Brian Onstead

When you think of a temple, what do you typically think of? In our region the first answer that comes to mind would likely be Mormonism. You may notice, however, that nondenominational, Baptist and Lutheran churches do not have a temple. In fact, my church meets in an old school building. Does this mean that these churches do not believe in a temple? The answer is that if we understand the Scriptures, then we absolutely do! But it is, perhaps, not in the way that you think. 

First off, let’s establish what a temple is. What makes something a temple is not its structure or the shape of the building. Rather, a temple is the place of God’s special presence on earth. This is the way Scripture depicts a temple. Initially, this was the garden of Eden where God “walked” with man in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). “Walk” is an idiom for God’s special presence. It is being used similarly to how we tell a friend that we will walk with them through a tough situation or that we will be with them every step of the way. We do not mean that we will literally be using our two feet, but that we will be with them. Our presence will be felt. So, Scripture uses walk to refer to the place where God’s presence is made known in a special way. The first temple, then, was not a building but a garden. It is holy because it is where God dwells in a special way. Sadly, however, man was expelled from this first temple on account of his sin. Two angels stood guard at the entrance to prevent man from entering. 

However, we see God’s intention to reconcile sinners to himself by establishing a dwelling place with his people. Initially, this was the tabernacle described in the Book of Exodus. The tabernacle is simply a mobile version of the temple. It was appropriate for the people of God’s wilderness wanderings. Once God’s people settled into the promise land, a more permanent structure was built, which is called the temple. With both the tabernacle and the temple, a visible cloud of God’s presence descended to fill it, and two angels were depicted on the curtains that guarded the way into the Most Holy Place. This is reminiscent of the two angels guarding the way back into God’s presence in the garden.

Even though God established his presence with his people on earth, access was very restrictive. It was so restrictive that only one person could enter the Most Holy Place and only once a year. Only the high priest could enter on the Day of Atonement, and only with blood. What is this all about? This is a grand model, a lifelike illustration, of how sinners would be able to enter God’s presence. The only way was by a high priest offering up the blood of a sacrifice. This pictured what Jesus, the great high priest, would do to bring sinners back into God’s presence. He offered up himself as the sacrifice. It was his blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sins. This is because the wages of sin is death, and so for sin to be paid for a death would have to occur. Jesus’ death alone was sufficient to fully and forever pay for sins of all those who trust in him.

No one enters into the temple by his works, working his way up, his promises to keep God’s commandments, a special endowment, paying tithes and offerings, or a golden ticket. Rather, as vividly depicted in the Bible, there was one way, and only one way, to enter. It was by blood. It was by the death of a sacrifice offered up by the high priest. And it was Jesus who offered up himself on the cross as that sacrifice. This is why the veil to the Most Holy Place was supernaturally torn in two the moment Jesus gave himself on the cross (Matthew 27:51). The way into God’s presence was now opened for any sinner who comes to God in Christ.

This leaves a final question. Why do Christians not have a temple today? It is because the New Testament says that the people of God themselves are the temple. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” The people of God are God’s temple because his Holy Spirit, who is the presence of God, dwells in and among them. Therefore, the temple is no longer a special building, but rather a special people — those who have been forgiven by God, reconciled to him, and cleansed by the blood of Christ alone. We do not work to get special access to God, but rather God has come to dwell with his people because of the sacrifice of Christ alone.

(Brian Onstead is the pastor at Trinity Bible Church.)