And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the Living God, as God has said, I will dwell with them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3485
Temple: that part of the temple where God Himself resides.
From the Greek word 'naos' (pronounced nah-os'): sanctuary (divine dwelling-place); temple (sacred abode).
The temple of God where God dwelt consisted of two rooms: the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Hebrew 9:1-10). Hebrews 9:11-28 details how Christ became our Tabernacle and opened up both rooms for the Christian believer's access.
Where God is sin cannot be. No agreement, no tolerance, no working together. You cannot plait together nettles and hemp. The strength of the latter would be lacerated and shredded by the first, rendering the twining useless and revealing it for a complete waste of time and effort.
God will not stay where He is mocked. Tear down the idols you have built up in your heart and your churches. Hasten to receive God into your hearts and be prepared to leave when He sends His Son to bring you with Him.
When the Ark of the Covenant was placed in a pagan temple, all the idols were knocked over (1 Samuel 5:1-4). For our God is greater and higher than any manmade object of worship. This includes self-righteousness, self-promotion. To put sin in the church and declare it to be of God is to call God a liar and bring His wrath on that church and its congregants.
As God's temple, we are to be holy, a holy people for a holy God. And that only comes about when we have the Holy Spirit of God also living in us, working through and with us, to make us holy. That won't happen when a person is not only living a sinful lifestyle, but refuses to give up their sin, their uncleanness, their unholy living.
A crucified life recognizes sin for sin. The thorns and the nails have pierced the heart, nailing the sin to its place of humiliation. Repenting of the sin at the moment it is revealed brings forgiveness and restoration from God. The heart is made cleaner. The mind is restored to soundness and sober thinking (vigilant, rational thinking).
We need to knock down and destroy everything that is not of God and God's Word. We do that by receiving Christ into our hearts and obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit of God. We go where we are sent. We speak what we hear. In the power of God we choose to live the life He has designed for us.
Do you want the presence of God in your heart, your mind, your whole life? Turn your hearts to God now. Turn your back on the sins you have been living in (repent) and seek God's desire for your life (seek first His kingdom). Turn your face to His face and be made complete in Him in Christ. There's no other way to have the presence of the Living God in us but to comply with His requirements to do so.
1 Peter 1:13-15
Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.
Hebrews 4:15,16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One Who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
A TABLE FULL OF STRANGERS Vol 1 (what I listened to while I studied)
