TABERNACLE: BODY
INTENTION:
We want to discover
what our body is in relation to being the “Temple of the Holy Spirit”.
Often, we feel that
our existence is just being a “body” on this earth; but it is more than that,
housing our Mind, Soul, Heart, and Spirit. Yet this body we exist in is only
temporary—so even if it is suffering in this world, we can have joy that we
will get a brand new one. However, let us not forget the power and authority we
still have in this world to guide, shape, and heal our bodies.
I. TOPIC (PART 2 – BODY):
In the continuation of our series “Tabernacle: Body, Mind,
Soul, Heart, Spirit” we want to focus on Body.
It is our body that engages with the world around us through
our 5 senses. The gate into the Tabernacle has four openings, one for each
sense that enters our bodies: taste, smell, hear, and see. The fence of the
Tabernacle is the 5th sense of touch. Everything around us goes
through one or more of those senses, into our bodies, and then through our mind,
engaging with our soul. Our body is also where sin dwells.
This connection trains us to start believing the physical
world around us over the Spiritual world. Our “flesh” is that part of our body
and mind that agree with the “reality” of the world over the Truth of God.
It is this connection of the body to the ways of this world
that creates conflict in us (in our soul); but we need to understand and make
clear to ourselves, that this body and these desires of the flesh have already
been defeated by Christ in you—our sins of the flesh and body are perpetually
and forever forgiven at the Cross almost 2000 years ago.
When we are Born-Again, our body is made a Holy Temple of
the Lord, and nothing can undo that Holiness—no sin of the body (or flesh
remnant) can take away this Holiness. For this maintaining of Holiness is done by
Christ Jesus through the alter of fire and basin of water in the courtyard. The
Lord does not destroy us when sin occurs; instead, He goes about removing the
defilement that happens in our bodies.
Christ Jesus baptises us with the Holy Ghost and Fire. This
fire is what we sacrifice on. The same sacrificial alter that was in the fenced
area (courtyard) of the Tabernacle. And the internal pain we sometimes feel is
that fire engulfing that which does not belong—whether an old habit, current
sin, religious doctrine, etc.
·
Refer also: https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2016/06/grace-christ-us-part-4-holy-spirit-and.html
Also, in that same courtyard of the Tabernacle, near the alter, is the wash basin. This is was where the ritualistic cleansing took place. But as Jesus shared with His disciples, it is His Word that washes us clean—always.
Yet, because of conflict of our flesh, we are still promised
a new body when the Lord returns—no longer having to deal with our old self
that is connected to this departing world. So even though we may be suffering
in our body (including physically), it will always be temporary; and we have a
promised hope of a new body awaiting us!
But know also, that even though we are to get new bodies,
the Lord values us in the body we are in. He still wants us to enjoy the things
around us in this world that bring Godly joy to the body—for He made the earth
and all the universe for our enjoyment. So don’t reject those Godly things we
can enjoy through our senses (even sex)—and if we don’t know what is Godly or
not, we can read those differences in scripture and follow the guidance of the
Holy Spirit. And remember, even if you make a mistake, the Lord is not upset
with you!
II.
READING: Colossians
2:1-23 (MEV)
I would like you to know what a great struggle I am having
for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for everyone who has not seen my face
in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in
love, and receive all the riches and assurance of full understanding, and
knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom
are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 Now this I say lest
anyone beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh,
yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your orderliness and the
steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in
Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have
been taught, and abounding with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone captivate you through philosophy and
vain deceit, in the tradition of men and the elementary principles of the
world, and not after Christ.
9 For in Him lives all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all authority and power. 11
In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 buried with Him in baptism, in which also you were raised with Him through
the faith of the power of God, who has raised Him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision
of your flesh, He has resurrected together with Him, having forgiven you all
sins. 14 He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and
contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. 15 And
having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them by the cross.
