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Article for Ebenezer Press February 2026 Issue #14

            Recently, I’ve been developing this idea in the deep (or shallow) recesses of my brain... what does it mean when the Bible says that we are the, “Temple of the Holy Spirit”? This is a concept sprinkled all through the New Testament like in John 14:16, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit being given to us by God. Ephesians 1:13-14 promises that the Spirit is the sealed guarantee of our inheritance in the LORD. But most prominently, and where the phrase is most blatant, is 1 Corinthians 6. Before I quote it, you know I have to give the broader context of the passage, so in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul refers to those who participate in sinful acts and deeds, saying they will not be included in the Kingdom of Heaven. Then in verses 12-20, he narrows down on sexual immorality or sexual sin and makes this mammoth statement in verses 19&20, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, who you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19&20 ESV).

 

            What, then, does it mean to be the temple of the Holy Spirit? Furthermore, how does this reality effect our day-to-day lives? Does this truth aid us in living our lives for Jesus?

 

            I would like to argue that it most certainly does.

 

            Let’s try to think about this from Paul’s perspective; this is where good Hermeneutics comes into action. Paul, living in the first century Roman Empire, was very familiar with what temples looked like and how they operated, which is why, I think, he made this statement.

 

            When we think about temples, our minds tend to immediately go to the ornate beauty of the building. That is certainly part of it, but ask yourself this: what was happening on the inside and outside of that beautiful building?

            Let’s start with the outside. Temples were typically a center point for commerce, featuring a  marketplace. Now, I’m not just talking about the temple in Jerusalem, I mean temples to the false gods all over the Roman Empire. There would have been animals to purchase for sacrifice or miniature idols of the deity to take with you to your home shrine. Depending on the deity and worship requirements of said deity, there would also have been cult prostitutes for hire to aid in the rituals. Even more despicable, slave markets may have been held at this location too. If you’ve ever been to any kind of marketplace, you know they can be summed up in one word; CHAOS!

            But what about the inside? Ah! This would have been peaceful and calm. This is where holy things happen. Worship, in some form or fashion happens round the clock. You walk through a cloud of incense into the darkened sanctuary. Prayers are being softly chanted. The serenity of holy things taking place fills the atmosphere. The difference to what is happening outside the walls is stark. Out there is chaos but in here is tranquil.

            By the way, this is why God goes to such lengths in the Old Testament to describe to His people the ways He is to be worshipped. The differences are obvious. God would have nothing to do with those pagan practices or prostitution in His Temple. God is Holy, so His people need to worship Him in holy ways that reflect that. But the similarities are striking as well. Outside the Temple in Jerusalem was chaos; money exchangers, a marketplace for sacrificial animals, etc. Inside was quite, serene, and peaceful. You would still need to pass through a cloud of incense…if you were a priest that is.

            I would like to propose to you that the same is true for you and I, being the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies, what the Bible calls the Temple of the Holy Spirit have the same chaos happening on the outside and peace happening on the inside…or at least we should…stick with me here.

            Think of it this way, your body being the temple means you are a kind of gateway between what is happening in the physical world around you and the presence of the Holy Spirit inside you.

            For the time being, let’s suspend what is and discuss what could/should be because I can already hear the objections, and they are not unfounded. Let’s focus on the ideal to strive for and then we can discuss what is.

            Outside of you is the physical world and all you have to do in the “marketplace” of the world you live in. You take care of you kids and/or family. You teach classes, run your business, go to work each day, or live the sweet life of retirement. You move about to doctor appointments and tee-ball games. You love on you wife/husband, and kids. Take care of your aging parents. Interacts with co-workers, neighbors, and friends…in a word, it is chaos. It’s the marketplace of life.

            Inside of you is the spiritual realm where there should be peace and calm because this is where the presence of the Most High God dwells through His Holy Spirit. Remember the description above: worship takes place through out the day. Prayers rise from the depths of our hearts like thick clouds incense wafting through the air.

            Now remember, I said this is the ideal. What each of us should strive for. I’m confident I have accurately described the outside marketplace of life. Even if I didn’t mention your particular schedule or activities, I think you get the picture. Life can be chaotic and often times things in our marketplace are out of our control. But what about the inside? Again, what is typed above is the ideal and I am willing to bet it is far from what takes place inside of most of us. But the thing is, unlike the marketplace, on the inside of the temple is where we have a bit more control. We can decide to put down the distractions and focus ourselves on God’s presence living inside of us. We can choose to pray without ceasing throughout our day, on the inside of our temple. In other words, prayers and worship take place in our hearts and minds throughout our day, even when we face a particularly chaotic situation in the marketplace. Even when we are in the middle of work or kids’ soccer practice, we can focus ourselves on the LORD and worship and pray to Him.

 

            So how do we begin? We do what an ancient monk named Brother Lawerence called, Practicing the Presence. You’ve probably never heard of Brother Lawerence, that’s okay, we would have no idea he even existed if his diary was never discovered. He was a dish washer in the monastery where he lived, but job aside he developed one of the greatest techniques of spiritual formation ever…and it is so simple. You just practice.

            Practice realizing the truth that God dwells in your heart and His presence surrounds your life. Speak to Him during your day. Take moments throughout and worship Him. Read from His Word. Allow what happens inside your temple to effect how you react to what’s going on outside. You may have anxiety and worries, or fear and anger; tell Him about it. Give it up to Him over and over again.

            Paul put it this way in Colossians 3, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-3 ESV).

            Being the Temple of the Holy Spirit is more than just a cool phrase in a verse, it is our reality as followers of Jesus. A reality that we really need to grasp and allow to shape us. The Spirit of God lives inside you! The same Spirit with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, that has momentous implications for you. Practice each day this presence of God in your life. Practice, if you will, being the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Even your most clumsy attempts will be blessed by the LORD. You might not feel like an ornate or beautiful Temple, but remember God gave up that ornate temple to dwell inside of you by His Holy Spirit that comes to us because of the work of Christ Jesus our LORD.