There are many magnificent church buildings in the world. Architects have exerted all of their skill to design them and millions of dollars have been spent in construction. Men labored for years to erect these structures. Today the cities of Europe all have their cathedrals through which tourists wander, marveling at their beauty.
But when we speak of a temple for God, we are not thinking of a physical building. The tragic truth is that in most, if not all, of the cathedrals today the gospel is not preached. For the first three centuries, when the Church was illegal, special church buildings were not even erected. But all through the Roman Empire spiritual temples for God were springing up. Paul points out that a local congregation of believers is a temple for God: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16, nkjv).
When Paul first arrived in Corinth (Acts 18) he saw heathen temples throughout the city. There was a magnificent temple to Apollo, the sun god, whose pillars still stand. On the crest of a hill overlooking the city was the temple to Aphrodite, goddess of love, with its scores of temple prostitutes. There were many temples but none for the worship of the true and living God. Paul determined that with God’s help he would see a temple for Him in Corinth.
Paul rightly speaks of the local church as the temple of God. He also extends this figure to the universal Church, made up of all believers (Eph. 2:19-22).
But we wish to discuss in particular the local assembly. Let no one belittle the importance of the local church; it is “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).
The Building Plans
No builder will undertake construction without adequate plans. The architect and the draftsmen will have drawn up detailed plans to which the contractor refers constantly. Some Christians today feel that it is up to each church to make up its own plans for its structure, growth, and expansion. But God did not leave Moses to his own devices, although he was well-educated in the schools of Egypt. Through the tabernacle structure and its worship, God was concerned to teach His people what He is like and how it was necessary to approach Him.
Surely God is just as concerned for His people today. We believe that the apostles, by example and teaching, left instruction concerning the gospel, holy living, church leadership, baptism, the Lord’s supper, and the form of the meetings. This simple way of functioning is designed to survive under persecution and to produce healthy, vital Christians. Today many thousands of such churches flourish worldwide.
Moses was praised for his obedience to the instructions of God for the construction of the tabernacle. In Exodus 40, the refrain is heard repeatedly that he did “as the Lord had commanded Moses.” This is restated by the writer of Hebrews: “And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant” (Heb. 3:5a). If God was concerned for the worship of His people under the old covenant, is it not logical that He would also have concern for the gathering and the worship of His people under the New Covenant? Paul writes that God has given such instructions that “you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God” (1 Tim. 3:15). The Church does have apostolic plans for building a temple for God!
The Building Steps
How important it is that the one desiring to build a temple for God should become familiar with His plan for the Church. After all, it is God’s Church, not ours. One should saturate himself in the teaching of the New Testament about the Church. How did the apostles go about beginning a congregation? What can we learn from the book of Acts and the epistles? Important mistakes can be avoided that would create weakness in the work. Here, too, those who are younger can profit from the experience and wisdom of older men who have spent years building for God.
Gathering the Stones
Today much church growth is the salvaging of material from other churches. Dissatisfied members “church hop.” The church with the best programs and the most exciting music may attract people from other places.
This is hardly the way the apostles built. They always began with evangelism. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (see 1 Cor. 2:1-2).
Paul rejected the oratory that the Greeks loved. There was no attempt to make the gospel more palatable to the heathen. The cross was preached in all of its awesome majesty. Christ died for our sins; sin was stressed as separating man from God. There must be repentance–strong medicine with no sugar coating.
It was preaching done with a sense of weakness. Paul realized he could not manipulate people or convince them by his own logic. The Spirit of God must open the eyes of the sinner to his great need and to the sufficiency of the Saviour.
But Paul had great confidence in the power of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). It is the dunamis of God which is able to blast the sinner loose from the culture that grips him. Stones must be quarried for the building of God’s temple. Such are described as “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5). Peter, no doubt, remembered how Christ spoke of him as a stone, a foundation stone, along with the other apostles, for the Church (Mt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20). Now other believers are added to that rising structure.
Gathering stones for the building is a work in which all believers can be involved. If you have been saved, you know how to be saved and you can share that knowledge with others. Each of us touches lives in various areas, souls that desperately need to hear the gospel. How can we witness? Tell how you came to the Lord and show to others a loving, changed life. Tracts can be given out. People can be invited to an evangelistic outreach. Door to door work can be done. You can be involved in this work of building for God.
Shaping the Stones
Once the stone is cut loose from the bedrock it must be shaped. “And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built” (1 Ki. 6:7). The sinner who receives Christ is like a rough stone just blasted out of the quarry. There is much smoothing required before he will fit as he should into the temple of God. This we call discipling and it is part of the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20).
An older Christian can mentor a young believer, spending time teaching him the Word of God.
Bible courses and good books may help in this process. The regular meetings of the assembly with their teaching, fellowship, prayer and worship will contribute to making disciples. But there is no substitute for the personal touch of a godly Christian, encouraging a young believer and pointing out areas that need to change. The goal of evangelism is followers of the Lord Jesus. Both men and women who have known the Lord for some time can be engaged in this vital work.
