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The Sacred Temple of the Body, September 16
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For
ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and
in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:19, 20
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That perfection of character which the Lord requires is the fitting up
of the whole being as a temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God
will accept of nothing less than the service of the entire human organism.
It is not enough to bring into action certain parts of the living machinery.
All parts must work in perfect harmony, or the service will be deficient. It
is thus that man is qualified to cooperate with God in representing Christ
to the world. Thus God desires to prepare a people to stand before Him
pure and holy, that He may introduce them into the society of heavenly
angels.
We have been entrusted with the most solemn message ever given
to our world, and the object to be kept plainly and distinctly before our
minds is the glory of God. Let us take care that we do nothing which
will weaken physical, mental, or spiritual healthfulness, for God will not
accept a tainted, diseased, corrupted sacrifice. Care must be exercised in
eating, in drinking, in dressing, and in working, lest we detract from our
efficiency and fail of doing our most exalted work in the best manner, in
order that the results of our labor may be as lasting as eternity.
It is our duty to train and discipline the body in order that we shall
render to the Master the highest possible service. Inclination must not
control us. We are not to pamper the appetite and indulge in the use of that
which is not for our good, simply because it gratifies the palate; neither
are we to seek to live by the starvation plan, with the idea that we shall
become spiritually-minded, and that God shall be glorified. We must
use the intelligence that God has given in order that we may be perfect
in body, soul, and spirit, that we may have a symmetrical character, a
well-balanced mind, and do perfect work for the Master.
The sacred temple of the body must be kept pure and uncontaminated,
that God’s Holy Spirit may dwell therein.
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