God's Temples

Can you imagine a huge building on a hill, covered in gold? Imagine as the rays of the rising sun hit it. Or how the violet rays of the setting sun would dance upon the gold, reflecting all around.

We often condemn those would have gold-plated buildings, offices, or even bathrooms. Our response often is valid, for we know that many who gold plate their buildings, offices, and definitely bathrooms, are doing it to be noticed, to make a statement. Generally, they want everyone else to know how rich and/or powerful they are.

As God is rich and powerful, might it be right and proper to gold plate his holy temple? Imagine the (white) city on the hill that Jesus spoke of. Imagine a gold-plated temple in the middle of it. Whew! What a sight! God’s city would have a presence.

Yet, the temple was for a certain time that is long past. In fact, there are a whole lot more temples around. You are one. You are to be a temple, a dwelling, of God. Your foundation is to be Jesus Christ.

Paul notes that temples can be built of wood, straw, jewels, gold, silver. He warms that what the temple is made of will be judged by fire. This means, at some level, if we barely put any work into the temple (i.e., straw), when the temple burns, there won’t be much left. The concept is that of a refining fire, burning away the façades and contamination.

By God’s great grace, as long as the foundation of our life is Jesus Christ, even if the temple is burned down or destroyed, we are still God’s.

1) Have you ever been tempted to view other’s “temple” in comparison to yours?

2) Do you compare your Christian walk to that of others? If comparing, are you looking on the outside, or trying to discern the inside?