Sometimes Paul uses the imagery of the temple to describe your body with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside. This time, however, he paints the picture of the temple as the church with each person being a stone in the temple and Jesus as the cornerstone. When he talks about tearing down the temple here, he is saying we tear down other people in God's church.
Tearing down doesn't just take place between denominations or local church bodies. It takes place within a local church as well. We find reasons to take sides, argue with one another, win with a vote of 51%, and then continue to talk about how our position was the "right" one. Meanwhile the bodies of the people we destroy in the process continue to stack up all around us. The church destroys the church.
If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:17 NIV)
This statement causes me to pause. I think about all the times I've watched (and even participated in) the church tearing down the church. I don't want to be a part of that any more. I want to look for ways to build people up individually. I want to find ways to build up the body at Life Bridge, in Porter County, across Chicagoland, and around the world. I never want to destroy God's temple or any part of it. I want to build it up.
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become "fools" so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." (1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NIV)
If this means letting go of my "brilliant" ideas, then I will let go. If this means listening more than I'm speaking, then I will listen. If this means trusting God more than trusting any human plan, then I will trust God. If this means being a "fool," then foolish I will be. It's time to build.
So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NIV)
How about you? Do you still want to tear down to "win" arguments and be "right," or are you ready to build?
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