“So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22 (ASV)
Have you ever walked into a building or a home and felt complete peace? It felt like home – warm, open and caring. The people feel like family you’ve known for your entire life. You don’t want to leave. You don’t want to walk back out the door into the confusion and uncertainty of everyday life. That’s what the “Household of God” feels like.
Have you ever felt like something was missing? In the happiest of times, in the saddest of times, in the quiet times, in the times of nothingness when you stare blankly into space – something is missing. Something that you can’t grasp, something just out of your reach of understanding; there is just something missing.
People search for their “inner self” or something to complete them, but they don’t really understand what it is that they are searching for. They are searching for the period at the end of the sentence. They are searching for the thing that says “this is home, you belong here.” They are searching for relationship with God. Not a church, not a religion, but a relationship that can only be filled by the love of God.
You don’t have to be in a church building to be in the Household of God; you don’t have to be in an organized religion. The “Household” is the “Temple,” we are the Temple. The Household of God is within us once we find relationship with our Abba Father. Scripture says that we are the Temple of God and that the Spirit dwells in us (1 Cor 3:16). It says that our body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and that we are from God, we are no longer our own (1 Cor 6:19). It says that God dwells in us and walks in us, we are His people – the Temple and Household of God (2 Cor 6:16).
We, as believers are lead spiritually (built upon), by the foundation of the apostles and prophets who preached the gospel of Christ, and that Jesus Himself is the Chief Cornerstone; the very piece that holds everything together and in place. Scripture says that we are fitly framed together, each person having a place, a calling, a position, in the whole Household of God, no one person being greater than another, but all being called to a specific position that supports all of the rest of the body.
We are all fitted together Spiritually into one body (Romans 12:4-8, 1 Cor 12:4-7) and all fitted together physically into one body (1 Cor 12:14-26). We are all pulled together in a bond of peace and unity to continue to teach the message of Christ (Eph 4:4-7). We are built together as a strong body, brought together through the relationship we share with God, made a Habitation of God, by the working of the Holy Spirit.
How do you know if the Holy Spirit and the deep relationship rests within you? You can feel it. How do you know if your Temple is right? There will be peace. There will be a feeling of being home. You will feel the presence of God, working through the Holy Spirit, letting you know that you are in the Habitation / Household of God.
Surround yourself with people in the same place of peace. Pray for your own spiritual growth as well as those who are struggling to get into right spiritual relationship with God. Keep your temple clean so that God will want to remain and help you mature even farther.
“Here am I, Lord Jesus. Here am I!”
** A Journey Through Ephesians – Chapter 2, Part 9
Written by Linda J. Humes
7-26-2015