jesus Christ as God’s “building” in verse 9. Now he goes as far as to call it God’s “temple” (verse 16). There are two Greek words that are translated “temple”. The first is “hieron” and it refers to the entire (Jerusalem) temple complex with its various courts, porches and structures. The second word is “naos” which refers to the sacred inner sanctuary. “Naos” is the word that Paul uses here to describe the church. It is the “holy of holies” in which the “Spirit of God dwells.” Later in chapter 6 Paul will describe the physical body of the Christian as the temple of God. Here he is referring to the church (the body of Christ) as His temple.
“If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him” (verse 17). The people who were responsible for causing “divisions” (chapter 1 verse 10) within the body of Christ, were actually “defiling” or “destroying” the temple of God. This may have seemed like a harmless thing, but it incited the wrath of God. If anyone is brazen enough to “desecrate” God’s dwelling place, “God will destroy him.” All preachers and teachers must make certain that they are building on the right foundation (verse 11). Every individual must take care to follow Jesus Christ and His doctrine (2 John 1:9), and not the men who proclaim the message. And all must strive for unity within Christ’s church (God’s inner sanctuary).
“Let no man deceive himself” (verse 18). The kind of “worldly wisdom” that divides people into factions and keeps them distracted in frivolous pursuits is self-deception. Worldly wisdom and spiritual wisdom are like oil and water in Christ’s church. They simply don’t mix together. To be wise before God is to appear as fools to the worldly minded people. To be wise in the eyes of the world is to stand as a fool before God. CHOOSE WISELY! We can only impress people for a short while, but we will all soon stand before the Judgment seat of God who will determine our eternity! Beware of purely worldly philosophy and human innovation! There is no place for it in the church of Jesus Christ!
Please come worship HIM with is in spirit and in truth today at the Taylorsville Road church of Christ.
We teach and practice the pure wisdom of God, and worship Him only in the ways that He sanctions.
3741 Taylorsville Road. 9:30 AM Bible class. 10:30 AM worship period. 5:00 PM worship period.
Please read 1 Corinthians 4:1-7 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed Lord’s Day!
- Louie Taylor
