“The Church is not a Building” - Author and Writer Ronald Nelson

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” Acts 17:24;

ENCOURAGING WORD:

The Bible defines the church as the body of believers (people), not a physical structure, with key verses including; 1 Corinthians 3:16; “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” ("you yourselves are God's temple"),

Acts 17:24; “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.”  ("God... dwelleth not in temples made with hands"),

1 Corinthians 12:27; “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ("you are the body of Christ"). 

I once heard a man put it this way and it makes a lot of sense. A church usher said, “The children are chewing gum in the sanctuary, and the Pastor said no, the sanctuaries are chewing gum.”  

Key Biblical Principles & Verses

The Church as a Temple: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”  Here, Paul compares the local church (Believers) to the temple of God. The word for "you" here is plural, not singular. Paul is asking his readers, as the local church believers in Corinth, if they understand that they together are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in them. In verse 17, Paul declares that God is enormously protective of His believers. More specifically, God is protective of His own holiness. Since they are God's temple, and since God's temple is holy, they together are holy before God. Paul here elevates the value of the local church of believers in Jesus Christ to the highest level. A group of born-again believers, saved Christians are something far above a simple gathering of like-minded people. That collective body of believers, not the buildings they meet in, is God's holy temple on earth. Paul's main point, though, is this: If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. He seems to have in mind, not just those leaders who would build poorly on the foundation of Jesus, to use the metaphor from previous verse. Instead, Paul speaks of someone who would destroy the church altogether, perhaps with false teaching or by dividing the people instead of uniting them, such as most of our  church leaders do today. If you really knew who they are that I am referring to, you would be very surprised.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20; “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. This explains that the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, making them the temple, not the building.

Paul is confronting the Christians at the church in Corinth about sexual immorality. Apparently, some argued that since our bodies will die and decay, it doesn't really matter what we do with them. It's only the spirit in us that matters, they might say. Likewise, they might argue that they were free to pursue whatever sexual expression they liked. Similar to the way people think today!

1 Corinthians 6:12–13; “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

Paul has rejected these false teachings. Sexual immorality along with Abortion and homosexuality will be what destroys America, just as it did with Sodom and Gomorrah. God will judge America as soon as we pull our support of Israel. You can bank on it, but as long as our current administration is in office and remain an ally of Israel, we will be safe. So, those of you that support the evil agenda of the democratic party, you will get the opportunity to witness this horrific event and only then, will you know the truth, but it will be too late. The idea that our bodies don't matter is ultimately false. A Christian's body is where the Holy Spirit lives. In a sense, Paul elevates our bodies to the level of being temples, holy places, that house the Spirit of God. God gives His Spirit to every person who trusts in Christ for salvation. Mysteriously, we carry His Spirit in our bodies.

Ephesians 1:13–14; “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” With that in mind, Paul now adds, they are not really our bodies, after all. He will write in the following verse that God purchased us. He paid for our redemption from sin with the blood of Jesus. Ephesians 1:7; “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Christ bought our way out of the curse of living under the law of Moses by becoming a curse Himself. Galatians 3:13; “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”

The Body of Christ: Romans 12:4-5; “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,  so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

Now Paul says that we, as the collective group of Christians, are also a kind of body. We are Christ's body on earth, often referred to as "the church." We are countless different parts in many different places with vastly different jobs, but together we are, by analogy, one unified "being," a single entity with what should be a united purpose. Something to think about, since the body of Christ is one, how can you say you are part of this body and then hate a person that is also a part of the body. These are those that claim with their mouth that they are Christian, but their hearts are far from it. I would be willing to bet that at least 80% or more that call themselves Christian fall in this category. In other words, if the shoe fits, wear it!

