Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
We’re just earthen vessels but we have an extraordinary treasure on the inside of us. The earthen vessels that the Bible is talking about are our physical bodies. This is a metaphor to compare the relative worthlessness of our bodies to the matchless value of Christ in us. Our bodies are like clay pots that contain the precious and extraordinary treasure of Christ.
We have the presence of God, His Holy Spirit, living inside of us. This is what God has designed for every believer. But if we don’t know what we have been given, then obviously we cannot participate and cooperate with him in this new life that he has given us. This is what God wants for every believer. If we understand the privilege that we have and cooperate with the Spirit of God in our generation today, we will begin to see the supernatural power of God flow into the ordinariness of everyday life. God will take that ordinariness and turn it into extraordinary.
Something natural becomes supernatural because of the presence of God. The presence of God is a game changer. We are not in the old covenant anymore. We are the temple of God. We are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. We carry God’s presence. This truly is a treasure, far beyond the price of money. It was purchased with the precious blood of Christ. “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The Bible is talking about our present union with Christ and all the benefits that we have.
We have an extraordinary treasure – the light of God, shining in our hearts through Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Bible in 2 Corinthians 4:6. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ”. We have extraordinary benefits in Christ. Christ is the light of the world and He has given us his light, and that’s an extraordinary treasure. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). He also said to every believer “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mathew 5:14-16).
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own”? (1 Corinthians 6:19). Many still don’t know today, because they are calling the presence of God to show up, or to come from heaven. They go to church and they think if the music is just right, then the Holy Spirit will come. If the sound is just right, then the Holy Spirit will come. If the singing is just right, then God will show up.
" Our bodies are like clay pots that contain the precious and extraordinary treasure of Christ. "
Christ was with us, Emmanuel God with us, but now He’s in us. He’s an extraordinary treasure that we have. We now house God, and that’s a great privilege. We are God’s dwelling place. This is a vivid illustration of the mystery of God (Colossians 1:26-27) and our responsibility is to present our bodies as members of righteousness unto and in union with Him (Romans 6:13).
The Apostle Paul asked, do you not know that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, who you have from God, and you are not your own? Do you not know that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Notice he didn’t just say who is with you, but the key here is that He is in you. When the Apostle Paul asked “Do you not know?”, it’s important to acknowledge that many people didn’t know then, and many Christians still don’t know now. This can be attested to due to what we hear many leaders saying. They often call for the presence of God to “fall down,” but it’s not clear what they mean by that or how it translates into practical actions. They’re calling for the presence of God to come from out there somewhere and I think that’s a wrong belief that has crept into the body of Christ.
This is how it was in the Old Covenant. Nobody had the spirit of God living in them in the Old Covenant. It was God with them but that’s not so in the New Covenant. All that we celebrate today because of God’s grace is the fact that the presence of God is now in us. Therefore, the Apostle Paul wanted to ensure that people understood. This is because lack of knowledge leads to perishing in areas where we lack knowledge. The word of God clearly defines for us what the New Covenant looks like and how we can operate in this New Covenant.
I’m sure you’ve heard it like I have, that in the right atmosphere, the presence of God will descend upon the congregation during service. That when the music is just right, you can imagine the Holy Ghost just saying I’ve got to go down there and be a part of this. But that’s not true. Aren’t you grateful that we carry God’s presence as the temple of the Holy Spirit, independent of any atmosphere as stated in scripture? Unfortunately, many people today are teaching things that contradict the word of God. Consequently, it is causing confusion in people’s hearts. People are unclear whether the presence of God is already in them or if they need to do something to make Him descend. And this false belief deprives us of what we’ve already received through the grace of God in Christ.
The Old Testament saints never had God in them. God was with them, but God was not in them. That’s why Moses said your presence must go with me. Jesus has given us a better covenant with better promises. We house God in this new dispensation, and yet many do not know. Listen to Jesus’ words to us in Mathew 11:11, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. I hope believers will agree with God and know their identity. John prophesied of the one who would baptise God’s people with the Holy Spirit (Mathew 3:11). And while John was certainly filled with the Spirit in a real way (Luke 1:15), he didn’t live to experience the Pentecost outpouring he had predicted (Acts 2). But even the least New Covenant member is indwelt with the promised Holy Spirit and lives under the kingship of the ascended Christ (Joel 2:28–29; Rom. 8:9; Acts 2:33). Praise God we have an extraordinary treasure.
