Psalm 15:1 
The Sanctuary
      Before we leave this subject, perhaps we can expand it a little bit more?  The word temple does not appear in the New Testament Greek when describing a spiritual relationship with God even though it is in many of our Bibles!  The correct translation of the Greek word is Sanctuary. A Temple is a man-made building that encloses courts where even the heathen may gather, the inner Sanctuary is open only to priests and the Holy of Holies has been opened to us by our one High Priest, the Lord Jesus. Each individual believer who makes his or her life a holy, dwelling place for Jesus Christ is a Sanctuary. It is necessary to go to the Laver of confession and cleansing before entering His intimate presence for sin cannot dwell there. In the inner Sanctuary there is a lampstand, a table of shewbread and an altar of prayer. Inside the Holy Place, where God lives by His Holy Spirit, we find the Ark of His Covenant promises supported by His Law. The commandments remain at the heart of our faith, but we are free from the consequences of breaking them. The Holy Spirit ministers to every individual disciple from within the Holy Place as we live and serve as priests. 

When believers come together they join in the Sanctuary before God, as the body of Christ, but first there must be cleansing. Sin that we are aware of must be dealt with and then together we may break bread and share wine at his table. Our corporate prayer is our altar of incense and our shared witness is our lampstand and as priests together we enter the Holy Place in worship and obedience. We observe God’s laws and commands, not out of fear or duty but out of devotion.  Every local church body that represents and serves Jesus Christ should be a Holy Sanctuary where He dwells. 

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