living in a church?

Hello Brother David,

I've been swamped with home repairs, surgery for my mother, and other family matters, so I haven't had a chance to converse with you much recently.

I think about this issue in very simple ways that you might find interesting. Under the Law of Moses, there was a host of requirements to get near what they called the "Holy of Holies". Obviously, this was before JESUS CHRIST died on the Cross for us, and violation of any Laws tied to the "ARK OF GOD" and the TEMPLE involved an immediate death sentence.

Now, think about the beautiful difference that we have after the CROSS for Christians. THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD lives in our hearts and we are HIS TEMPLE. How beautiful is this? The HOLY OF HOLIES is in my heart, your heart, and all Christians' hearts. We are alive, and we live forever beyond physical death. The HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS a SEAL on our hearts that can't be broken by any power in the universe. This HOLY SEAL is also a beautiful TRUTH. This HOLY SEAL isn't a thing, rather the LIVING HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD HIMSELF. This HOLY SEAL is a pledge of the eternal Promises of GOD and sets us apart as possessions of JESUS CHRIST. This is just one reason why GOD knows who belongs to HIM. HE knows our hearts because HE Lives in our hearts. Collectively, we are HIS living TEMPLE, and this is why we are called THE CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. When we accept JESUS CHRIST as LORD and SAVIOUR, we are immediately translated into the BODY OF CHRIST and the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD takes up residence in our hearts right then - IMMEDIATELY at the moment of Salvation. Brother David, this happens right now in this short physical life at the moment CHRIST becomes the LORD over our lives. There are many things that we have to wait for, but these things happen for a Christian in this life.

1 Corinthians 3:16 NASB Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:17 NASB But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

This is why the CHURCH is alive and not a brick and mortar building made with human hands. Brother, just think about this and how beautiful it is:

Colossians 3:15-16 NASB Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

The BODY we were called into is the BODY OF CHRIST. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the WORD OF GOD. We heard HIS WORD and believed it, so we have been rescued from the curse of sin and death.

Ephesians 1:11-14 NASB also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Look above at the beauty of the TRUTH about our being SEALED in HIM and by HIM. HE knew that we would belong to HIM before the foundation of the world. I know this is hard to understand, but there is much more. HE numbered the hairs on our heads before the foundation of the world, and HE knew us as HE was knitting us together in our mother's womb. HE is the ALMIGHTY CREATOR, and there is much that we can't know or understand right now about our GREAT GOD and HEAVENLY FATHER.

Ephesians 1:18-23 NASB I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:5-8 NASB He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

Ephesians 2:19-22 NASB So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Brother David, read the above carefully and let the beautiful TRUTH sink in. He is talking about a LIVING building that is a holy temple in the Lord. CHRIST Himself is the Corner Stone, but HE is also the HEAD. We are the BODY - HIS BODY.

Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 3:11-13 NASB This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

HE loves us more than we can imagine, and HE wants to fill us with good things that can only come from GOD.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 4:4-6 NASB There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Hebrews 10:19-23 NASB Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

(My Note: JESUS CHRIST Himself is the "Great Priest" over the House of GOD. JESUS CHRIST is our ALL in ALL.)