I walked into the computer store a while back and asked the owner (who is also a pastor of a Church) what it mean’t to defile the Temple of God. I then quoted the verse. Bob (the owner of the computer store) asked me if it was a trick question and I responded, “No”. Here’s the verse I quoted,

1 Cor 3:16-17…Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

The verse reads that Christian’s are the Temple of God and the Temple is holy. The reason Christian’s are the Temple of God is because the Spirit of the living God dwells within them. Paul went on to say if any man defile that Temple, him shall God destroy. The Temple is holy and the Christian’s body is the Temple.

I then asked Bob the question, “What does it mean to defile the Temple”? Bob replied, “Perhaps it has something to do with what you eat or how you dress”. Then he said, “I’m not sure”. He then asked me what I thought and I still wouldn’t answer. The only thing I said was, “The Temple is holy and your body is the Temple”. The big question mark floated in the air.

About that time a customer walked in and Bob (a Church of God pastor) said ask this gentleman the question as he is a dear Baptist preacher. So when the gentleman walked in the store I quoted the verse again and asked him the same question that I asked Bob. The Baptist preacher responded, a similar answer to the answer Bob gave about dress and food. Then I quoted the verse again and said the verse reads that Christian’s are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and their bodies are holy.

The clothes we wear don’t make us dirty. The dishes we eat from don’t make us dirty. The food we eat doesn’t make us dirty either. Defilement is caused from sin, the sin nature, and/or sinful conduct. If any man defiles the Temple that God made a holy place, this man knows what he did in opposition to God. Did you know that if a child of God sins against God, that man “willfully chose to commit an act of sin? Sin is a violation to the Law of God. Sin is a choice. Sin is not ignorance! Sin is a direct violation to the way that God wants His holy children to live. If a Christian defiles the Temple (that is holy by the Grace of God) God’s Judgment is placed upon that soul. There remaineth no more sacrifice for that sin.

Heb 10:26-27…For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,

Defilement of the Temple shows the believer’s accountability to a God of Judgment. Christian’s know how to act and behave because they have a holy heart. Sin will defile the Temple of God which God made Holy. Sin makes the Temple and unholy place. God’s holiness is no longer there. When the Spirit comes in sin has to go. When sin comes in the Spirit will go. That’s why the Bible says to “grieve not the Holy Spirit” and to “quench not the Spirit”. Quench means to extinguish!

Here’s how Jesus described defilement that comes out of man.

Mark 7:20-23… And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

That day I stirred those two preachers. The Bible confirmed an answer in this writers heart. That’s why I share these Blogs with you brothers and sisters! God writes this stuff in the memory of my heart and mind. His Word confirms the truth in my life. I accepted holiness of heart from day one as I heard a preacher preach it. I studied the Bible for years and found no contradiction to the teaching of holiness. The Bible tells me so. Glory! I preach against sin and take a stand for holiness because God is Holy. The Bible says Christian’s are holy too! That’s why Paul said our bodies are the Temple of God,

1 Cor 6:19-20…What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.