What Is The Temple Of God?

Last updated on August 29, 2025

What Is the Temple of God?
When people hear the phrase “the temple of God,” their minds often go straight to the man-made structure that once stood in the city of Jerusalem, located in modern-day Israel. That temple, while significant in the historical and religious life of Israel, is not the one I’m referring to here. Rather than focusing on a physical building crafted by human hands, I want to share with you a deeper and more vital truth found in Scripture—one that points us to the spiritual temple of God. This spiritual temple is what truly matters in the eyes of God and carries eternal implications far beyond any earthly structure.

You Are God’s Temple
The Bible speaks clearly about this spiritual reality. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, the Apostle Paul declared, “Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

According to this passage, God does not dwell in a building made of stone, but within His people. Believers, collectively and individually, make up the very temple of the living God. This truth is not merely symbolic—it reveals God’s will for our lives. He designed us to be vessels of His Spirit, both in the physical bodies we now inhabit and in the spiritual bodies we will receive in eternity. Understanding this truth helps us align with God’s eternal purpose for humanity.

The Spiritual Temple
As we continue, the Apostle Paul deepens this concept in Ephesians 2:19–22. He wrote, “Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.”

Here, Apostle Paul explains that we who believe are not isolated individuals, but parts of a spiritual structure. Together, we form a holy temple—a dwelling place for God’s presence through His Spirit. The foundation was laid by the apostles and prophets, and Jesus Christ Himself is the cornerstone that holds everything together. This spiritual temple is alive, growing, and filled with purpose

The Multitude in the Temple of God
Now let us consider what the Apostle John saw in his vision in Revelation 7:14–15. When asked about the great multitude standing before God’s throne, John answered, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.”

This profound passage reveals that the temple of God is not a physical structure. Rather, it is a spiritual place of service and worship, where those who endured and remained faithful during the great tribulation now minister before God. The reference to God’s temple here points once again to the assembly of saints—God’s spiritual house. Furthermore, this implies a continued interaction between the heavenly realm and God’s people on earth, as those in heaven minister to and intercede for the living temple of God still being built below.

Conclusion: A Living Temple of Living Stones
The temple of God is not made of stone or gold—it is made of the spirits of people and spiritual beings. It is spiritual in nature and composed of living stones: believers in whom God dwells by His Spirit. Some of these stones are already in heaven, contributing to God’s eternal work from above. Others remain on earth, being shaped and fitted into this divine structure.

This teaching opens the door to many more revelations still waiting to be explored. In future reflections, I hope to expand further on this mystery, as the Lord allows. Until then, I pray that the Holy Spirit has enlightened your understanding and stirred your heart toward God’s truth. May the Lord bless you and keep you as you continue to walk in His Spirit.