04/15/2019
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I recently read a statement on Social Media
that was quite disturbing coming for a “Minister”. Not only was the statement a
FALSE STATEMENT about the “CHURCH”, people were actually AGREEING with the statement
and praising the “Minister” who said it. The Word of God tells us that people
will become so callous and ignorant that they will believe lies from the
pulpit.
For the time will come
when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s
truth]; but wanting to have
their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for
themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own
desires and to support the
errors they hold, and will turn their ears away
from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable]. 2
Timothy 4:3-4
This “Minister” was so distraught today
that they were brought to tears over the “BUILDING” at Notre Dame caught fire.
They actually said, “I am speechless and sobbing”.
Honestly people it is JUST A BUILDING…
Jesus does NOT weep over burning buildings, He weeps over lost souls. A person
can be sad because a landmark is gone but weeping over a building does NOT
please the Lord.
The words of this “Minister” that are FALSE
{Enough truth to make it FALSE, just like Satan does with the Word of God} are “The line ‘the church is not a building’ is crap. The
church as gathered people in a space matters. This is heartbreaking.”
There is NO SCRIPTURES stating the “CHURCH”
is a building. “Church” is the translation of the Greek term ekklesia, and is
used in the New Testament to identify the community of believers in Jesus
Christ. It literally means “assembly,” “congregation,” or “meeting.” A similar
term was used in the Old Testament referring to experiences us as “the day of
the assembly,” “the Lord’s congregation,” or “meeting before the Lord.” In the
New Testament, the word “Church” is confined strictly to refer to the
congregation of believers in Christ Jesus.
In the New Testament, NO synagogue, temple,
chapel, tabernacle, building or any other meeting place was ever called a “church.”
The term always referred to the assembly of believers and, in the New
Testament, it was used for both the “LOCAL” community of believers and the
overall collection of believers around the world. God
desired to bring Jews and Gentiles together into one people: the church.
{1} The word church in the Bible comes from the
Greek word ecclesia, which means a called out company or assembly. Wherever it
is used in the Bible it refers to people. It can be a mob (Acts 19:30-41), the children of Israel (Acts
7:38), and the body of Christ (Ephesians
1:22; Ephesians 5:25, 32).
We see the word church used three
different ways: First, as the body of Christ, the church is often defined as a
local assembly or group of believers (1
Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1-2). Second, it is defined
as the body of individual living believers (1
Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13). Finally, it is defined as the universal
group of all people who have trusted Christ through the ages (Matthew
16:18; Ephesians 5:23-27).
What the church is not
·
The church is
not Jews or Gentiles
We see three distinct groups
of people in the Bible: Jews, Gentiles, and the church (1
Corinthians 10:31-33; Galatians 3:26-29). Jews are all born as descendants
of Abraham through Isaac (Romans
9:6-7). Gentiles are all other people born who are not Jews.
When a Jew or a Gentile
trusts Christ as their Savior, they are born again into God’s family, become a
child of God, and are part of the church. They are no longer a Jew or a Gentile
(Galatians
3:26-29). The wall of separation between Jew and Gentile is torn down and
they become one body (Ephesians
2:14-16).
·
The church is
not a kingdom
Some people try to make the
church the kingdom of Heaven that has already come. They ignore the following:
The church inherits the kingdom (Matthew
25:34; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:47-50). The church is here on
earth, but the kingdom of Heaven is not here (Isaiah
9:7; Matthew 5:19-20; Matthew 8:11)
·
The church is
not a physical building or business organization
Too often people describe a church building or organization
as the church. This is because they emphasize the facility or organizational
hierarchy as what constitutes a church. Most churches are organized in such a
way that the public face of a church is seen as a business. However, since many
people have a difficult time putting a label on a church, the term local church
is often used to denote the local assembly of believers along with their
meeting place and operations.
What is the Biblical view of church?
The church is
the building or temple of God
Although the church is not a physical building, believers
are referred to as the building or temple of God. Like a physical building,
believers also have a Cornerstone; Jesus Christ. The foundation is the prophets
and apostles. (Matthew
16:16; 1 Corinthians 3:9-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians
2:19-22).
·
The church is
the bride of Christ
The Bible makes reference to the church being the bride of
Christ (2
Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-32). This also alluded to in John
14:1-3 when Jesus talked about making a place at His Father’s house for us.
This is a direct reference to when a man proposes to a woman and they are
engaged. The man goes back to his father’s house to build on an addition. When
the addition is done and everything is ready, he comes to call for his bride,
which symbolizes the resurrection (Matthew
25:1; Revelation
19:7-9).
·
The church has a
Spiritual purpose
The local church or assembly of believers has different
roles that God gave to specific believers for the purpose of perfecting or
training the believers, doing the work of the ministry, and strengthening of
the church body (Ephesians
4:11-14). The roles given in the Bible are apostles, prophets, evangelists,
pastors, and teachers. Deacons are also mentioned in Acts
6:1-7 and 1
Timothy 3:8-13 as servants to wait upon people with physical needs.
The church body also serves as a local group to resolve
conflicts (Matthew
18:15-20) and serve as a court (1
Corinthians 6:1-8). In addition, baptisms and the Lord’s Supper or
communion are observed by the church body (Acts
2:37-40; 1
Corinthians 11:17-34). Depending on the size of the church body, other
ministries are performed by the members of the church as God has gifted each
person (Romans
12:3-13; Ephesians
4:1-8).
When Jesus had dinner at
Matthew’s house He was asked how He could spend time eating with sinners (Matthew
9:9-13). But when Jesus heard this, He said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but [only] those who are sick. Go and learn
what this [Scripture] means: ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], and not [animal]
sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call [to repentance]
the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to change], but sinners [those who recognize their sin
and actively seek forgiveness].”With these words, Jesus described the church. Imperfect
people who know they needed a Savior, working together to build relationships,
help those in need, and to glorify God by striving to be like Christ and share
His love with others.
{1} By Dr. Michael Williams
It
is important to understand what the Word of God ACTUALLY says and NOT what a
HUMAN proclaims as Gospel. Remember Satan is at work in this world to deceive
and destroy ALL of God’s Creation. He is cunning and will use “Ministers” to
spread his HALF-TRUTHS that sound “good”. Be vigilant in your study of God’s
Word so you will be able to distinguish between the TRUTH and the HALF-TRUTH’S.
Forever in Christ Jesus Service,
More Scriptures to study
Matthew
16:18 – Jesus said He would build His Church {NOT
a BUILDING} “And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I
will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the
Christ].”
Matthew
28:19-20 – Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me,
believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on
every occasion], even to the end of the age.{NOT a BUILDING}
Ephesians
3:10 - So now through the church the multifaceted wisdom
of God [in all its countless aspects] might now be made known [revealing the
mystery] to the [angelic] rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. {NOT
a BUILDING}
Ephesians
4:1–16 – The “Church” is the body of Christ {NOT
a BUILDING}
Ephesians
5:25-27 - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved
the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy,
cleansing
her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant
church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
{NOT a BUILDING}
1
Corinthians 6:19-20 - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and
that you are not your own [property]? You were
bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of
Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and
glorify God with your body.
2
Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24-27; Revelation 19:7–9; 21:1-2 – The “Church”
is the Bride of Christ {NOT a BUILDING}
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