God Will Destroy Him

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

I Corinthians‬ 3‬:16‬-17‬ NKJV‬‬

Most people in America read this with an individual mindset. This passage is not talking about your individual body that you live in- it is referencing the church, the body of believers.

If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. The words “defiles” and “destroy” are the same Greek word. The word means destroy by corrupting. It is the opposite of building up and keeps with the architectural theme. The destroyers here are distinct from the unwise or unskillful builders; the unskillful held fast the “foundation”, and, therefore, though they lose their work and reward, yet they are themselves saved. The destroyers, on the contrary, subvert the temple itself, and shall therefore be destroyed. The idea is that if anyone mars the church, God will mar them. 

For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. For the temple of God is holy – The church is to be regarded as sacred and inviolable, which means never to be broken, infringed, or dishonored. This was unquestionably the common opinion among the Jews respecting the temple at Jerusalem; and it was the common doctrine of the Gentiles respecting their temples. Sacred places were regarded as inviolable; and this general truth Paul applies to the Christian church in general.

God sets apart the local church, which is the temple of God, as holy.  God views the local church as His special possession, so He protects it from anyone that mars it. He guards it carefully. If anyone tears down the local church, he is susceptible to God’s judgment. THIS is a holy place and we are to treat it as such.

As God commanded the punishment of death to be inflicted on whoever defiled the actual Temple, because it was holy unto the Lord, and His presence dwelt there; so the local church, having the same Spirit in us, are a temple also holy unto the Lord. God will not leave anyone unpunished who destroys or mars His church. As the Aaronic priests were doomed to die if they violated the old temple, so any Christian, not just false teachers, who violates the sanctity of the spiritual temple, shall perish eternally.

Leviticus 16:2 and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.

Paul says “ANYONE” passing from the false teachers to all the members of the Church, who, by profession, are “priests unto God” 

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

From other parts of the epistle, we can get more information about Pauls’ intent. it appears that the false teachers among the Corinthians taught false doctrines. Paul says the Corinthians were carnal, and have not separated themselves from the surrounding society. They were divisive and arguing over certain preachers.

They were tolerant of sexual immorality. They were suing one another, had humanistic thinking and conflicts over Christian liberties. They were misusing the gifts of the Spirit. Communion was being taken in an unholy manner because the rich were leaving out certain people, producing division. They were getting drunk. All these things Paul addresses had the ability if not repented from to corrupt, to pollute, and destroy the church, which should be kept pure and holy for God. (we will see in 2 COR that the church did in fact heed Paul’s letter and repent)

This is serious business. 

How do we apply this to our lives? What are some things that will destroy the church?

1. Sin- engaging in immorality. The Corinthians were tolerating sexual immorality 

1 Corinthians 5:1-2,6 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even [a]named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are [a]puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 

6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

Your sin affects the whole body, not just you.  EX: adultery in the church

Tolerating sin and worldliness is equally as corrupting.

Revelation 2:20  Nevertheless I have [a]a few things against you, because you allow [b]that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, [c]to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

People tolerate sin because they lack courage. They tolerate sin in their family and esp their children because they care too much about the relationship than what God wants. They care too much about how you are viewed. “They will say I am not loving”. God expects for the church to keep itself free from the leavening affects of sin. This falls on us all- neither myself nor pastor Matt know what’s going on with all people in the church. You have a responsibility to help keep one another in purity and holiness. 

2. Selfish ambition- promoting your own self interests

James 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

It is possible to be a religious zealot and at the same time be a troublemaker.  For where envying and self-seeking is, there is confusion —it is literally translated as, “tumultuous anarchy”

The meaning of SELF-SEEKING is the act or practice of selfishly advancing one’s own ends, seeking one’s own profit or interest, having or showing preoccupation with one’s own profit or interest. The self-seeker does not show concern for how their behavior affects others, but only that they get what they want. EX: the lady who only sang solos- that was her gifting

Self-seekers cause great strife to our fellow Christians. They could care less if they ruin the testimony of the church. The desire to be right takes precedence over the testimony of Jesus Christ and the unity of the brethren. 

