The way we treat one another matters
Saturday afternoon, I was reading in the Acts of the Apostles when a question hit me.
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. Acts 1:15-16 ESV
What is the significance of 120? That number rang a bell with me.
When King Solomon opened the new temple, it was accompanied by great ceremony, including…
And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to their divisions, and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.2 Chronicles 5:11-15 ESV
Jesus is the temple, but as His body, we form part of it. We no longer need to go to a special building to offer our sacrifices.
The New Testament reinforces that idea elsewhere.
The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Revelation 3:12 ESV
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5 ESV
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV
The fact that we belong to Jesus and, as His body, form part of God’s temple has profound implications for the way we treat other believers.
Jesus said
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35 ESV
When we are harsh or unforgiving toward believers, we defame the very temple of Christ. When we choose not to love other believers, we choose to turn our back on part of the temple.
Ouch!
I confess that as I typed that out, I realized that I had some repenting to do. I can be critical and unloving toward other believers. I don’t like some believers for a variety of reasons, and I had to ask the Lord for forgiveness.
As we learn to live with one another, to extend grace, forgiveness and love, let’s remember why we do it and give Him the glory.
Kevin
SUMMARY
Reading about the 120 in Acts 1 led me to see that, as His body, we believers form part of God’s temple. That gives us every reason to extend grace, forgiveness and love to one another.
TAKEAWAY
You no longer need a special building to offer your sacrifices; as part of Christ’s body, you form part of His temple.
Other believers form part of the temple too, so the way you treat them matters; your love for one another is how all people will know you are His disciples.
As you learn to extend grace, forgiveness and love to other believers, remember why you do it and give Him the glory.