2 Corinthians 6:16-17
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul's question isn't just about what we worship, but about the radical intimacy God desires. He's not content to just be near us; God says, "I will make my dwelling among them, and walk among them," revealing a profound personal presence that can't coexist with anything that devalues it. This isn't about mere separation from bad things, but about making room for the fullness of God's life within us.
Paul is urging believers to separate themselves from the world and its corrupting influences, reminding them of their holy calling as God's people. He contrasts the sacredness of believers with the impurity of idolatry, emphasizing that God Himself promises to live among and be the God of those who are set apart. This call to holiness is crucial because it sets the stage for Paul's subsequent exhortation to live in the fullness of God's presence, free from entanglements that would hinder it.
Paul throws out a rhetorical question that demands a 'no' answer. What does this have to do with us today, and why is the distinction so crucial?
The Absolute Divide
Paul opens with a stark question: 'What agreement has the temple of God with idols?' This isn't a suggestion for negotiation; it's a declaration of incompatibility. In the ancient world, temples were seen as the physical dwelling place of a god. To mix the sacred space of the one true God with the profane spaces of idols would be unthinkable.
Two Worlds
There can be no partnership, no shared space, no common ground between these two realities.
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If idols can't share space with God's temple, then who can? The answer is astonishingly personal and profoundly relational.
A Personal Promise
Paul doesn't just say that believers aren't like idols; he declares what they are: 'For we are the temple of the living God.' This isn't about a building anymore, but about us—the community of faith, and each believer individually.
God's Indwelling Presence
God's ancient promise, 'I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people,' is re-stated here. This isn't just a future hope; through Christ, and empowered by the Spirit, God now actively dwells within His people. It's a commitment to intimate relationship and ongoing presence.
Understand the original words
naos · Greek Noun
A place or state where God resides and manifests His presence, traditionally a physical building but extended in the New Testament to signify the believer or the gathered church as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
eidolon · Greek Noun
False gods or objects of worship that are not the true God, often representing anything that takes the place of God in human devotion and allegiance.
zontos Theou · Greek Adjective
The attribute of God as possessing life in Himself, eternal and active, as opposed to the inanimate, lifeless nature of idols.
exerchomai · Greek Verb
To move away, depart, or withdraw, specifically used in a moral or religious sense to indicate withdrawal from sinful associations, corruption, or compromise with the world.
aphorizo · Greek Verb
To be set apart, consecrated, or sanctified for God's use; this involves a distinct way of living that rejects moral pollution and aligns with God's holiness.
akathartos · Greek Adjective
Ritual or moral impurity that defiles a person's standing before a holy God; it necessitates avoidance to maintain one's consecrated status.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that their identity as the 'temple of the living God' means they are set apart for Him, distinct from the pagan practices prevalent in their city.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus and Covenant at Sinai
God delivers Israel from slavery in Egypt and establishes His covenant with them at Mount Sinai, outlining His laws and promises to be their God.
c. 1000 BC
David's Ark and Temple Plans
King David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, desiring to build a permanent Temple for God, a plan later fulfilled by his son Solomon.
c. 966 BC
Solomon's Temple Completed
Solomon inaugurates the magnificent First Temple in Jerusalem, God's dwelling place on earth, symbolizing His presence among His people.
587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and exile many Israelites, a devastating loss of God's visible presence.
c. 516 BC
Second Temple Rebuilt
Exiles return from Babylon and rebuild the Temple, a more modest structure, signifying a return of God's favor but lacking the full glory of the first.
c. AD 20-30
Jesus Ministry and Teaching
Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God, and His followers begin to understand that the true temple is not merely a building but God's people united in Christ.
c. AD 50-55
Paul Writes First Corinthians
Paul addresses divisions and immorality in the Corinthian church, laying groundwork for his later defense of apostolic authority.
This passage directly states, 'Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?' which echoes the same idea of believers being God's dwelling place.
Leviticus 26:12This Old Testament passage is the source of the quote Paul uses, demonstrating God's ancient promise to 'walk among you' and be a God to His people, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in believers.
1 Corinthians 10:21Paul contrasts participating in the Lord's Supper with drinking from the cup of demons, reinforcing the theme of incompatible communion with God and idolatry.
Ezekiel 37:27This prophecy speaks of God's tabernacle being with His people, and His people being His people, mirroring the fulfillment Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 6.
Paul's question isn't just about what we worship, but about the radical intimacy God desires. He's not content to just be near us; God says, "I will make my dwelling among them, and walk among them," revealing a profound personal presence that can't coexist with anything that devalues it. This isn't about mere separation from bad things, but about making room for the fullness of God's life within us.
Paul is urging believers to separate themselves from the world and its corrupting influences, reminding them of their holy calling as God's people. He contrasts the sacredness of believers with the impurity of idolatry, emphasizing that God Himself promises to live among and be the God of those who are set apart. This call to holiness is crucial because it sets the stage for Paul's subsequent exhortation to live in the fullness of God's presence, free from entanglements that would hinder it.
Paul is urging believers to separate themselves from the world and its corrupting influences, reminding them of their holy calling as God's people. He contrasts the sacredness of believers with the impurity of idolatry, emphasizing that God Himself promises to live among and be the God of those who are set apart. This call to holiness is crucial because it sets the stage for Paul's subsequent exhortation to live in the fullness of God's presence, free from entanglements that would hinder it.
"What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people. Ther…" — Paul's question isn't just about *what* we worship, but about the *radical intimacy* God desires. He's not content to just be *near* us; God says, "I will make my dwelling among them, and walk among…
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