2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people."
What agreement can exist
The Greek word for "agreement" here is "συγκατάθεσις" (sygkatathesis), which implies a mutual consent or harmony. In the context of the Corinthian church, Paul is emphasizing the impossibility of a harmonious relationship between the sacred and the profane. Historically, Corinth was a city rife with idolatry, and Paul is urging believers to recognize the incompatibility of their faith with pagan practices.

between the temple of God and idols?
The "temple of God" refers to the sacred dwelling place of the divine presence. In the Old Testament, the temple was a physical structure, but Paul redefines it as the community of believers. The Greek word for "idols" is "εἴδωλα" (eidola), which denotes false gods or images. Archaeologically, Corinth was known for its many temples to various deities, making this contrast particularly poignant for the original audience. Paul is calling for a clear distinction between the worship of the one true God and the worship of man-made images.

For we are the temple of the living God
This phrase is a profound declaration of identity and purpose. The Greek word "ναός" (naos) for "temple" signifies the inner sanctuary, the most sacred part of the temple. Paul is asserting that believers collectively embody the sacred space where God resides. The term "living God" contrasts with lifeless idols, emphasizing the dynamic and active presence of God among His people. This reflects the transformative power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers, making them holy and set apart.

As God has said
Paul introduces a quotation from the Old Testament, grounding his argument in the authority of Scripture. This phrase indicates that what follows is a divine promise, underscoring the continuity of God's covenantal relationship with His people throughout history.

'I will dwell with them and walk among them,'
This promise echoes Leviticus 26:12 and Ezekiel 37:27, where God assures His presence among His people. The Greek word "ἐνοικέω" (enoikeo) for "dwell" conveys the idea of making a permanent home. "Walk among them" suggests an intimate, ongoing relationship, reminiscent of God's fellowship with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This imagery reassures believers of God's constant presence and guidance in their lives.

and I will be their God, and they will be My people
This covenantal language is foundational to the identity of God's people. It reflects the promise made to Abraham and reiterated throughout the Scriptures. The relationship is reciprocal and exclusive, highlighting God's commitment to His people and their call to faithfulness. This phrase encapsulates the essence of the Christian faith: belonging to God and living in accordance with His will.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of 2 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth with guidance and correction.

2. Corinth
A major city in ancient Greece known for its wealth and moral challenges, where the early church faced significant cultural pressures.

3. The Temple of God
Refers to the spiritual dwelling place of God, which in the New Testament context, is the collective body of believers.

4. Idols
Physical representations of false gods, prevalent in Corinthian society, symbolizing anything that takes the place of God in one's life.

5. The Living God
The one true God who is active and present in the lives of believers, contrasting with lifeless idols.
Teaching Points
The Incompatibility of Idolatry and Faith
Believers are called to separate themselves from anything that competes with their devotion to God. Just as the temple of God cannot coexist with idols, our lives should reflect undivided allegiance to Him.

Identity as God's Temple
Understanding that we are the temple of the living God should influence our behavior, choices, and relationships. This identity calls for holiness and reverence in how we live.

God's Presence Among Us
The promise of God dwelling and walking among us is a profound assurance of His intimate involvement in our lives. This should encourage us to cultivate a deeper relationship with Him.

Living as God's People
Being God's people means living in a way that reflects His character and values. This involves both personal holiness and communal integrity within the body of Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding that we are the temple of the living God influence your daily decisions and lifestyle?

2. What are some modern-day "idols" that can compete with our devotion to God, and how can we guard against them?

3. In what ways can we cultivate a greater awareness of God's presence in our lives, as He promises to dwell and walk among us?

4. How does the concept of being God's people challenge us to live differently in our communities and workplaces?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's presence in a tangible way. How did that experience impact your faith journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Paul previously taught the Corinthians that they are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in them, emphasizing the sacredness of their community.

Leviticus 26:12
The Old Testament promise where God declares He will walk among His people and be their God, which Paul echoes in this passage.

Ezekiel 37:27
Another Old Testament reference to God dwelling with His people, highlighting the continuity of God's desire for relationship with His people.

Revelation 21:3
The ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to dwell with His people, seen in the new heaven and new earth.
A Temple of GodJ.R. Thomson 2 Corinthians 6:16
Of the ScripturesHugh Binning2 Corinthians 6:16
Temples of GodT. Adams.2 Corinthians 6:16
The Covenant Relationship Between God and His PeopleW. Craig.2 Corinthians 6:16
The Soul TempleU. R. Thomas.2 Corinthians 6:16
His Warmth of AffectionC. Lipscomb 2 Corinthians 6:11-18
Amusements and Companies of the WorldT. Chalmers, D. D.2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Communion with GodH. Melvill, B. D.2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Religious SeparationF. W. Robertson, M. A.2 Corinthians 6:14-16
The Nature, Sources, and Results of InfidelityJ. Parsons.2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Unequally YokedJ. Denney, B. D.2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Unequally YokedD. Thomas, D. D.2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Unequally Yoked2 Corinthians 6:14-16
SeparationD. Fraser 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Unequal YokingE. Hurndall 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
People
Corinthians, Paul
Places
Achaia, Corinth
Topics
Agreement, Compact, Dwell, Ever-living, God's, Idols, Images, Move, Sanctuary, Temple, Walk, Walking
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Corinthians 6:16

