Eleventh Avenue Church
The following is reprinted with permission of The Timely Messenger

Studies for Women

By Beverly Wages

 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." - (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

This is a scripture written to all believers. Therefore it is written to us as women if we are also believers. We seldom realize all that took place when our Saviour died on the cross of Calvary. Our scripture today is one result of what happens when we accept what Christ did on the cross for us. When we accept Him into our hearts as our Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our hearts.

In this same book of 1 Corinthians chapter three and verses 16-17 we read,

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

What a wonderful truth to know that the Holy Spirit dwells within us! We are not on our own to live and serve the Lord. We have the leading of the Holy Spirit, I am persuaded that we could never live the life that He would have us live without the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps most of us at some time or other have declared in our hearts that we would live for our Lord, and we would be His servants. We very quickly learn that we cannot do this in our own strength. That is why it is such a wonderful thing to know that the Spirit of Christ dwells within our hearts. We can say with the Apostle Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". - (Phil.4:13)

The Holy Spirit dwelling in us is a wonderful blessing; but it is also a responsibility. We are told that we are not our own because we have been bought with a price (and what a price that was for the Lord Jesus!). But the verse doesn't stop there. We are told to glorify God in our bodies and spirit, because we belong to Him. In Romans 12:1-2, we are told to present or give our bodies to Him as a living sacrifices. We are also told that it is a reasonable service. Since He has bought us with the price paid on Calvary, we belong to Him, and it is only reasonable that we should want to serve Him. When we see this in our hearts, we will have the desire to be His servants.

In a similar verse in chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians we are also told that the temple of God is holy and that we should not defile the temple. It is a good study to go back in the Old Testament and study concerning he temple that God had built for His nation of Israel. David had the desire to build a "house for God"; but because of the many battles that David had to fight, God told David that he would not build the temple, but his son Solomon would build the temple. When we read concerning the temple, we find that everything was done just perfectly. The best materials were used, much gold and other precious materials. The temple was declared to be holy. As you read concerning the earthly temple, compare that with what God has given us the privilege of being. We are the living temples of God. Therefore we certainly should live holy lives. Lives that are acceptable to Him. We are not to be conformed to this world, but rather be transformed with renewed minds. We should seek the perfect will of God, and let that be our guide for life. When Christ came to earth, His sole purpose was to do the will of His heavenly Father. Today, with the Spirit living within to guide us and with the Word of God to lead us, we have all that we need to live for Him. Let us rejoice for the privilege of being His servants.


March 2001 Edition Contents
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