(16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (18) Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. (19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (20) And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. (21) Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; (22) Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; (23) And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
The Apostle is carrying on the same similitude of a building, in allusion to the Church of Christ, when he demands of the Corinthians, whether they knew not, that as a Church, founded in Christ, and united to Christ, they were the temple of God. And it must be confessed, that it is a beautiful similitude. For, as the human nature of Christ became the temple for his Godhead, and in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; so the divine nature may be said to have made the bodies of his people his temple, for his in-dwelling habitation, when by the gracious work of regenerating, illuminating, converting, comforting, sanctifying, and in short, all the operations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord dwells in them, and walks in them; manifests himself to be their God, and they his People. See Leviticus 26:11-12; Ezekiel 37:26-27; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:20 to the end; 1 Peter 2:4-5
I do not think it necessary to offer any comment upon what the Apostle hath observed, on the sure destruction of the unregenerate, which defile the Lord's temple, with their false doctrines, and will-worship. But I would beg the Reader to remark with me, how blessedly in the close of this Chapter, the Holy Ghost, by the Apostle, calls off the Church from everything, whether ministers or people, men or things, to fix the soul wholly on Christ. All are yours he saith, things present, or to come; all are yours, because ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's. Reader! behold the security, the everlasting security of the faithful! As Christ is the sent, the sealed, the anointed of Jehovah, God's Christ, God's chosen, God's salvation to the ends of the earth : so Christ and his Church being one, in the divine mind, will, and pleasure; all are the Church's in Christ, being one with Christ, and deriving all from Christ. So that if Christ be mine, all is mine. His blood to cleanse, his righteousness to justify, his holiness to sanctify. Christ and his fulness, Christ and his all-sufficiency, lies at the bottom of all mercies. And, when it be considered, the greatness of his Person, and the glories of his salvation, the infinite nature of his blood-shedding and perfection, and the infinite merit of his work and righteousness; here is enough for a child of God to live upon, in time, and to all eternity. Jesus gives a fulness of blessedness, and a fulness of duration, to all that He is in himself, and to his Church and people forever. His presence sweetens all, sanctifies all, gives a blessedness to all; and makes all completely blessed. All are your's, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.