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God has always had a dwelling place in the midst of His people. Even after sin created a chasm between God’s Creation and its Creator, God refused to abandon us. The Bible tells the story of God’s plan to be with people, even though we are completely unworthy of His presence.

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle (and later the temple) was the place of God’s dwelling — the geographical point where heaven and earth collided. It was a sacred space where the LORD of heaven chose to make His presence known on earth. Even then, when Moses plead with God to dwell in the midst of His people (Exodus 34:9), God warned him that his Holiness could not co-exist with sin. In a startling verse, God said: “You are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I were to travel with you for even a moment, I would destroy you.” (Exodus 33:5, NLT)

The tabernacle solved this problem. It was a sacred, sanctified place, set apart for the Lord. Inside, a thick veil separated God and the people. It was a Holy place, and a place of sacrifice, where sins could be atoned for. The people gathered in this spot to hear from God and glimpse the divine.

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When Jesus was born, He became a living manifestation of the Temple — God dwelling among His people (John 1:14). People who gathered around HIM heard from God and glimpsed the divine. He became the ultimate sacrifice for sin; the once-and-for-all bridge over the chasm separating sinful people from a Holy God. And when He died on the cross, the temple veil was ripped in two, denoting the separation between people and God had disappeared.

And now, because of what Jesus has done, the New Testament tells us that WE are the Temple of the Lord! God’s dwelling place is not a building. He dwells in the people who comprise the body of Christ: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). (Compare this with Ephesians 2:19-22)

Do you see what this means? Can you feel how radical this is? If you are a Christian, then you are the exact point where heaven and earth collide. You are a holy sanctuary that houses the Spirit of God! You stand between two worlds, with one foot on this cursed, fallen earth and another firmly planted in heaven.

That’s why Jesus declares, “You are the light of the world.” That’s why He says, “You are the salt of the earth.” You are a sacred and holy space in which God dwells. You are an access point where others can hear from God and glimpse the divine.

The collision of heaven and earth is now in you!

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This 40-Day Study is written to explore that collision, and the responsibility it entails. What does it PRACTICALLY LOOK LIKE to live as a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to put faith in action?

To answer those questions, we will spend the next 40 days in the New Testament book of James. You will be formally introduced to James in tomorrow’s devotion, but here’s a spoiler: James was the half brother of Jesus, and he was an important voice in the early Church. Above all other New Testament writers, James emphasizes the APPLICATION of faith. “Faith without works is dead,” he muses, so his book is full of practical wisdom for living out faith in the real world.

As you read through his letter, try to keep this big truth in the forefront: YOU are a place where heaven and earth collide, a Temple of the Holy Spirit. Your life is a picture of grace and power, because God is pleased to dwell in you!

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PARTING THOUGHT:

Karl Barth, the famous theologian, was on a streetcar one day in Basel, Switzerland, where he lectured. A tourist to the city climbed on and sat down next to Barth. The two men started chatting with each other.

“Are you new to the city?” Barth inquired. “Yes,” said the tourist. “Is there anything you would particularly like to see in this city?” asked Barth. “Yes,” he said, “I’d love to meet the famous theologian Karl Barth. Do you know him?” Barth replied, “Well as a matter of fact, I do. I give him a shave every morning.” The tourist got off the streetcar quite delighted. He went back to his hotel saying to himself, “I met Karl Barth’s barber today.”

Each Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit, a person in whom Christ actually dwells. But how often we sit next to other believers, eat with them, sing with them, yet fail to see we’ve been in the presence of Christ himself.