A Growing Temple
By: Apostle Skhumbuzo Sangweni
Study Scripture: 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 (Ephesians 2:21-22)
Apostle Paul makes it clear in this verse that, whilst we have received the Holy Spirit, yet there’s a process of growth that we go through as the temple of the Spirit dwelling in us. The word “grow” here means to: enlarge, increase and become greater, there is an increase that comes upon us because the spirit of the Lord is in us, this particular growth and increase come by being fitted together and being built together with other believers. There’s a spiritual growth that we experience to the degree that we are planted and united with Christ in faith and with other believers in love.
The Lord has not only chosen the universal church to be called the temple of God, but particular local churches; and every true believer in Christ is a living temple, a habitation of God through the Spirit. God dwells in all believers now, we have become the temple of God through the operations of the Holy Spirit, and His dwelling in us now is the guarantee of our dwelling together with Him in eternity. This growth necessitates that we be planted in the local body of believers (Local church) were we worship and serving the Lord. In the local church he manifests himself unto us, as we offer up spiritual sacrifices and He dispenses his blessings and favours to us, thus the building. for the nature of it, is a temple, a holy temple; for the church is the place which God hath chosen to put his name there, and it becomes such a temple by grace and strength derived from himself–in the Lord. The universal church being built upon Christ as the foundation-stone, and united in Christ as the corner-stone, comes at length to be glorified in him as the top-stone: In whom you also are built together.
One of the sure ways we can determine that we are being built into the temple of the Lord is by how our lives are being intermeshed with those of other believers. Church is not meant to be just a pile of living stones, but living stones that are fit together and cemented into their right places. Is this taking place in the congregations we are in? If not, why? Church is not just a meeting—it is a life. As we covered a few day ag, the very first people to be called a cult were first century Christians. This is because the word “cult” was an abbreviated form of the word “culture,” and they were such a completely different culture within the world at the time that they drastically stood out. Does our church make such an impact on our community? Why not?
Once we are born again and become a part of the new creation our identity with the new creation should be much stronger than any natural ties that we have. Natural families tend to grow further apart, though they may gather regularly to keep their identity and relationships. However, the family of God doesn’t just gather on holidays and special occasions to keep our Every gathering is supposed to be an experience where we leave edified and are built together with others so we grow closer to them as well. Before the end of this age, there will be a true church life as it was intended to be demonstrated on the earth. It will be a society within society that is the richest and deepest of all human relationships on earth. However, even better than that will be the fact that we will be a temple for the Lord, and He will dwell among us. There is nothing that bonds people together stronger than experiencing the manifest presence of the Lord together. The Lord Himself is the true cement that holds His temple together. Even more important than getting closer to one another is getting closer to Him. If we truly are getting closer to the Lord, we will be getting closer to one another as well.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I lift up my life to you today, I ask you to position me correctly to be rightly related to you and the body of believers were you have called me to be planted and nourished, cause great growth in me that I may be building you are pleased to dwell in, cement me together with my brethren by your presence and connect me with destiny relationships that will cause me to enter your purposes on earth. I pray this in Jesus’ name!
Confession: I confess that I’m a growing temple of the Lord, I’m fitted and built together with all the saints, into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. I’m increased and enlarged by the working of the spirit in me, my body is a temple of the Lord, He is gloried in me. I’m planted within the body of believers, Christ dwells in my heart by faith. I shall not be moved or uprooted from my local church, because God has ordained it for my growth. In Jesus might name.
