Devotion - Day 4
The Church Not A Building
It is important for us to understand that the word “church” is never used to refer to a building or a house of worship. In our English usage it is often used of a building, but this usage is foreign to the New Testament concept of the Church.
The Church meets in a building or house but it is not a material building itself (Rom. 16:5). The people of God are a spiritual house and if we make the mistake of thinking of the Church as a natural building we will become building worshippers. We will be much like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day who admired the stones and materials out of which their natural buildings were constructed (Mk. 13:1; Matt. 24:1-2).
The tragedy is that we can have the view that the Church is a building and miss the true Church. We can put all of our energies into glorifying a natural facility and miss the responsibility that we have before God to give our energies and time to the edification of the people of God who, after all, are the true spiritual house that God is indwelling (Heb. 3:6). It is also important for us to realize that this word “church” in the New Testament is never used to refer to a sect, a denomination, or an organization.
Rom 16:5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
Mat 24:1, 2
And Jesus went out and departed from the temple. And His disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, there shall not be left here one stone on another that shall not be thrown down.
Heb 3:6
But Christ was faithful as a Son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
2 comments:
UPS & DOWNS
It's important to realise that we are the Church, the Body of Christ, and not a building.
God has purposed it this way so that we can support and encourage each other in our journey with Christ. There's power in unity and companionship.
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. - Eccl 4:9,10
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. - Eccl 4:12
There's power in uniting together in agreement; uniting in the purpose of maturing in and seeing Christ gloried.
How would the world know that we are His body?
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. - John 13:35
We should be sharing life together in Love in such a way that our Father be glorified.
Sharing life means sharing its UPS and DOWNS; communicating & sharing our struggles and our victories in Christ.
If one part of the body suffers, the whole body feels it...
Likewise if a part of the body is blessed & victorious, the rest of the body can benefit from it... if they know about it.
If we share life and our walk with God with one another, DOWNS become bearable and UPS become amplified & celebrated.
If we are the Body
A few challenging words from a song by Casting Crowns, that demands a response from us:
"But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ
Jesus is the way"
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