Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Worthy Life
1 Corinthians 3:16-19
v16-17“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred and you together are that temple”
 

These days we see many church buildings are being shut down and many are being converted into pubs, and other forms of buildings. The church buildings which were once used to call upon the name of the living God end up being misused. It is responsibility of all of us to maintain the life of the church where our God and his Spirit dwells.
In today’s passage, Paul addresses the damage done to the church by the disunity among its people. Because of this disunity, people focus on their own egos instead of focusing on Christ- the head of the Church. that would affect the vitality and witness of the church in the future. So, Paul confronts the people by telling them that divisions in the name of leaders are futile.
Here it says in verse 16 that you yourselves are God’s temple. “You yourselves…” is a plural word which indicates the church. There are 2 lessons we can learn from here:

  1. The Church is God’s temple.
  2. The Christian is where the Holy Spirit dwells.
When the Christians having the Holy Spirit comes together, it becomes a church where God dwells.
How is it that we can maintain the Church that God has given us?
  1. Let our churches become places of worship and to meditate upon the Word of God and nurture ourselves spiritually. That keeps our focus on God and his kingdom instead of our petty issues.
  2. Prayer and the Word needs to become a part of daily life at home.
  3. Our living witness and mission are necessary for the church to shine its light and maintain its vitality in this world.

It is not by our wisdom but the wisdom that God gives us that will help us to build this Church of God. Moreover, his Spirit should be in control of our lives. As a ship is controlled by its rudder, his Holy Spirit must dwell in us to lead a spiritual life.
Let us hold onto the Words of God daily in our life and pray in one Spirit and uphold our fellow beings. Let us not be the one to create a difference and destroy the temple of God.

PRAYER
Father help us to be your faithful servants and never deceive ourselves, Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“Be doers of the word and not just mere listeners”-James 1:22

Betsy Chacko w/o Rev. Thomas John
Carmel MTC, Boston

Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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