16 Therefore let no one judge you regarding food, or drink,
or in respect of a holy day or new moon or sabbath days. 17 These are shadows
of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone
cheat you of your reward by delighting in false humility and the worship of
angels, dwelling on those things which he has not seen, vainly arrogant due to
his unspiritual mind, 19 and not supporting the head, from which the entire
body, nourished and knit together by joints and sinews, grows as God gives the
increase.
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ to the elementary
principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you
subject yourself to legalistic rules? 21 “Do not touch! Do not taste! Do not
handle!” 22 These all are to perish with use and are aligned with the
commandments and doctrines of men. 23 These things have indeed a show of wisdom
in self-imposed worship and humility and neglecting of the body, but are
worthless against the indulgence of the flesh.
III.
RELATED VERSES AND QUESTIONS:
A. The
“alter for burnt offerings”—burning up what doesn’t belong:
John
2:13-17 (MEV)
The Passover of the Jews
was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple He found those
who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers sitting there.
15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with
the sheep and oxen. He poured out the changers’ money and overturned the
tables. 16 He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not
make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 His disciples remembered
that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”
Luke
19:45-46 (MEV)
Then He entered the temple
and began to drive out those who sold and bought in it, 46 saying to them, “It
is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it ‘a den
of thieves.’”
1
Corinthians 3:10-17 (MEV) {PoG}
According to the grace of
God which has been given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the
foundation, but another builds on it. Now let each one take heed how he builds
on it. 11 For no one can lay another foundation than that which was laid, which
is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, 13 each one’s work will be revealed.
For the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire
will test what sort of work each has done. 14 If anyone’s work which he has
built on the foundation endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work
is burned, he will suffer loss. But he himself will be saved, still going
through the fire.
16 Do you not know that
you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If
anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy {this, the defilement (G5126)}.
For the temple of God is holy. And you are His {Holy} temple.
Question: What aspects of your being feels as
though it is being burned up?
B. The
“basin of water” for cleansing—the Lord’s Word:
John
15:3 (MEV)
You are already clean
through the word which I have spoken to you.
Galatians
5:25b-27 (MEV)
... Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself for it, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word, 27 and that He might present to Himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should
be holy and without blemish.
Question: What are ways the Lord cleanses you
with His Word?
C. We
do not have to fear judgement for what “sins” we have done while in this body—for
we have been reconciled, redeemed, and sanctified through Christ’s body that He
sacrificed for us.
2
Corinthians 5:1-10 (MEV) {PoG}
We know that if our
earthly house, this tent {tabernacle}, were to be destroyed, we have an eternal
building of God in the heavens, a house not made with hands. 2 In this one we
groan, earnestly desiring to be sheltered with our house which is from heaven.
3 Thus being sheltered, we shall not be found unsheltered. 4 For we who are in
this tent {tabernacle} groan, being burdened, not because we wish to be
unclothed, but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal might be swallowed
up by life. 5 Now He who has created us for this very thing is God, who also
has given to us the guarantee of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always
confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from
the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Instead, I say that we are
confident and willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the
Lord. 9 So whether present or absent, we labour {for indeed we are} accepted by
Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each
one may receive his recompense in the body, according to what he has done,
whether it was good or bad {evil}.
Hebrews
10:10-22 (MEV)
By this will we have been
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 But every priest stands
daily ministering and repetitively offering the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for
sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time He has been
waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has
forever perfected those who are sanctified.
15 The Holy Spirit also
witnesses to us about this. For after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into
their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”
17 then He adds,
“Their
sins and lawless deeds will I remember no more.”
18 Now where there is
forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
19 Therefore, brothers, we
have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new
and living way that He has opened for us through the veil, that is to say, His
flesh, 21 and since we have a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
to cleanse them from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
John
6:28-29 (MEV)
Then they asked Him, “What shall we do that we may work
the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”.
Question: Do you feel that God is disappointed
in you because of the things your body (or flesh) does?
