YOU ARE GOD'S HOLY TEMPLE (5)

(Message by Tanny Keng)

1. You are God’s holy temple. 

a) If we are to be filled with the fullness of God, we must also be full of love, compassion. I believe the love described in the New Testament, agape, is love in the form of compassion.

b) The command to love God and people, who are created in God’s image, are the two greatest commandments given from God to man.  

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) These commandments describe the purpose that God has given man. The whole Bible is about these two commandments. Keeping God’s word, obedience, causes us to know God and experience His love. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.  (1st John 2:5)

c) When Jesus was asked who a neighbor is He told the story of the good Samaritan in Luke chapter 10. The conclusion of the story was that he who showed mercy (compassion) was a neighbor. Here again we see the connection between love and compassion. The cost of love is high, it cost the giving of yourself, but the more of yourself you give in love the more you will be filled with the presence of God. 

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity (compassion) on him, how can the love of God be in him? (1st John 3:16 – 17)

d) Anything in your heart that causes you to withhold love from God or another person also restricts the presence of God in you. If you have any anger against God, that is pride, and you are in great danger. Pride and anger both create a place in your heart for Satan.  

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:26 – 27).  


The End ...

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