We’ve already explored the ideas around Genesis 1 as a cosmic temple inauguration. Unlike pagan temples where lifeless idols were placed to represent the gods, the Creator set His own living image in the world: The imago dei - man and woman created in His image. This means that every person bears the dignity of God’s image. Honoring God, and our acts of worship begin not just with songs or worship services, but with how we honor His image in each other.
Now we continue the story from the Old Testament into the New Testament, where this idea grows even more significant. Not only is creation God’s temple, not only do all humans bear His image, but now His very presence dwells within us.
Worship in a Building vs. Worship in the Spirit
In the Old Testament for the people of Israel, the tabernacle and the temple were central to worship. God’s presence tangibly dwelt in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and later in the temple in Jerusalem. The tabernacle/temple was set up and structured like a microcosm of God’s cosmic temple, where God took up residence on the 7th day. Sacrifices were offered there, priests ministered, and Israel gathered to worship. The presence of God was visible – the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire – His presence filled the Holy of Holies.
One thing that made the tabernacle/temple so unique in the ancient world was the obvious absence of an idol/image (tselem) in the temple. As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, this is because in the ordering of the universe as God’s cosmic temple, His image (tselem) was placed on man and woman…not on an idol (tselem) made with human hands.
By the time of Jesus, temple worship had become more about ritual than relationship. Buildings became symbols of religious status and nationalism rather than places of true encounter with God. Man-made traditions were the norm…and they were missing the big picture of God’s story for all mankind. A terrific example of this is found in Mark 7 when the Jewish leaders questioned Jesus about why His disciples didn’t follow the traditions of the elders in the washing of hands. Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders by quoting from Isaiah:
“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men…You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!'”
Jesus went on to chastise them for “Corban”, their man-made loophole where they quite literally left “the commandment of God” and were holding onto “the traditions of men”. More to say on this in another post, but the point here is that for the nation of Israel, worship was tied to a building: the temple, in a specific place: Jerusalem, and very much rooted in man-made traditions. (Sadly, this sounds a lot like Western Christianity today.)
In one sense, for the Jewish people, this is understandable as the tabernacle/temple was where God’s presence very tangibly dwelt for centuries. But in John chapter 4, Jesus had an important conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well that foreshadowed the coming paradigm shift. We know this conversation was significant because of the cultural norms that were broken down simply by having a conversation (Jew/Samaritan, Man/Woman).
But there’s another noteworthy part to the story that must not be overlooked. The Samaritan woman, in asking about worship in Jerusalem or in Samaria, assumed worship was all about geography. In her mind, (As with most in her day), worship was tied to a building in a specific location. She said to Jesus in verse 20:
“Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” (John 4:20)
Faithful Jews worshipped in Jerusalem…at the temple site that we know today as The Temple Mount. Samaritans, however, as “half-breeds”, were not permitted to worship in Jerusalem, so their traditional place for sacrifice and worship was on Mt. Gerazim in Samaria.
But Jesus, in His response to her, shifted the entire framework:
“The hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem…true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21, 23)
This shift ultimately came at Pentecost when God’s Spirit took up residence not in His Cosmic Temple (Genesis 1), not in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle or temple in Jerusalem, but rather His presence now dwells in and among His followers. From that point forward, throughout Acts and the Epistles, God’s Spirit provides direction, strategy, power, courage, words, protection, healing…and the list goes on. This was a radical shift in God’s way of relating to His people! Now, His presence is in and among His global family.
With the new way of life that Christ instituted by building His global family, worship was no longer confined to a physical building or a geographic location. Instead, we honor God through His presence that resides within us and among us as a gathered body of believers.
God’s Spirit Now Dwells in Us
Peter expands the idea to not just individuals, but to the whole church:
“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.” (1 Peter 2:5)
This is breathtaking. In the old covenant, God’s presence resided in a temple building. In the new covenant, we are that temple building—both individually and corporately. Stephen understood this in the climax of his sermon before the Sanhedrin in Acts chapter 7:
“Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands”
The Spirit no longer dwells in stone structures, but in the hearts of people redeemed by Christ. Paul takes this truth and drives it home in his letters:
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
And again, reminding the Corinthians of the implications for their daily lives:
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
What Does This Mean for The Church Today?
This MUST redefine how we think about “going to church.” Worship is not limited to a building or a weekly “praise and worship” event. Wherever God’s people are, His temple is…and His presence resides there. We’re all called to honor Him by honoring and building up one another.
When Paul writes to the Corinthian church about their chaotic gatherings (1 Corinthians 11:17 – 14:40), he reminds them that their gathering should not be about performance or self-display, but ultimately about mutual edification:
“Let all things be done for building up.” (1 Corinthians 14:26)
In other words every prayer, every word of prophecy, every song, every teaching, every revelation, every utterance, every interpretation, is meant to build up the temple of God—that is, the gathered body of believers. THIS is our spiritual act of worship.
This challenges our assumptions about worship and gathering today. It’s not about polished or well-produced worship services or impressive music or well-delivered oratory. It’s about God’s Spirit dwelling among His people, transforming their lives, and celebrating their new life in Christ together in community.
The Big Shift
One of the biggest paradigm shifts in the New Testament is this: worship is not about a location, a ritual, or a man-made religious tradition – it’s about what Paul said in Romans 12:
“I appeal to you…present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
We don’t need to enter the temple to meet God. We, individually and collectively, are His temple. His Spirit dwells in us and dwells among us.
This truth demands that we rethink worship as an all-of-life reality. It affects how we use our bodies, how we live in holiness, and especially how we gather as a community.
In Part 3, the final part in this series, we’ll see how this presence of God in us overflows into love for one another—and how “one-anothering” can become one of our most powerful acts of worship and witness.
Matthew D. Andersen is based out of the NYC area and is part of the METRO equipping team, a network of leaders who are establishing churches as families…patterned after Acts.