·
Refer also: https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2019/08/reconciliation-redemption.html
Bible
Study Lesson 040 – Final Judgement (WEB)
D. Let’s
take the fear and confusion out of needing to “mutilate” or “destroy” our own
body because of sin.
Matthew
5:27-30 (MEV)
“You have heard that it was said by the ancients, ‘You shall not commit
adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her
has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if your right eye
causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. For it is profitable that
one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body be thrown into
hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it
away. For it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and
not that your whole body be thrown into hell.
Question: Have you ever felt that a specific sin
was going to send you to hell?
E. Our
conflict and choices:
Romans
6:5-18 (MEV)
For if we have been united
with Him in the likeness of His death, so shall we also be united with Him in
the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man has been
crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we should
no longer be slaves to sin. 7 For the one who has died is freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ,
being raised from the dead, will never die again; death has no further dominion
over Him. 10 For the death He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life
He lives, He lives to God.
11 Likewise, you also
consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you
should obey it in its lusts. 13 Do not yield your members to sin as instruments
of unrighteousness, but yield yourselves to God, as those who are alive from
the dead, and your bodies to God as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin
shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under
grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin
because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid! 16 Do you not
know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves to obey, you are slaves of the
one whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to
righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, for you were slaves of sin, but you
have obeyed from the heart that form of teaching to which you were entrusted,
18 and having been freed from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness.
Romans 7:21-25 (MEV)
I find then a law that when I desire to do good, evil is present
with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inner man, 23 but
I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O
wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I
thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then, with my mind, I serve the law of God, but with my flesh,
the law of sin.
Question:
Can you feel the conflict of the world vs the Spirit in yourself? Do you have
authority and a choice?
F. Romans
12:1-2 (MEV)
I urge you therefore,
brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship. 2 Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of
God.
Question: What does a “living sacrifice” mean to
you?
G. Without
the existence of our Spirit, our body would have no life in it. It is from the
Spirit that Life exists.
Mark
5:25-34 (MEV)
And a certain woman had a
haemorrhage for twelve years, 26 and had suffered much under many physicians.
She had spent all that she had, and was not better but rather grew worse. 27
When she had heard of Jesus, she came in the crowd behind Him and touched His
garment. 28 For she said, “If I may touch His garments, I shall be healed.” 29
And immediately her haemorrhage dried up, and she felt in her body that she was
healed of the affliction.
30 At once, Jesus knew
within Himself that power had gone out of Him. He turned around in the crowd
and said, “Who touched My garments?”
31 His disciples said to
Him, “You see the crowd pressing against You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
32 And He looked around to
see her who had done it. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what
had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the entire
truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace,
and be healed of your affliction.”
Luke 23:44-46 (MEV)
It was now about the sixth
hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour, 45 while the
sun was darkened. And the veil of the temple was torn in the middle. 46 And
Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
Having said this, He gave up the spirit.
James
2:26 (MEV)
As the body without the
spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
Question: Do you see yourself as a Spirit within
a body?
H. A
New Creation—it is not just our Spirit that has been made new, but our entire
being. If our Spirit is Holy, it cannot exist in a Body and Soul that also isn’t
that same Holy. Likewise, even as individual members of the “Body of Christ”,
as Christ is Holy, then so are we.
1
Corinthians 6:19b-20 (MEV)
Do you not know that your
body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received
from God, and that you are not your own? 20 You were bought with a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
2
Corinthians 5:17 (MEV)
Therefore, if any man is
in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things
have become new.
Galatians
6:15 (MEV)
For in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but a new creation.
Ephesians
5:30 (MEV)
For we are members of His
body, of His flesh and of His bones.
Colossians
1:21-27 (MEV)
And you, who were formerly
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless
and above reproach in His sight, 23 if you continue in the faith, grounded and
settled, and are not removed from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard,
and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, and of which I,
Paul, have become a servant.
24 Now I rejoice in my
sufferings for your sake and fill up in my flesh that which is lacking in the
afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church. 25 I have
been made a servant of it according to the commission of God, which has been
given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God, 26 even the mystery which has
been hidden from past ages and generations, but now is revealed to His saints.
