Jesus The Temple (part 2)
Ending the last entry with “Unlike the former, the new earthly temple of God was a person, and through His life and ministry, God lived with His people, feeling as they felt, and much more.”
The incarnate Christ was an altar at which people were permitted to drop to their knees in admiration and worship. Carrying repentant hearts, they were able to seek forgiveness, deliverance, and healing, all there in His physical presence. It was the place of encounter. His presence with us was like a portable tabernacle, going from place to place. Whereby those who had put their faith in him had, in abandoning all, enlisted in discipleship, choosing to follow Him wherever He went. Yet Jews and Gentiles, in hearing of the wisdom, wonders, and power flowing out from Him without respect of persons, people flocked to him, travelling from afar, as if He were a stationary structure, the temple more glorious. He was distinct, not built for beauty or even for the purpose of worship as the former temples were, but for the lost (See Lk. 19:10). In the operation of Him, mankind saw what was right in the sight of God carried out in service to others (compare w/ Mk. 10:45).
Through the destruction of Him by death, and the metaphoric rebuilding of Him through resurrection, the promises that were fulfilled by way of His ascension would be the victorious establishing of Him forevermore. In terms of intimacy and closeness to God sought out by way of this new living temple, we are as windows and doors upon it, as stones added to its structure, while the spirit of God abides upon every centimeter of it and fills it throughout. Closeness has become oneness. Separate entities and enterprises of the elect have spiritually become conjoined. It is not just that we are not our own any longer, but it is that we are not alone.
“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” -- Ephesians 2: 20-22
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”-- Ephesians 4:1-6
You may have been called, as many are. But in understanding that you are a piece of a building, a part of a body, in coming together with others, there are expectations of you. The grace that you have received is according to the gift of Christ, varying from one believer to the next. Yet only varying for the “perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” (Eph. 4:12-13; See also, 4:7). The chosen are those who have prepared, in order to meet those expectations. Will not a prepared bride significantly enhance the appearance of her husband? (Compare w/ Prov. 12:4; 31:23; Rev. 21:2). The two shall become one. Likewise, among the plural majority who are called, there are those who look as if they were arriving at the same function, they have dressed for the same event, they member one another, they are the chosen (singular) minority (Compare w/ Mt. 22:14). They are “lively stones, built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1Pet. 2:5). They are together the temple of the living God (See 1Cor. 3:16).
“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.” (2Cor. 6:16)
