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Where God Dwells: The Consecrated Church

In our modern Christian culture, we often approach faith with a casual attitude that misses the profound reality of what it means to be God's dwelling place. When believers gather together, something extraordinary happens that goes far beyond a simple church service - we become the temple where the living God chooses to dwell by His Spirit.

What Does It Mean to Be God's Dwelling Place?

The church isn't just a building or a weekly gathering.

According to Ephesians 2:19-22, we are :

"no longer foreigners or strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as our cornerstone. In him the whole building being put together grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together as God's dwelling in the Spirit."

This means that when God calls diverse people together - people from different backgrounds, with different ways of thinking - He creates something unified yet unique. We don't become identical copies of each other, but we become united under the lordship of Jesus Christ, drinking from the same Holy Spirit.

How Should We Respond to God's Holiness?

Isaiah 66:1-2 reveals God's heart:

"Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where could you possibly build a house for me? Where? And where would my resting place be? My hand has made all these things so that they all come into being. This is the Lord's declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person, one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at my word."

God isn't looking for elaborate buildings or perfect church services. He's looking for hearts that are:

  • Humble and contrite: Receptive
  • Submissive in spirit: Responsive
  • In the Fear of the Lord: Reverent

When we truly see God for who He is, we are receptive to His word, we respond immediately, and it isn't with casual indifference but reverent awe. This approach doesn't mean we lose our freedom - quite the opposite. As 2 Corinthians 3:17 tells us,

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

When God comes to make His dwelling with such hearts (outlined above), His Spirit brings a liberty and lifestyle that all our striving could not achieve on its best day. We now have a Helper to navigate the ups and downs on life.

Followers of Jesus often struggle with feeling worthy enough to approach God, especially after failures or mistakes. But Hebrews 4:14-16 provides incredible encouragement and correction to that thinking:

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast to our confession... Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need."

Our access to God isn't based on our Christian track record or perfect behavior. It's based on Jesus, our High Priest, who has made the way for us. We can approach God's throne with boldness because of His grace, not our performance.

What Does True Consecration Look Like?

Consecration isn't about doing enough Christian activities to prove our devotion. It's about understanding our covenant relationship with God. Just as marriage isn't maintained by doing nice things to prove you're married, but rather doing nice things because you are married, our relationship with God flows from our identity in Christ, not our efforts.

1 Peter 2:9 declares:

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Can you hear this consecration language here? It's who we ARE not who we are trying to be. We are were called out of darkness for this purpose. 

How Do We Live as Consecrated People?

Living as consecrated people means recognizing that we're in a covenant relationship with God. Everything we have belongs to Him, and everything He has belongs to us. This isn't a transaction or a performance-based system - it's fellowship (koinonia-Greek), which means "we share everything", not just some things.

When life gets difficult or we feel inadequate, we don't have to rely on our own strength. We have access to God's resources, His strength, and His wisdom. We stop trying to make everything work in our own power and instead yield our insufficiency to receive from His abundance.

Daily Practice Look Like?

Psalm 19:14 provides a beautiful prayer for daily consecration:

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

This simple verse can help recenter our hearts throughout the day. Instead of focusing on our failures, we focus on our covenant with God and ask Him to transform us from the inside out.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to live as a consecrated person - not by trying harder to be holy, but by remembering your covenant relationship with God. When you go to work, school, or interact with family, remember that you carry God's presence with you. You are a dwelling place of the Most High God.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Am I approaching God with casual indifference or reverent awe?
  • Do I see myself as trying to earn God's favor, or as already accepted through Christ?
  • How can I live this week from my identity as God's chosen, holy, royal priesthood?
  • What areas of my life need to be surrendered to God's lordship rather than my own control?

Remember, you're not trying to become consecrated - you already are consecrated through Christ. Now live from that reality, allowing God's presence to flow through you into every area of your life.