     1080   God, living
     1210   God, human descriptions
     1355   providence
     1680   types
     2227   Immanuel
     3275   Holy Spirit, in the church
     5578   tents
     5734   relationships
     7024   church, nature of
     7382   house of God
     7470   temple, significance
     8340   self-respect

2 Corinthians 6:14-16

     4696   yoke
     5205   alliance
     5811   compromise

2 Corinthians 6:14-17

     8211   commitment, to world

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

     5345   influence
     7028   church, life of
     7922   fellowship, with God
     8737   evil, responses to

2 Corinthians 6:16-18

     5395   lordship, human and divine

Library
Blessed Prosperity Meditations on the First Psalm.
INTRODUCTORY. There is a prosperity which is not blessed: it comes not from above but from beneath, and it leads away from, not towards heaven. This prosperity of the wicked is often a sore perplexity to the servants of GOD; they need to be reminded of the exhortation, "Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." Many besides the Psalmist have been envious at the foolish when seeing the prosperity of the wicked, and have been
J. Hudson Taylor—A Ribband of Blue

Second Sunday in Lent
Text: First Thessalonians 4, 1-7. 1 Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk,--that ye abound more and more. 2 For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Of the Scriptures
Eph. ii. 20.--"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Believers are "the temple of the living God," in which he dwells and walks, 2 Cor. vi. 16. Every one of them is a little sanctuary and temple to his Majesty, "sanctify the Lord of hosts in your hearts." Though he be "the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity," yet he is pleased to come down to this poor cottage of a creature's heart, and dwell in it. Is not this
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Love and the Comforter.
"By the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned."--2 Cor. vi. 6. The question is, "In what sense is the pouring out of Love an ever-continued, never-finished work? Love is here taken in its highest, purest sense. Love which gives its goods to the poor and its body to be burned is out of the question. St. Paul declares that one may do these things and still be nothing more than a sounding brass, utterly devoid of the least spark of the true and real Love. In 2 Cor. vi. 6 the apostle mentions the motives of
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Above and Below
"As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing."--2 Cor. vi. 10. P. G. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899 In the bosom of the Father, Centre of His endless love, In the light and in the glory, Thus in Christ I dwell above. Filling up His bitter sufferings, Drinking of His cup of woe, And rejoicing as I do it, Thus with Christ I walk below. There above I rest, untroubled, All my service to adore; Cross and shame and death and sorrow Left behind for evermore. Therefore am I never weary Journeying onward through
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen and Others (Second Series)

And He was Altogether Wonderful in Faith and Religious...
68. And he was altogether wonderful in faith and religious, for he never held communion with the Meletian schismatics, knowing their wickedness and apostacy from the beginning; nor had he friendly dealings with the Manichæans or any other heretics; or, if he had, only as far as advice that they should change to piety. For he thought and asserted that intercourse with these was harmful and destructive to the soul. In the same manner also he loathed the heresy of the Arians, and exhorted all
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Sanctification.
PAUL ENTIRELY SANCTIFIED. I might urge a great many other considerations, and as I have said, fill a book with scriptures, and arguments, and demonstrations, of the attainability of entire sanctification in this life. But I forbear, and will present only one more consideration--a consideration which has great weight in some minds. It is a question of great importance, whether any actually ever did attain this state. Some who believe it attainable, do not consider it of much importance to show that
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

How the Whole and the Sick are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 13.) Differently to be admonished are the whole and the sick. For the whole are to be admonished that they employ the health of the body to the health of the soul: lest, if they turn the grace of granted soundness to the use of iniquity, they be made worse by the gift, and afterwards merit the severer punishments, in that they fear not now to use amiss the more bountiful gifts of God. The whole are to be admonished that they despise not the opportunity of winning health for ever.
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Clean Carriers
'Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.'--ISAIAH lii. 11. The context points to a great deliverance. It is a good example of the prophetical habit of casting prophecies of the future into the mould of the past. The features of the Exodus are repeated, but some of them are set aside. This deliverance, whatever it be, is to be after the pattern of that old story, but with very significant differences. Then, the departing Israelites had spoiled the Egyptians and come out, laden with silver
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Warfare of Christian Service
'All that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle.' NUM. iv. 23. These words occur in the series of regulations as to the functions of the Levites in the Tabernacle worship. The words 'to perform the service' are, as the margin tells us, literally, to 'war the warfare.' Although it may be difficult to say why such very prosaic and homely work as carrying the materials of the Tabernacle and the sacrificial vessels was designated by such a term, the underlying suggestion is
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Twenty-Fourth Day. Holiness and Cleansing.
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.'--2 Cor. vii. 1. That holiness is more than cleansing, and must be preceded by it, is taught us in more than one passage of the New Testament. 'Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself up for it, that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word.' 'If a man cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Purity and Peace in the Present Lord
PHILIPPIANS iv. 1-9 Euodia and Syntyche--Conditions to unanimity--Great uses of small occasions--Connexion to the paragraphs--The fortress and the sentinel--A golden chain of truths--Joy in the Lord--Yieldingness--Prayer in everything--Activities of a heart at rest Ver. 1. +So, my brethren beloved and longed for+, missed indeed, at this long distance from you, +my joy and crown+ of victory (stephanos), +thus+, as having such certainties and such aims, with such a Saviour, and looking for such
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies

