“If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.

The words “defiles” and “destroy” are the same Greek word. The word means destroy by corrupting. The idea is that if anyone mars the church, God will mar them. Some Corinthian believers were marring the local church by schism and division.

For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

God sets apart (holy) the local church (the temple of God) as His special possession.  

PRINCIPLE:

God views the local church as His special possession, so He protects it by disciplining any Christian that mars it.

APPLICATION:

The church is God’s special possession. He guards it carefully. If anyone tears down the local church, he is susceptible to God’s discipline. God will send temporal discipline (5:5) into his life. Schism or division in the local church is subject to discipline from God.