The United Temple Chapter Nine

CHAPTER 9

The United Temple

Our God is a God of unity. We can see this throughout the scriptures, beginning in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. We find in Genesis 1:26 that the word 'God' itself is 'elohiym' (el-o-heem') in Hebrew, in which it was written. Elohiym is the plural form of the word 'elowahh' (el-o'-ah), which means, ... ”God” (Strong's). We also find God speaking using personal plural pronouns in scripture such as 'us' and 'our' when speaking of himself.

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.”

The Hebrew word for 'Lord' is Yehovah ((the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, national name of God: ...” [Strong's]), while the word 'God' here is the word elohiym, as in Gen. 1:26, the plural God. The word 'one' is echad; “prop. united, that is, one ...” and includes such meanings as “altogether, and “together” (Strong's)
Putting this together, we can see this verse to mean:
“Hear, O Israel, the Self-existent, Eternal, Jehovah, our plural God, is united, is one Jehovah.”
This is very interesting indeed! Scripture speaks of God as plural, being the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and this verse verifies this plurality. Now look at Gen. 1:26 -27 and Gen. 5:2 -
26 “And God (Elohiym) said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Gen. 5:2 “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” (parenthesis and emphasis mine)
Notice how often in these verses we can see plurality and singularity, both in God and in the man he created. We see one God who refers to himself with such words as 'us' and 'our'. We see one God who is plural. We see one man who is made up of two individuals, named only one name 'Adam' at the beginning. Being in the image of God, Adam was also plural. Later families would be made up of more than one member, while still being one, singular family.
Each individual body is made up of many individual parts, with individual names, yet together making up one body. A child is an individual made from a literal seed of his father's body and a cell of his mother's. He is literally a part of their bodies while at the same time being a separate individual. God has used this method, making a singular that is plural, over and over again. God is a God of unity.
All believers answer to God individually, but are, at the same time, called one body, the body of Christ. This is because they are all of one seed, the seed of God, which is the Word, which is Christ.
1 Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
1 Cor. 12:13-14 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.”
(emphasis mine)
The word “body' here is the Greek word 'soma' meaning, “the body (as a sound whole”), ... (Strong's). So then the 'sound whole' is not one member, but many. Since the body of Christ is his literal temple, then this is also true of the temple. The 'sound whole' is made up of many members. Our first responsibility as ministers of the temple, is an individual responsibility, the next is collective. Just as the human body needs each individual part, so Christ's body, his temple, needs every part. These parts are our brothers and sisters who are all those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and separated to be his children.
Acts 17:24 “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
1 Cor. 12:12, 18-29, 24-27 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
18 “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet one body.
24 “For our comely parts (Lexicon - “of elegant figure ... bearing one's self becomingly in speech or behavior) parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism (split ... division ...[Strong's]) in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (emphasis mine) (added notation)
These scriptures show again that God is a God of unity. If only we could all begin to see things through the eyes of our God! Notice that in verse 24, it says that “God hath tempered the body together.” In the Greek, the word 'tempered' is the word 'sugkerannumi' ' 'soong-ker-an'-noo-me'; the Lexicon says - “caused the several parts to combine into an organic structure, which is the body.” If God considers us such a part of each other, should we think differently?
The body, the temple, is growing as more people come to know Christ. As God's priesthood, we tend to the care of his temple, there are certain adornments, certain articles for the priests to wear, sacrifices to be given, worship and cleansing to be done, and things which defile both the temple and the priests to be shunned, but all these things pertain to spiritual things. They pertain to righteousness, and the work of Christ, performed in and through each of us. In serving and loving Christ, we serve and love each other.
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.”
Rom. 14:19 “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and the things wherewith one may edify another.”
Men do not know you are a disciple of Christ because you attend church, read the Bible, sing hymns, shout hallelujah, or dance in the aisle. They do not know that you are his disciple because of your testimonies, nor your high moral standards; by your clean language, length of hair, nor style of clothing. And they don't even know you are a disciple of Christ because you say you love God and appear to worship him. They know you are a disciple of Christ when you have love one for another.
1John 4:8 “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
The Word of God is true. Let us believe what it says, and let us follow after things that make peace, and ways to edify one another. The word 'edify' in Rom. 14:19, is the Greek word 'oikodome, oy-kod-om-ay'; meaning “architecture, that is, (concretely) a structure ...” (Strong's). An architect is one who designs buildings. How beautiful! Christ is the architect or designer. We then, build the temple by aiding in the growth of our brothers and sisters in Christ, to help them become more and more Christ like, that is, to be fashioned in the image and likeness of Christ.
Today men still build huge, magnificent structures which they call churches. Millions of dollars go into erecting buildings in which to worship, and in decorating these structures. Plush, expensive carpeting and expensive sound systems are installed. People are urged to be faithful to God by giving money to pay for these buildings called 'houses of God', and to pay for their upkeep. Preachers teach people to give in order to keep the ministry going and expanding. But have you ever wondered why the scriptures state nothing, in the New Testament, under the new priesthood, specifically about any importance or necessity for such buildings? Do you think God has accidentally forgot to put something into the scriptures that he actually meant to have put in?
In all that the Bible says about the New Testament body of Christ, his temple, and the priesthood, he only speaks of his children and not of buildings built by man. When he speaks of building, he speaks of our building each other. As we read in Eph. 2:21, 'We', God's children, are to be “Fitly framed together” and WE are to be unified in action, thought and word, thus glorifying God.
Rom.15:2-7 “Let every one of us please his neighbor (Grk. - plesion, play-see'on; “a neighbor, that is, fellow ( as man, countryman, Chr. or friend) (Strong's) for his good to edification (architecture [Strong's]).
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God .”
(added notation)
Do you dear child of God, get the picture from these scriptures, that God is glorified when his children receive one anther, build each other and are unified, rather than being glorified by the building of buildings? I am not suggesting that it is wrong to have a place where we can gather to worship God together, but I am saying that this is not addressed in the New testament, and buildings are definitely not the house of God.- WE ARE!
More emphasis should be put on the true temple. Can we not gather in simple, strong and warm structures with far less extravagance and put more into that which God himself calls his temple?
The life in Christ is not a life appointed only to comfort and ease.
Matt. 16:24 says, -
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Does it say, “take up his padded pew, his Rolls Royce and his new stereo system and follow me?
Jesus was willing to suffer that others might have eternal life and know and experience the good things that come with a life lived in Christ; those riches that money can never buy. And our Lord put out the call for his followers to also give up self as he did to reach others and to minister to his temple – his children.
It is true that the Levitical priesthood busied themselves with many things, inside a physical temple and received tithes to support them and keep them going. Are we going to go back to old ways, or are we going to face the fact that Jesus brought a new and better way and learn how to function in it? If we do not go God's way, our accomplishments will mean nothing.
Ps. 127:1 “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain (uselessness [Strong's]) that build it: ...
You can busy yourself doing many things for God, but if He is not in what you are doing, it is useless and a waste of time. We are God's household and his labourers, but we must let God actually do the work in us and through us. We need his Spirit working in us. As we have read, he is love and it is love that will build up our brothers and sisters in Christ. Love is the one building material we must use to build God's temple properly.
1 Cor. 8:1 “... knowledge puffeth up (...made proud [haughty] ... [Strong's]), but charity (love...[Strong's]) edifieth.”
1 Cor. 14:12+26 “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”
26 “... Let ALL things be done unto edifying” (emphasis mine) (added notation)
The Greek word for 'excel' in verse 12 is perisseuo , per-is-syoo'-o; “to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous...” (Strong's). 'Excess' means “A going beyond ordinary limits; an extreme amount or degree...” (Webster's) “Abound' means “To have or possess in great quantity; be filled to capacity; ...” (Webster's) If then, to abound is to be filled to capacity, perhaps to superabound would be to be filled and running over!
The Lexicon gives the meaning for the word 'seek' as “seek, that is, desire, endevour.” This shows us how important God considers the building up of his church, his temple. It is so important that we are told that everything should be done to this end; that we the ministers of the temple, should seek to go beyond ordinary limits in doing so. This requires the work of the Holy Spirit. The building up of God's children, to such an extent that it could be called extreme amount or degree, is not going to happen only behind four walls of what we, today, call a church building. That is only a limited degree. People are going to have to be effected in their every day lives where reality hits home.
The instructions given in these scriptures are not going to one particular nation or tribe. These instructions are to the body of Christ. No matter what a person's particular gift may be, he is to seek, desire and endevour, to excel to the building up of the church – God's little children. We are each to be house builders, building the house of God.
Of the whole nation of Israel, only one tribe was set apart to serve the temple and receive tithes from all of the other people of Israel. God, however, has not divided his body into tribes. We are all to work toward the same end. If then, tithing were for today, and all, not one tribe only, but ALL of God's people, are his ministers, then who is it that will bring us the tithes? For all are the priesthood of God.
SO WHO WILL TITHE TO US? THE SINNER? I THINK NOT!
For tithing to be a requirement for today, we would need new instructions on how to carry this out. The change in the priesthood does indeed require a change in the Law.
Eph. 4:11-13 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Notice that various positions are named, yet all of them are ministers for the same purpose, the perfecting of the saints, or, that is, for the complete furnishing of the saints. The goal is UNITY of the faith and a perfect man, (v.13), not the goal of special position and hierarchy!
Our Lord's goal and purpose was never to divide his people, who are of the new and better way, into tribes or sects, but rather to unify them and perfect them in himself. See how Jesus himself prayed to his Father-
John. 17:21 “That they all may be one; as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”

