The Transition from the Physical Temple of Law to the Spiritual Temple of Grace

The transition from the old covenant temple to the new covenant temple is a major theme in the Bible.

The old covenant temple was a physical temple built by human hands.

It was a temple of law.

It was in Jerusalem.

God removed himself from this temple and destroyed it in AD 70 because of Israel's violations to the old covenant law.

Before the temple was destroyed, Jesus began building a new temple.

The new temple was the new covenant temple of grace.

It is a spiritual temple not built by human hands but built by Jesus.

It is worldwide.

It will never be destoyed.

It is eternally being built as more and more people believe in Jesus.

God eternally dwells in this temple by his Spirit.

We read about this temple in Ephesians 2:11-22.

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

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