Self-seeking causes everything in the body to be unsettled and agitated (anarchy). The atmosphere becomes troubling and all peace leaves. There is no union of the vision; there is no co-operation in promoting a common goal; therefore there is no stability in any plan or purpose.

All love and harmony are banished; all joy is zapped from the room. In place of the virtues of grace and love which ought to be the sign to others that we are the church of the living God, there springs up every evil passion that mars the peace of a church. Where this spirit prevails, it is impossible to expect any spiritual progress and all effort to work for God is vain.

If we judge ourselves by man’s standards, we look good. If we judge ourselves by God’s standards, we see ourselves for what we truly are. God’s standard for the Christian life diminish any self-seeking and rivalry among Christians. 

3. Promoting false doctrine. There is a lot of nonsense out there. There are things that we can agree to disagree on, but we cannot have unity where we are not in agreement.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

WE cannot walk with the Lord unless we are in agreement with and obedience to His Word. Part of our foundation is not just building on Jesus, it is building on His Words. I know a little about foundations 

Matthew 7:24-26  “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

We can also not walk together unless we are in agreement. This is why we have the membership class- go and find out what we believe and why we believe like we do. You do not have to agree with us, but if you are going to be a part of this congregation, you better fall in line and not cause problems among the brethren. Here are somethings to recognize:

Christ is Lord and God. God is triune in nature, but still ONE God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a part of the oneness of God- anything other than this is falsehood. Great is the mystery of God. He does not change. The same God of the OT is the same God of the NT

2 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV) But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Humanistic teaching, man’s philosophy/knowledge exalted over the Word, human traditions elevated to level of scripture

Colossians 2:8 (ESV) See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Grace taught as a license to sin. The false love gospel.

Jude 1:4 (ESV) For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

God’s doctrine is a life of holiness and godliness. Any doctrine that doesn’t address sin, is not of God. 

1 Timothy 6:3-5 (ESV) If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Stay in the Word! If it’s in the Word, it is for today. Period.

Romans 16:17-18 (ESV) I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

4. Causing division

Did you know sowing seeds of discord is an abomination in the Lord’s eyes? 

“A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord.” Proverbs‬ 6:12-14‬

v. 16-19 These six thingsthe Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to [a]Him: 17 A[b] proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

What exactly is “sowing discord among the brethren”?  It’s to sow seeds (words) that spread dissent amongst the church. It’s to speak a crafty word that undermines a pastor’s authority, “I don’t think that pastor should do it that way!” It’s words that one speaks to solely produce a sense of distrust in the Church Body like, “that church is too *this or doesn’t preach *that”, or “They have never done anything for me”. These words erode at the foundation of people’s trust and their sole purpose is to destroy. 

Be very careful that when “stating your opinion” it’s not producing seeds of doubt in another’s ears. Just because you may not like the way something is done, does not make it wrong. Be very careful friend guard your heart and your mouth.

Anything that destroys the unity of the brethren is division and erodes at the foundation. Paul told the Corinthian church they were taking communion in an unholy manner, preferring some above others.

1 Corinthians 11:17-21  Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be [a]recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.

The Lord’s supper is a fellowship with Christ and a participation in the benefits of His sacrificial death, as well as a fellowship with the other members of the local church Body. The Bible is to be read to a GROUP of people. We are to be identified as the BODY of Christ.

NO workers of iniquity will be in His kingdom. It is self-deceiving to think that Scripture is not talking to me. 

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

WE think this applies to the charlatan preachers taking advantage of people. This is said, “MANY” will say to me on that day. YOU will not even know who it is until that day because of deception.

AM I a worker of iniquity by destroying His church? WE should all ask, “is it I?”. Take this Word seriously.

How do we keep the holiness and unity of the church?

1 Timothy 3:15  but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and [a]ground of the truth.

Behave like a real Christian. Go and read 1 Corinthians 13 and see what true love is

Romans 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient[a] in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given[b] to hospitality. 

Safeguard sound, Biblical doctrine.

1 Timothy 4:16  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Guard against all gossip and slander.

Leviticus 19:16  You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary [a]edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Keep our church free of leaven. You are your brother’s keeper. 

James 5:16 [a]Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, [b]fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Operate in Humility- prefer others better than ourselves.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

BE a peacemaker. 

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

James 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.