“Do you not know…”
Paul uses this phrase multiple times in his first letter to the church in Corinth.
- Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. (3:16-17 NASB)
- Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. (5:6-7 NASB)
- Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? (6:2 NASB)
- Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? (6:3 NASB)
- Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate , nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (6:9-11 NASB)
- Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! (6:15 (NASB)
- Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” (6:16 NASB)
- Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God , and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (6:19-20 NASB)
- Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. (9:13-14 NASB)
- Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (9:24-25 NASB)
As Paul addresses the church in Corinth he clearly doesn’t want them to be deceived. He wants them to know, with clarity, that this unique gathering of people (the local church) is where God dwells majestically and He is upon display like no other place or time in their city.
Do you not know this? What you do and where you gather on this coming Lord’s day may prove whether you know this or not.
