Like this:

How many times have we been in conversations where someone refers to church as God’s house.  It is as though the building has taken on sacred proportions.  As though God has somehow allowed some of His deity to rub off on the brick, mortar, steel, and wood.   Is this even Biblical?  It is my contention that it is not Biblical.  When Scripture refers to the church, it is actually referring to the body of Christ.  In other words it is referring to the body of believers all over this globe.   Scripture says in Eph 5:25-28 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. NKJV    Paul is teaching about marriage but we also see another truth.   Now Jesus surely did not give His life for a building.  He gave His life for the church.  He gave His life for you and me.  The building has no spiritual value in Scripture.

Now many treat churches across this country as sacred relics.  It is as though God really needs these buildings to sleep or rest.  Nothing could be so far from the truth.  The early church met in homes and even many churches today meet in homes especially in Asia and Africa.  Somehow we in the U.S. determined that our church buildings demand some sort of sacred status.  Instead of understanding that we as believers are the church, we substitute wood, brick and mortar.  Instead of understanding that we are to go into the highways and byways to present the Good News of Jesus Christ, we expect the lost hoards to come to our sacred shrines to find redemption.  Obviously this is not the message of the Book of Acts and it is not the Gospel message that we have been intrusted.

Jesus did not die on the cross to have us revert to creating sacred relics and churches.  The only thing that is sacred and holy is God. He chooses to dwell in the hearts and souls of believers.   What is sacred on this earth is the precious sinner turning his or her life over to Jesus Christ.   My friends we need to get out the building and into the world where we are useful to the Kingdom.  That is where the value of the church really is.

blessings

pc