You may have read this verse before:
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple” (v. 16-17)
It has often been preached to be about your both and health. And while that will come later, this text isn’t about that. It actually is a very serious warning.
The words here for “you” are plural. He is not talking about individuals here, but that corporately we are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells among us. So whoever destroys God’s temple (his church), God will destroy him.
And interestingly, this very strong warning is not directed specifically towards those outside of the church. It comes from those within.
Division has been going on. Quarrels have erupted. Why? Over something stupid. They are all fighting over which person they follow and who is the best and with most authority – Paul, Apollo, Christ. It’s not that Christ doesn’t matter here, it’s how they are using Him as a means of fighting.
“Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness“ and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God” (v. 18-23).
What was the root? Besides self-interest? People thinking they were being “wise.” But they were only “wise” in the ways of the world, not the kingdom.
The fruit was division. And it was destroying the church. Over something dumb.
Paul warns them with no small consequence. To destroy the church of God is something that invites judgment from God himself.
There are issues worth fighting over as we have seen throughout Scripture. But dividing the church over stupid things is pointless. Especially when it comes from leaders and those “building” the church.
The only foundation is Christ.
We need to think more seriously about jumping onto issues that are fruitless and cause divisions. Right now, that is a huge problem. There are so many issues that people are dividing over and only a few that really matter.