27 To them God would make known what is the glorious riches of this mystery
among the nations. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
1
Thessalonians 5:23-24 (MEV)
May the very God of peace
sanctify you completely. And I pray to God that your whole spirit, soul, and
body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24
Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.
1
John 4:13-17 (MEV)
We know that we live in
Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and
testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever
confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God. 16 And
we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives
in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way God’s love is perfected in
us, so that we may have boldness on the Day of Judgment, because as He is, so
are we in this world.
Question: When you look at your body and feel
your soul, do you believe them to be Holy as well?
IV.
FURTHER THOUGHT:
A.
2
Corinthians 5:14-17 (MEV):
For the love of Christ
constrains us, because we thus judge: that if one died for all, then all have
died. 15 And He died for all, that those who live should not from now on live
for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 So from now on
we do not regard anyone according to the flesh. Yes, though we have known
Christ according to the flesh, yet we do not regard Him as such from now on. 17
Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have
passed away. Look, all things have become new.
Thoughts: Something we tend to do as humans is
judge other people for the things they do or don’t do (regardless of whether
it’s a comparison to our own actions or some form of morality). Since we are
comprised of more than just a body, we must understand that what we do is a
result of a blend of our being and the filters we apply (or that have been
applied to us).
This is what Paul is
getting at above—that we can no longer look at a person’s exterior and
behaviour as to whom they are. Only the Lord truly understands their identity
and the reasons why people do things. The Lord actually sees the end from the
beginning (Isaiah
46:9-10) and every minute detail of a person’s existence in relation to the
world we are in (including the actions/inactions of everyone else from the
beginning of time). None of us have that insight to understand others or
ourselves.
Thus, when we judge
ourself or others for what the body and flesh do, we neglect all the other
parts of our being and the fulfilment of the Cross to take away all the sins of
the flesh of every human being (Hebrews
10). When we let go of that judgment, we actually allow ourselves to Love
others (and to Love ourself) with the Love of God! And too, perpetually walk in
forgiveness of others as we ourselves are forgiven (who are forgiven also).
B.
Romans
8:5-13 (MEV):
For those who live
according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those
who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 To be carnally
minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, 7 for the
carnal mind is hostile toward God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor
indeed can it be, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in
the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if
any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 And
if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is
alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus
from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give
life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit that lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers, we
are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you
live according to the flesh, you will die, but if through the Spirit you put to
death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Thoughts: Often, the discussions of body and
flesh overlap; yet, they are not the same thing. Our body is that thing which
is born into this world; our flesh is that which is trained by the world (not
by the Spirit). All those things that are not trained by the Spirit that we see
in ourselves are things like: people-pleasing, co-dependence, those reactive
responses of fight / flight / freeze / fawn, narcissism, manipulation, control,
hate, bigotry, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and so much more—whether
intentional or not. Many of these things derive from our upbringing and
environment; negatively-nurtured in us from in the womb.
But, even though these may
exist in us, they do not have to be permanent—for the Lord seeks to override
them through His Spirit in us. This reprogramming / rewiring our mind and
patterns of behaviour aren’t always pleasant as we feel the resistance of
change from the flesh. Something we will dig into more in later lessons.
·
Refer also: https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2016/05/trials-by-flesh-05-20-16.html
https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2019/03/trials-of-faith-trials-against-faith.html
https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2021/11/our-duality.html
https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-why-we-do.html
https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2023/09/heal-hurts.html
Bible
Study Lesson 029 – The Thief (Discernment & Battle)
Bible Study Lesson 044 – Our Duality
(Flesh & Spirit)
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & SUPPORT:
A thank you to Kelly and Joshua who are inspirational in this life-journey. And to all the family, friends, sponsors, and donors who have fed into this ministry and outreach.
If you would like to support this ministry and outreach, you may do so via our website or at:
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