Which Temple Are You? by Brother Duke Hansen

            Our scripture reading is in 1st Corinthians chapter 3. We will start reading at verse 8 and go down to verse 17.

            8 Now he that plants and he that waters are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

        9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

        10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon.

        11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

        12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

        13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

        14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

        15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

        16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

        17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God id holy, which temple ye are.

        Paul is writing to the church in Corinth as being laborers for the LORD. Those people out there in the world who are planting seeds, watering the grounds, tilling and cultivating the soil. Those doing these tasks are all working to one common goal and that is building the kingdom of God. The way of working together that is most effective is having the mind of Christ out in the world and walking in his will. Our rewards from God will differ from what we would see here in the world, and it certainly won't come from taking credit for someone else's work. There is no team nor group reward at the end. No one denomination is getting special recognition in glory. If you as a laborer are not working on family or friends in witness, you certainly will not work on getting a stranger to see or listen.

        It goes back to having a servant's mindset in your daily walk with God. It isn't taking the role of taskmaster or royalty. That haughty and prideful way of thinking is your flesh. Servants and laborers work and if it is hard work, that can become contagious. God's people are at their most dangerous when they are able to see hope. That scares the enemy outright.

        We belong to God as we are his laborers, his husbandry, his building. Back in Acts chapter 9, you read of how God radically changed Paul's destination while Paul, still known as Saul, was on the road to Damascus. God is Jesus was the foundation to build the church upon. If you know of people right now, while reading this, that are lost, it is time to get off your backside and get to work. Damascus is merely the destination, how you get there is up to you. Circumstances or situations doesn't change your answer. You are either in the light or in the dark. The mindset of, "I'm going to", will give you the direction GOD wants to provide for you. "Whether he does or not, I'm going to" is the attitude to adopt! Your thoughts can change based on circumstance but also on your emotions if you are not careful. Those are grounds similar to a shifting sand in which a foundation cannot stand.

        Mercy and grace are both still present today, but they won't be there at the end. They allow salvation at the hour of need, not at the end of time to grandfather your way into heaven. Mercy and grace can move you onto the sure foundation, yet it still isn't a foundation to build your house upon.

        The key verse of this message is verse 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Paul has pivoted his letter into how you build your house. Your physical self, your being is the house of God. In verse 13 the scripture says "the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." The fire will consume your things, belongings, assets, home, everything. If your work abide what he built on the foundation we shall receive a reward.

        God knows the intent of our heart- the first half of verse 13. This is where the fire burns and purges. While we labor and work, God is working on us. You can walk in the direction God wants you to go, take little small steps but you may not have the faith to continue the distance of the road. If a person is sitting there thinking that he knows all the angles, the answers, and thinks he has this whole walk by faith not by sight down cold, they are the fathers from the truth. 

        Everything in this world belongs to us, and yet not only are we merely stewards of it, ultimately we are Christ's. You are not your own. You are Christ's. As a believer of Jesus, you are a temple of his- verse 17 or you should be. If any man defile his temple, him shall God destroy. There are temples out there claiming to be sold out or Jesus name and they're dirty. The question to leave you with; which temple are you?