Abominations in the Temple

Once, during a fervent sermon, a man of God abruptly halted his preaching, fixed his gaze upon a woman seated before him, and exclaimed, “Get out!” Ushers swiftly escorted the woman out of the church, allowing the preacher to resume his message. You see, she sat directly in my line of sight, and I couldn’t help but see her underwear. As she sat directly in front of me, no matter where I looked, I was confronted with everything she was wearing under.

Given the fixed position of the microphone at that time, movement was restricted, leaving the preacher no escape from the distraction. The enemy knows that once the integrity of the preacher is compromised, the entire congregation’s spiritual assignment is disrupted.

Imagine you were invited to a church, and you expected so much from God but as soon as the choir took on the stage, the sight of a choir member clads in provocative attire with the contours of the body clearly visible beneath sheer fabric, were thrown on your face.

Think of someone who had struggled so much with pornography, beaten over the night, and his only hope was in God who abides in His temple. Then, with his broken pieces, he got himself to the church, but right in front of him was another form of pornography in style. Shouldn’t it be concerning when the line between worldly fashion and Christ-like modesty blurs?

Outside the sanctuary of Christ, the world embraces many styles and expressions, often celebrating the flaunting of one’s body as a symbol of freedom and pride. Our generation seems bewitched with revealing attire, with garments designed to accentuate cleavage or feature what’s informally termed “boob windows”. Should such practices be condoned within the sacred space of God’s temple?

The deep love for Christ and great respect for His words will prevent true believers from doing some certain things. ‘Others may, but we cannot’. As believers in Christ who had renounced the former sinful ways, our outward appearance should never serve as a stumbling block to others; to do so is akin to offering profane sacrifices in the temple—an abomination. Our purpose in life is to glorify God in whatever we do. We no longer dress to kill but to keep.

Can music and dancing also be deemed inappropriate within the temple?

Regardless of one’s theological stance on the role of music and dancing in worship, their power and scriptural significance are undeniable. “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:13). “Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!” (Psalm 105:4). The examples are endless.

However, when our dancing becomes a tool of seduction, shifting the focus away from God unto ourselves, it becomes an insult to God’s holiness. If our movements evoke memories of past sinful revelries for those who have found redemption from nightclubs and parties, it constitutes sacrilege within the temple. When we dance so hard that we begin to sleep during the message, then we have come to satisfy our emotions and passion in the name of the church fellowship.

We need to constantly remind ourselves that hundreds of people flock to church seeking God’s guidance. When our conduct leads any of them astray, it is parallel to spiritual sabotage. Jesus cautioned in Mark 9:42, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.”

Let us not forget that there are professional dancers and celebrities who excel in their craft. Yet, as believers in Christ, our approach must differ. We no longer dance for impression; our dance is an offering of praise to the holy God who dwells amid His worshipers.

The absence of God’s presence in many church gatherings these days is a cause for concern. Perhaps we’ve allowed our desires to supersede God’s will. It was like Jesus saying: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matthew 23:38). Good thing is that it is not too late to restore God to His rightful place in our temples.

2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

God’s Word declares us to be a chosen priesthood, a people set apart to reflect His glory. Our lives should serve as living testimonies, declaring His righteousness and grace to the world. A truly transformed believer would feel the spirit of the Bible and of the church and flow with it with ease.

A song writer, Evie Karlsson, wrote:

Let my life be a picture of you,
Let my life be a picture of you,
Let me be a letter written by your hand,
For the world to read,
And to see,
And to feel,
And to know you live, live in me.

Another songwriter, Lenny LeBlanc, wrote:

Lord, make me pure in heart
Make my life faithful and true
So, when You look at me
It’s Your righteousness you’ll see
Lord, make me pure in heart

When our hearts are purified, our actions and appearances will reflect this transformation, drawing others closer to our loving Creator—the Alpha and Omega, the Great I Am, who reigns supreme over all creation.