HOW MIGHT THE WORLD BELIEVE THAT GOD HAD TRULY SENT JESUS THE MESSIAH?

By seeing the unity of the church in Christ! Yes indeed! Our God is a God of UNITY!!
Today the church world is divided into many different denominations. In some cases, it seems that pastors have been separated as a figurative tribe of Levi, to receive tithes as did that tribe and to be in a separate class of its own. There appears to be almost a wall of partition between so-called ministry and laity. While it is right to give honor and respect to those who serve others, especially those who feed others the Word of God in truth, - yet – God calls for, - yes, he even prayed for UNITY, even oneness of mind and mouth!
Let us not be drawn back into old ways, but let us live in the new and in the now. Let us all become one new man in Christ and seek to edify one another. We are all his priesthood, if we are born of the Spirit; saved by the work of our Saviour.
Gal. 6:1-3 “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, (unintentional) error or (willful) transgression ... (Strong's), ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
(added notation)

ARE YOU UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES OR THE LAW OF CHRIST?

If you desire to fulfill the law of Christ, this scripture tells you how to do so.

DOES THIS SEEM TOO SIMPLE? WOULD WE LOOK FOR A MORE COMPLEX ANSWER?

Every child of God has the ability to minister as the Holy Spirit enables him, as a part of the royal priesthood, as he builds up his brothers and sisters in Christ, even if only in sharing God's Word. How great a love our Saviour has for us all, his body, his temple!
Matt. 5:9 “ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Eph. 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the edifying, that it might minister grace to the hearers.”
1 Pet. 4:11 “If any man (notice not some men) speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (parenthesis mine)