1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Looking at the passage again:
1. All believers are the "temple of God".
2. The Spirit of God dwells "in" all believers.
3. "Any man" who defiles the "temple of God" will be destroyed by God.
4. The "temple of God" is holy, and this "temple" are believers.
Question:
How exactly does the Spirit of God dwell in "believers" (plural)?
Can "temple of God" refer to all believers corporately?
Can "temple of God" refer to the physical bodies of believers individually?
Opinion
I believe the primary meaning of the passage is this:
The Holy Spirit indwells the bodies of believers for they are the temple of God. If a believer himself defiles his own body, which is the temple of God, God will destroy even him; for the temple of God is holy.
This interpretation is illustrated in 1 Corinthians 5:5 and seems to be confirmed in 1 Corinthians 6:19,20.
If this interpretation is wrong, then we will learn more here as this thread lengthens; but I think I've said most, if not all, that I have to say.
