By Oyewole O. Sarumi
This piece is a biblical and theological reflection on the new covenant reality to amplfy what Bro. Ibukunoluwa Lawal recently shared on True Christian Faith platform.
The main thrust here is confronting a deeply rooted assumption that God or His Holy Spirit dwell in inanimate objects, including animals and buildings.
Beloved in Christ, few assumptions in modern Christianity are as deeply ingrained as the idea that God “lives” in a church building. Across continents and cultures, magnificent cathedrals, auditoriums, and sanctuaries are referred to as “the house of God.” Millions are invested in construction. Architectural excellence is celebrated. Structures are revered.
However, and without any contradiction, the Scripture speaks with unmistakable clarity: “The God who made the world and everything in it… does not dwell in temples made with hands.” (Acts 17:24)
The Apostle Paul did not whisper this truth; he proclaimed it publicly in Athens, a city filled with temples and religious monuments. It was here that his declaration dismantled not only pagan assumptions but also corrected any residual misunderstanding about the nature of God’s dwelling under the New Covenant.
As a theological teacher and pastor committed to the authority of Scripture, I affirm without ambiguity: under the New Covenant, God no longer dwells in physical buildings. He dwells in His people. This is not a symbolic exaggeration. It is a foundational reality of apostolic Christianity. Any argument contrariwise is unbiblical, and inspired by Judaism where many adherents points to in their defence.
The Old Covenant Context: God’s Presence in the Temple
Now, for one to understand the magnitude of this shift, we must appreciate the Old Testament framework.
Yes, under the Mosaic covenant, God’s presence was uniquely associated with the tabernacle (where the phrase God dwell in His tabernacle emanates from) and later the temple. In Exodus 25:8, the Lord declared: “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.”
The tabernacle, and later Solomon’s temple, served as the visible focal point of covenantal worship. The Holy of Holies symbolized divine presence. Sacrificial systems, priesthood structures, and sacred architecture were all part of a temporary arrangement designed to foreshadow something greater (which is Christ).
However, even in the Old Testament, there were clear indications that God was not confined to structures. When Solomon dedicated the temple, he prayed: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You.” (1 Kings 8:27)
The temple was never meant to contain God. Never, because He’s too big for such earthly things. It only symbolized covenant relationship, while It anticipated fulfillment in Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ: The Fulfillment and the Shift
Let me make a declaration, the decisive transition and fulfilment occurred fully in Christ.
In John 2:19–21, Jesus declared: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
He was speaking of the temple of His body.
With these words, Jesus redirected the concept of divine dwelling away from stone and toward Himself. He became the true meeting place between God and humanity.
The tearing of the temple veil at His crucifixion (Matthew 27:51) was not incidental. It signified the end of restricted access and the dissolution of the old covenant temple system. Access to God was no longer mediated through architecture but through Christ.
The Epistle to the Hebrews reinforces this reality. Hebrews 9–10 makes clear that the earthly temple was a shadow; Christ inaugurated a better covenant through His once-for-all sacrifice. The shadow yielded to substance.
To continue treating buildings as uniquely sacred is to blur the distinction between shadow and fulfillment.
The New Covenant Reality: The Believer as the Temple
Hitherto, it is clear that the New Testament presents a radical theological truth: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Here, apostle Paul is not speaking metaphorically in a casual sense. The Greek term naos (temple sanctuary) indicates the innermost dwelling place of God. Under the New Covenant, believers collectively, and individually (1 Corinthians 6:19), constitute the living temple.
Similarly, Ephesians 2:19–22 teaches: “You… are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
Notice the language shift: Not bricks. Not marble. Not stained glass. But people joined to Christ
The apostolic church never described a building as “God’s house.” The Greek word ekklesia referred to the gathered people, not a location. Historically and biblically, the church is an assembly, not an address.
There are a couple of recent biblical scholarship that strongly supports this interpretation. For instance, contemporary research in New Testament ecclesiology emphasizes that early Christians met in homes and public spaces for nearly three centuries before institutional church buildings emerged. Archaeological findings from first-century Christianity confirm the absence of dedicated “church buildings” in the apostolic era. The community itself was the sacred space, not objects or buildings. This aligns perfectly with apostolic theology as discussed later.
Acts 17: Paul’s Public Correction of Sacred Geography
When Paul stood on Mars Hill in Athens, surrounded by temples and idols, he declared: “God does not dwell in temples made with hands.” (Acts 17:24)
This statement was revolutionary in that age. It challenged the Greco-Roman understanding of sacred space and implicitly corrected any Jewish temple-centered theology that had not yet fully grasped Christ’s fulfillment, which is that:
- The Creator cannot be localized.