This smoothing, finishing process will have certain goals. Old habits and addictions must be broken. With the Lord’s help and the fellowship of God’s people this can take place. Daily habits of reading the Word and prayer must be developed.
Give priority to be at the meetings of the Lord’s people. There is tremendous strength and healing in the fellowship of the saints. Encourage baptism by immersion. This public proclamation of one’s faith is commanded by the Lord and will strengthen one in his faith. Stress the importance of the Lord’s Supper and encourage verbal participation by the men. You can disciple others and see them grow in the Lord.
Establishing the Priesthood
A sanctuary for God requires a priesthood. Moses consecrated Aaron and his sons as priests when the tabernacle was completed (Lev. 8). Under the old covenant this office was restricted to the tribe of Levi. Most of Israel never saw the interior of the tabernacle or the temple. They stood at a distance from God.
But today all believers are priests. Peter could write: “You also as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). At conversion the believer is consecrated to the holy priesthood, set apart from the sin of his past. “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11).
When Aaron and his sons were consecrated, sacrifice was made and blood applied. They were washed with pure water, symbolizing a personal cleansing from sin. They were anointed with oil, a picture of the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon them. The believer today knows the perfect atonement of Christ (Heb. 10:14). He has also experienced the cleansing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). Because of this all believers can have “boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19).
The priest had the privilege of leading God’s people in worship. “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15). When we praise the Lord we function as priests, whether at the Lord’s supper or on other occasions.
Another function of the priest was to preserve and teach the Word of God. He was the custodian of the Law. “For the lips of the priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth” (Mal. 2:7). Today the believer has the privilege of teaching the Bible and upholding the truth of God in a dark world.
The priest was also to intercede for God’s people. Aaron carried the names of the twelve tribes in the breastplate over his heart. Today our great high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, “is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). It is the responsibility of God’s people today, as priests, to pray and intercede for others. Encourage the young convert to have a prayer list and to pray for others: relatives, Christians, missionaries, and the lost.
A vital work of the priest was to make reconciliation. The sinner brought his sacrifice and the priest stood by him as the animal was slaughtered to make atonement. He officiated in reconciliation; the priest was the visible symbol that there is forgiveness for the sinner. The believer today as he gives the gospel is proclaiming reconciliation. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation…” (2 Cor. 5:18).
It is a priceless privilege to stand as a priest, proclaiming the gospel and offering forgiveness and reconciliation to the lost. Every Christian should be active in the gospel. Young Christians need to be instructed in their responsibilities and privileges as priests.
Continuing the Building
The building of these temples for God continues until our Lord returns to claim His people. As the local assembly grows and becomes larger it is easy to drift into complacence and to lose the compelling drive of evangelism. Older Christians can settle into a comfortable lifestyle, enjoying the “good life.” It is very easy for younger people to fall into the same materialistic lifestyle and to forget that people are lost without Christ. If only we believed in the burning reality of hell we would be much more earnest in warning the sinner.
Evangelism needs to mark the assembly of God. The building of the temple must continue. Paul could say, “As a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it” (1 Cor. 3:10). What can you do to further the work of God? First of all, ask the elders of your fellowship for their suggestions as to how they can be helpful. Have a submissive, helpful spirit.
Determine what you can do to strengthen God’s work. They may suggest that you help with the janitorial duties or yard work. Undertake certain responsibilities and fulfill them faithfully. By so doing you will fit yourself for greater work (1 Tim. 3:10). Be punctual at the meetings and look for ways that you can help. Perhaps the elders will suggest that you could start a door to door project or help with an existing work. Try having an unsaved friend over for a meal and tell him what God has done for you. Pray fervently. Seek out a person who has recently received Christ and become a friend to him.
Encourage him as he begins his life with the Lord to read the Word daily, to pray and to meet with the believers. Offer to have a weekly Bible study with him. Nurture that new life.
Be faithful and wholehearted yourself in the meetings of the Christians. Listen well; sing heartily; be enthusiastic. Beware of a critical spirit. Seek to encourage the elders with your praise and cooperative spirit. Be a builder, not a destroyer. You will be helping with the greatest work on earth, building a temple for God. Keep your eyes on the Lord and don’t expect praise from men (Heb. 12:1-2). The day of reward is coming.
The Final Inspection
Paul warns all who would help with the building of a temple for God that judgment is coming. Today building projects have to pass inspection at various stages of construction. For the Christian, the day of evaluation is at the judgment seat of Christ, when He returns (see 1 Cor. 3:12-15). Motives will be evaluated; results will be assessed. All of life since conversion will be reviewed under the gaze of the Lord of glory, whose eyes are like a flame of fire. All that was done by the flesh, the old nature, and for self-glory will be burned up. Only that will remain that will glorify our Christ. Blessed fire; the garbage of our lives will be burned up. May we not be ashamed as we stand before Him (1 Jn. 2:28). May we have lived wholeheartedly for the One who lived and died for us. There is no time to waste.