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Answer
In 1 Corinthians 3:16–17, the apostle Paul emphasizes to believers that the church of Jesus Christ is a sacred sanctuary where God’s Spirit resides: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (NKJV).
In this passage, the Greek term for “you” is plural; therefore, Paul is addressing the entire body of Christ. The New Living Translation states, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17;NLT).
In the Old Testament, God’s name and presence dwelt in the wilderness tabernacle (Exodus 25:8;Exodus 33:9-10;40:34-35) and later in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:29;2 Chronicles 6:2). The Lord instructed His people to refrain from uncleanness, disobedience, and idolatry, as these would defile God’s dwelling place (Leviticus 15:31;Numbers 19:13;2 Chronicles 29:4-5;Jeremiah 7:30;Zephaniah 3:4). The New Testament temple is the body of believers. The Holy Spirit resides in this temple made of “living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God” «ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spir
Itual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” , (1 Peter 2:5, NLT).
Elsewhere in the New Testament, this image of the “temple of God” is applied to individual believers who must recognize that their physical bodies are “the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God. You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; NLT). For this reason, Paul urges Christians, “Let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God” «Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. », (2 Corinthians 7:1, NLT). As temples of the living God, we should be holy in everything we do, just as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
In the same way the Jerusalem temple unified the people of Israel, the metaphorical New Testament temple is designed to unite believers in one harmonious community. “In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5; see also 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:25). There ought to be no division in Christ’s body.
The Greek verb translated as “defile” in 1 Corinthians 3:17 means “to make a mess of or create disorder in; to corrupt, destroy, ruin.” When Paul wrote, “If anyone defiles the temple of God,” he was addressing a specific situation.The problem of division in the church (see 1 Corinthians 1:10-17;11:18). The Corinthians were divided in their loyalties to different church leaders. Some were devoted to Paul’s teachings, others followed Apollos, and some aligned with Peter. The “super-spiritual” ones declared, “I follow only Christ” (see 1 Corinthians 1:12 and 3:4-6).
Exalting our Christian leaders to the extent that we view them as making us “better” or “wiser” and thus becoming divided from our fellow believers, as Paul argues, is to be deceived by human, worldly wisdom, which in God’s eyes is foolishness (see 1 Corinthians 3:18-23). Church leaders are God’s servants, tasked with building and maintaining the integrity and unity of the church. We should not pollute God’s temple through unnecessary divisions.
Paul’s admonition not to defile the temple of God is directed at believers. Christians must be cautious not to sow discord and harm the church through cliques, jealousy, and division. The church is fractured and weakened when its members are divided. The most perilous form of defilement arises from within, not from external sources.
Paul’s warning should be taken seriously: “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred” (1 Corinthians 3:17). If we defile and harm the community that God has ordained as a spiritual hospital, a sacred sanctuary, and a place of support, healing, and spiritual vitality, then we are in sinful opposition to God’s holy purpose. We invite God’s punishment.
When Paul said, “God will destroy that person,” he wasn’t referring to eternal destruction «If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. », (see 1 Corinthians 3:15), but to a punishment that would be appropriate for the offense. The judgment is severe because the temple of God is sacred.
God has summoned us to collaborate in the church so that “the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21-22). We are not to defile the temple of God but to “make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” «Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. », (Romans 14:19).