- He cannot be contained.
- He cannot be managed.
Hence, the Sacred geography ended at Calvary. Therefore, to suggest that God is more present in a cathedral than in a believer’s living room is to misunderstand the gospel’s trajectory.
When Buildings Become Sacred: A Subtle Shift
There is nothing inherently wrong with constructing buildings for worship. Order, excellence, and organization are biblical virtues (1 Corinthians 14:40). Physical spaces facilitate gathering.
However, danger emerges when reverence shifts subtly:
- From God to architecture
- From Christ to brand identity
- From the Spirit to stage production
- From holiness of life to atmosphere management
When a building is spoken of as if God uniquely resides there, clarity erodes. People begin to behave differently in the building than outside it, as though God’s presence fluctuates by location.
That is not New Testament faith. It is idolatry per excellence.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman: “The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father… The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21–23)
Hence, our Worship of God of heaven is no longer geographically anchored. It is spiritually defined in our individual life.
Research Insights: Sacred Space in Modern Christianity
A critical review of recent sociological research on contemporary Christianity indicates that in many regions, significant financial resources are directed toward infrastructure expansion while discipleship formation often receives less emphasis. Studies on religious institutionalization suggest that physical structures can unintentionally reinforce hierarchical and performance-based models of faith rather than participatory spiritual formation.
Let me reiterate that Biblical theology consistently points in the opposite direction: inward transformation over outward structure.
One would not wonder wby Peter writes: “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house.” (1 Peter 2:5)
The apostolic emphasis is unmistakable. The true “house of God” is a redeemed people indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
The Indwelling Spirit: The Heart of New Covenant Theology
The promise of the New Covenant in Ezekiel 36:26–27 was internal transformation: “I will put My Spirit within you.”
This promise was fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2). God did not descend into a renovated temple. He descended into people.
The Holy Spirit does not rent property. He indwells believers.
Paul intensifies this truth in 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.”
This has profound ethical implications. Holiness is no longer about entering sacred space but becoming the sacred space.
If we truly believe that God dwells within believers, then spiritual maturity, moral integrity, and Christlike character must take precedence over architectural magnificence.
Excellence Without Idolatry
Let us be clear: constructing well-designed worship centers is not sinful. Stewardship can include excellence. Beauty can reflect God’s creativity.
But buildings must remain tools, not theological anchors.
The question is never: “How magnificent is our building?”
The question is: “Is Christ ruling in our hearts?”
When a building becomes the symbol of divine legitimacy, we drift toward institutional idolatry. The New Testament calls us back to relational spirituality.
Pastoral Implications for the Church Today
As pastors and leaders, we must teach clearly:
- The church is people, not property.
- God’s presence is covenantal, not geographical.
- Holiness of life outweighs beauty of structure.
- The Spirit indwells believers permanently.
This understanding liberates believers from religious compartmentalization. God is present in the workplace, in the classroom, in the marketplace, and in the home. Sacredness travels with the saint once you possess His indwelling.
Such theology encourages maturity. It decentralizes spirituality from stage-centered experiences and re-centers it on daily obedience.
Christ in Us: The True Glory
Colossians 1:27 captures the essence of New Covenant glory: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Not Christ in the cathedral.
Not Christ in the headquarters buildings. But Christ in you.
The glory that once filled Solomon’s temple now fills redeemed hearts. And that’s You!
That is the radical beauty of the gospel.
This a call to believer to returning to the Centre where Christ dwells. There is no ambiguity in Scripture. The God of heaven does not dwell in buildings made with human hands. Jesus fulfilled and nullified the old covenant temple system. The Spirit now indwells believers. The true temple is living, breathing, redeemed humanity united to Christ.
We may gather in buildings. That’s okay.
We may worship with excellence. It’s alright.
We may organize responsibly. There is nothing odd here.
But we must never return to shadows.
The central question for every congregation and every believer remains: “Is Christ truly dwelling and ruling within us?”
For if He is, then wherever we stand becomes holy ground, not because of architecture, or the grandeur of the building, but because of indwelling glory of Christ alone.
The future of the church will not be secured by grand structures but by Spirit-filled lives.
May we return to the simplicity and power of apostolic truth:
God dwells in His people. Nothing more, nothing less.
May this little piece bring His Spirit into our hearts for a new day! Amen.
Prof. Sarumi, a Bible teacher, writes from Lagos.