Introductory Note to the Epistles of Ignatius
[a.d. 30-107.] The seductive myth which represents this Father as the little child whom the Lord placed in the midst of his apostles (St. Matt. xviii. 2) indicates at least the period when he may be supposed to have been born. That he and Polycarp were fellow-disciples under St. John, is a tradition by no means inconsistent with anything in the Epistles of either. His subsequent history is sufficiently indicated in the Epistles which follow. Had not the plan of this series been so exclusively that
Ignatius—The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians

Epistle Xl. To Cyriacus, Patriarch of Constantinople.
To Cyriacus, Patriarch of Constantinople. Gregory to Cyriacus, &c. Observing diligently, most dear brother, how great is the virtue of peace from the Lord's voice, which says, My peace I give unto you (Joh. xiv. 27), it becomes us so to abide in the love thereof as in no wise to give place to discord. But, since we cannot otherwise live in its root except by retaining in mind and in deed the humility which the very author of peace has taught, we entreat you with befitting charity, that, treading
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

"And Truly Our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And These Things Write we unto You, that Your Joy May Be
1 John i. 3, 4.--"And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." It was sin that did first break off that fellowship that was between God and man, and cut off that blessed society in which the honour and happiness of man consisted. But that fundamental bond being loosed, it hath likewise untied all the links of society of men among themselves, and made such a general dispersion and dissipation of mankind,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The First Native Converts and Christian Schools
1800-1810 A carpenter the first Bengali convert--Krishna Pal's confession--Caste broken for the first time--Carey describes the baptism in the Hoogli--The first woman convert--The first widow convert--The first convert of writer caste--The first Christian Brahman--The first native chapel--A Bengali "experience" meeting--Carey founding a new community as well as church--Marriage difficulties solved--The first native Christian marriage feast in North India--Hindoo Christian death and burial--The first
George Smith—The Life of William Carey

Christian Behavior
Being the fruits of true Christianity: Teaching husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, servants, etc., how to walk so as to please God. With a word of direction to all backsliders. Advertisement by the Editor This valuable practical treatise, was first published as a pocket volume about the year 1674, soon after the author's final release from his long and dangerous imprisonment. It is evident from the concluding paragraph that he considered his liberty and even his life to be still in a very
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity the Careful Walk of the Christian.
Text: Ephesians 5, 15-21. 15 Look therefore carefully how ye walk [See then that ye walk circumspectly], not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; 19 speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always for all things
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus.
[3712] I.--Comments [3713] On the First Epistle of Peter. Chap. i. 3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by His great mercy hath regenerated us." For if God generated us of matter, He afterwards, by progress in life, regenerated us. "The Father of our Lord, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:" who, according to your faith, rises again in us; as, on the other hand, He dies in us, through the operation of our unbelief. For He said again, that the soul never returns a second
Clement of Alexandria—Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?

That the Ruler Should be Always Chief in Action.
The ruler should always be chief in action, that by his living he may point out the way of life to those that are put under him, and that the flock, which follows the voice and manners of the shepherd, may learn how to walk better through example than through words. For he who is required by the necessity of his position to speak the highest things is compelled by the same necessity to exhibit the highest things. For that voice more readily penetrates the hearer's heart, which the speaker's life
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Some Man Will Say: "What Then Does it Profit a Servant of God...
32. Some man will say: "What then does it profit a servant of God, that, having left the former doings which he had in the world he is converted unto the spiritual life and warfare, if it still behove him to do business as of a common workman?" As if truly it could be easily unfolded in words, how greatly profiteth what the Lord, in answer to that rich man who was seeking counsel of laying hold on eternal life, told him to do if he would fain be perfect: sell that he had, distribute all to the indigence
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

Concerning Perfection.
Concerning Perfection. In whom this pure and holy birth is fully brought forth, the body of death and sin comes to be crucified and removed, and their hearts united and subjected to the truth; so as not to obey any suggestions or temptations of the evil one, but to be free from actual sinning and transgressing of the law of God, and in that respect perfect: yet doth this perfection still admit of a growth; and there remaineth always in some part a possibility of sinning, where the mind doth not most
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

The Yoke of Christ.
"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."--Matt. xi. 29, 30. These words, which are brought before us in the Gospel of to-day's festival[1], are also found in the address made to us upon Ash Wednesday, in which we are told that if we "return unto Him who is the merciful Receiver of all true penitent sinners, if we will take His easy yoke and light burden upon us, to follow Him
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

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