As much of you know, there are several valid interpretations of this book- and one day, we will find out which is the true interpretation. At the beginning of this chapter, a rod is given to John to measure the "temple of God". Some scholars think the temple of God to be just that- the temple that will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. I, however, tend to lean with other scholars in that the "temple of God" is the Biblical church as a whole. John was told to measure the temple of God, and the ones who worship there. Do you worship Jesus in the temple of God? Or, are you one that stands in the court outside the temple, that verse 2 says, "...leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months." Some believe that the temple of God and the courts outside the temple distinguish the true church- that believes the whole Bible to be the authority of God and proclaims Jesus to be the Christ; and the ones that claim to be the church, but do not preach Jesus as the Christ and do not submit to the Bible's authority. So, I ask again- are you worshipping God in the temple, or hangin' out in the court outside the temple? Do you want to be known as a Jesus follower or would you not dare to ruin your earthly reputation for the sake of your Savior? Are you willing to submit to Jesus as the author and perfector of faith, or are into running your own life and exalting yourself? I challenge you in this because there are some who say they believe in Jesus, but yet don't want to associate themselves with Him. Then there are also the ones who aren't even in the court outside the temple- they are as far away from the temple as they can be, because they outright reject the name of Jesus and anything to do with the Bible. The bad news is for both the ones who are out in the court of the temple and the ones who completely reject Jesus: God's wrath that results in death. See, Jesus doesn't just want you to say you believe, because anyone can do that- but also to prove that you believe. Does your life reflect the Spirit living in you? James 2:14-26 says:
"What good is it my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe- and shudder! ...You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
So where are you? Are you in the temple? In the outer court? Or in a place where you can't even see the temple?
~Leanne~
"What good is it my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe- and shudder! ...You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
So where are you? Are you in the temple? In the outer court? Or in a place where you can't even see the temple?
~Leanne~
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