Paul's image of God's people as the holy temple of God is not new; it goes back to the OT. God promised David and Solomon that He would dwell in the temple in Jerusalem, just as He had dwelt in the tabernacle (2 Sam. 7:12–16; 1 Kgs. 9:1–9); Isaiah and Ezekiel prophesied that God would once again dwell among His people even after the destruction of the temple (Isa. 56:7; Ezek. 40:1—43:27). These promises were fulfilled when Jesus came to earth as "God with us." And of course, after Jesus' ascension to heaven, the Holy Spirit became God's presence among His people, living in every believer.
Because Jesus made all who believe holy through His death and resurrection, and because the Holy Spirit lives inside us, we have become the temple of God. God's presence on earth needs no temple built of human hands because believers now have God's presence in their bodies, like clay pots containing priceless treasure.
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