The misunderstood church

“ . . . I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15 NKJV)

Today, most people consider a “church” is a building, or an organization. In the New Testament, it was neither. The early Christians did not meet in any particular building but in one another’s homes. For them, “church” was the entire body of people who believed in Jesus Christ. They were not formally organized as a group — only given direction on how they ought to live as individuals and with one another.

In the New Testament, God’s “house” or temple referred to bodies of people in which He dwells. My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit! Here, in this body of mine, God took up residence. Will I let Him be the landlord? Or will I try to rule? The Bible says I need to learn how to conduct myself. If I can do that, then proper behavior in the building I go to worship on Sunday morning is not an issue.

The problem with thinking God’s house is a building is that the building becomes central, not the people. Some spend a great deal of time and money making their building worthy of being “God’s house” instead of putting their attention on His true dwelling place and making that worthy.

The problem with thinking God’s church is an organization or a social club is that church is then evaluated by whether or not you feel comfortable, if you fit in. But in the Bible, church is a living organism, the body of Christ. If you believe in Him and He makes His home in you, you are a member of His church, no matter what building you attend. However, if you don’t know Christ, no matter which ones or how many buildings you enter, or how many organized denominations you attach yourself to, you are not part of His church.

Jesus said, “I will build my church . . . ” and I must depend on Him to guide and keep me as a member of His church, no matter how misunderstood, imitated or perverted “church” becomes. Today, if buildings burn down or the government decides to ban church, the true church will still exist because He is in charge. And because He lives in me, I will keep on learning how to conduct myself — not only in my body as an individual, but as a member of the group of believers who make up His Body. I’m incredibly blessed to be part of His church.