1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you know where God lives? Where is God’s home? A beautiful church building? The Bible reveals God has lived in a series of homes, moving in and moving out. When He moves in, if the home is defiled by the owner, God moves out. He hasn’t seemed to stay put in one particular place—until recently. So where does God live now?
First Corinthians 6:19 tells us.
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Since the creation of Adam and Eve, God has lived in four homes. Each of them went through four phases, all beginning with the letter “D.” They were:
designed specifically by God
desecrated later by sin
desolate when God had to abandon them
destroyed (all but the last one)
God’s First Home—a man named Adam
Design
God created us from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7) and gave us three distinct parts. First Thessalonians 5:23 specifies them: body, soul, and spirit. He gave us a spirit by breathing into us the breath of life.
With your body you know the physical world around you.
With your soul—your mind, will, and emotions—you know the world within you.
With your spirit you can commune with and worship God (John 4:24).
But what if we choose to live on our own terms, without giving our designer His rightful place? We’re headed for desecration, desolation, and destruction.
Desecration
Adam and Eve’s disobedience (Genesis 3:6), defiled the beautiful home God designed.
Desolation
God moved out (Genesis 3:19). Their spirit is dead; soul and body dominated by sin.
Destruction
They died immediately in their spirit.
God warned them this would happen (Genesis 2:17). Your heart may be beating, your mind working, but you’re spiritually dead (1 Timothy 5:6).
They died progressively in their soul.
Fears, neuroses, and sorrows came into their souls. They became a garden of weeds.
They died ultimately in their bodies.
Physically, they lived on for many years, but the seeds of death were in them the minute they sinned.
God’s Second Home—the Temple
Design
The Old Testament temple was a gigantic pattern corresponding to the human body, having three rooms:
The outer court with brazen altar was the place of sacrifice. We present our bodies a living sacrifice.
The inner court where people met represents the soul, where we fellowship with one another.
The innermost room, the “Holy of Holies,” represents the human spirit communing with God.
Desecration
The Temple was desecrated by sin (Matthew 21:3).
Desolation
Left desolate—abandoned by God (Matthew 23:38).
Destruction
Finally, destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2). God moved out and moved on.
God’s Third Home—the Lord Jesus
Design
Jesus was the Incarnation of God, perfect and sinless.
Desecration
God took all the perverted sin of this world and put that upon the sinless Lord Jesus (Isaiah 53:6, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Desolation
On the cross Jesus cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). God the Father, for the only time, turned His back on God the Son.
Destruction
Our sins nailed Him to the cross. “God spared not His only Son” (Romans 8:32, Isaiah 53:10).
God’s Final, Permanent Home—Every Believer
Designed by God to live within
God’s home is now in you. We are His royal residence (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Not Desecrated by sin
Through the blood of the Jesus, we are forgiven and forever cleansed.
Never Desolated
Forever united with Him. He will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Never Destroyed
At salvation, you are
justified immediately in your spirit
sanctified progressively in your soul
ultimately, glorified in your body
Salvation is getting God out of Heaven, back into your heart, helping you understand you’re now a temple of the Holy Spirit, eternally secure in God (2 Corinthians 6:16). At last, God comes to live in us, once and for all, dwelling in our hearts by faith
