16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV)
You are the Temple of God
The apostle continues his exhortation based on the earlier statement, “You are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9), saying, “Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). If anyone corrupts or destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, because God’s temple is holy, and that is what you are (1 Corinthians 3:17). From other parts of the letter (see 1 Corinthians 6:13–20), it appears that some false teachers in Corinth not only lived immorally but also promoted teachings that encouraged sexual sin, which appealed to the corrupt culture of the city. Such teaching was more than mere error—it defiled and threatened to destroy the church, which was sacred to God and must be kept pure.
Those who promote ideas that defile the church and make it unholy are inviting God’s judgment. This warning could also apply to their divisions and factions, which damage the unity and integrity of God’s temple. However, the primary meaning of the passage centers on moral and spiritual corruption.
The phrase “You are God’s temple” can refer both to the church collectively and to individual believers. Christian churches are God’s temple where His Spirit dwells, as they are “being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). Each believer is a living temple of the living God. Just as God’s presence filled the Jewish temple through the visible cloud, so Christ dwells in true believers by His Spirit.
The temple was set apart for God’s service, and so are Christians—dedicated to God and separated from what is common. This truth gives strong reason to reject sinful desires and any teaching that justifies them. If we are God’s temple, we must avoid anything that would corrupt or defile us, and we must not follow any teaching that would lead us into sin. Christians are holy by calling and must strive to be pure in heart and conduct. We should sincerely reject and avoid anything that would defile God’s temple and misuse what is sacred to Him.