We Are The Temple Of God

We are endowed with only one life to live. Some live a short span of life while others live to the scriptural age of three score and ten (70 years), and to some who are very careful in their manner of living, live up to fourscore (80 years), and beyond this age, the Word of God says, “It shall be filled with pain and trouble [suffering]” (Psalm 90:10 NLT). The Psalmist further said, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing” (Psalm 92:12-14 KJV). 

What is the Psalmist saying? The believer (righteous) shall make a right standing or right living before our God. The palm tree always stands straight and never crooked. On the other hand, the cedar tree in Lebanon is sturdy, and the best and long lasting building material, before the discovery of cement and steel. It is like our molave tree in the Philippines which does not rot even if exposed continuously to rain and sunshine. No wonder the wise King Solomon used cedar trees of Lebanon in building the world famous Temple of Solomon.

The promise of the LORD God to man - - His very special creation - - is: “He that dwelth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty… (Psalm 91:1); … because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (Psalm 91:14-16 KJV). If God makes a promise 100% he will comply. . .up to the last dot.

The pertinent inquiry of everyone to himself should be: How can I invest my life that it may yield the greatest profit? Life is valuable only as we improve it for our own personal benefit and that of our fellow beings. Careful cultivation of the abilities and talents with which the Creator has endowed to us will qualify us for elevated usefulness here on earth and a higher life in the next world to come (heaven).

It is our duty then to preserve our physical, mental and spiritual health for the glory of our God, our Creator. We should not dwarf or cripple a single function of mind or body by smoking that destroys our inward parts like the lungs, kidneys, etc. or overwork or abuse of any part of our body. As surely as we violate these injunctions to ourselves, we shall suffer the consequences.

Our first duty to God and our fellow beings is that of self-development. Every faculty with which the Creator has endowed to us should be cultivated to the highest degree of perfection, that we may be able to do the greatest amount of good of which we are capable. In order to purify and refine our characters, we need the grace given to us by Jesus Christ/God that will enable us to see and correct our deficiencies and improve that which is already good or very good to excellent.

Should we be able to do the above personal care to ourselves in the strength and name of Jesus our Lord, our work or ministry will be of more benefit to us personally, and to our fellowmen than any lecture we deliver or sermon we might preach to them. That is to say, the example of a well-balanced, well-ordered life is of inestimable value. We are then useful in the invisible kingdom of God here on earth, and in the next world to come.

Believers (righteous ones) are the living preachers of the Word of God. The great Apostle Paul said, “Do you know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:15 KJV). Let us take good care of our own body for truly it is the Spiritual Temple of God.