Defile Not God's Temple

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."  I Corinthians 3:16-17.  We have become God's temple through His grace and our faith and the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ.  God's Spirit dwells within us as a guarantee of our salvation.  II Corinthians 1:22.  Our temple is a holy temple because of the sin free character of God's Spirit.  We are to keep this temple holy.  We are to flee from the defiling influences of the world and perfect holiness in our lives.  We are to refuse all sinful temptation.  We are to separate ourselves from the world because the world is impure and unholy.  We are not to taint nor tarnish what God has made holy.  Purity of heart allows us fellowship with God.  Matthew 5:8.  Only the clean can dwell in the holiness of God.  Only the pure can know God.  If we choose to defile this temple, God's destruction will come upon us.  In the statement of Paul the apostle, there is a blessing and a curse.  Maintain the purity of God's temple and we belong to God and we are the dwelling place of God.  Corrupt the temple and we shall experience the destructive wrath of God.