1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Emphasizes that the church is a living, functional body, not a place, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,  that there should be no conflict in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”

Once again, if you are harboring evil thoughts about another Brother or Sister, or will not forgive them for something that they did to you, please do not call yourself a Christian. That is another source of using the name of God in vain. When the Bible says that few will be that find, I can honestly see why. One reason is because of what the following Bible verse says. Matthew 6:15; “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” If you do not forgive another person for something that they did, God will not forgive you. If you die in your sins without receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you will perish with the unbelievers. This may sound like a works trip, however, if you can’t forgive someone, then your commitment to serve Jesus is most likely in vain and you were never saved in the first place. If you truly love Jesus, you will forgive those that you harbor evil against. I also need to say, that not forgiving people will have nothing to do with your salvation. You will never go to hell because of sin, because we all have sinned. The only reason that you will be condemned to the Lake of Burning Fire is because you did not receive the only propitiation for you sins. When Jesus Christ went willfully to the cross, it was for one reason. That was to pay for the sins of the world. But only those that accept this free gift will benefit from it. If you reject this free gift of grace, you will then die in your sins and Jesus will judge you and everyone else that stands at the “White Throne Judgement” You will be judged for every sin that you ever committed because you did not receive Gods greatest gift…Grace.

God Does Not Dwell in Man-Made Structures: Acts 17:24 states, "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands". Believing that you are a Christian if you go to church is like believing you’re a mechanic when you walk into a garage. The Building does not make you a Christian. God made it perfectly clear that He does not dwell in Man-Made Structures. There are certainly some beautiful buildings out there, but that is as far as it goes. The church that God builds is the Holy Body of Jesus Christ.

Living Stones: 1 Peter 2:4-5; “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,  you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” These two verses describe believers as "living stones" being built into a "spiritual house". 

In this verse, Peter identifies the Lord both as the rejected one and the chosen one, rejected by Israel's official leadership, but chosen by God Himself and precious (of enormous value). Christians who experience the world's rejection can be encouraged by two things: Jesus was rejected as we are, and like Him, we are also chosen by God and precious to Him. I see this on a daily basis, Christian persecution. I have very few friends from my past since I gave my life to Jesus Christ. I haven’t been persecuted yet by the world, but spiritual persecution is almost a daily thing. It’s not fun, but it is a necessary component of the Christian walk with Jesus Christ. Its always hard to take, but when I turn to Romans 8:28; it lets me know that everything that I go through in this life is working out for the good. Its hard to understand how its working out for the good, but then again, I don’t think we are supposed to understand it. We read in; Proverbs 3:5-6; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6; Instructs, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths". It advises relying on God’s wisdom rather than human limitation, promising divine guidance for life when one submits to Him. If I relied on my understanding of the Bible, I would have no spiritual understanding of what the Bible really teaches. I think this is why the denominational churches are all screwed up in the interpretation of tyhe Bible. They lean on their own understanding instead of searching deep with the Holy Spirit as their guide. They have a very misguided understanding of Gods Word and then they teach it as truth. They are not goinmg to be very happy when they stand in judgement before Jesus Christ at the "White Throne Judgement".

Gathering vs. Location: While physical buildings are used for assembly, the church exists wherever believers gather, such as "where two or three gather in my name" Matthew 18:19-20; “ Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Matthew 18:20; States: "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” This verse highlights the promise of Jesus's presence in small, faithful gatherings, emphasizing the importance of community and unity in Christian faith. The church are those that gather in the name of Jesus Christ.

Purpose: The church is defined by its, people, mission, and community, rather than its architecture. In Christian theology, the church is fundamentally defined as a community of believers, the "people of God", rather than a physical building or architectural structure. The concept emphasizes that the church is a living organism (the body of Christ) rather than an organization or institution. On a side note: In the same way that buildings are not the house of God, all the pictures, statues and monuments that are in these buildings are also made with human hands which makes them idols. I know that I am going to step on some toes, but every time you bow down to a statue or monument of some kind, you are committing Idolatry which is a sin that God points at being a sinful life style that will not enter heaven. If you bow down to a statue or monument of what you refer to as Jesus, The Virgin Mary, the Pope or who ever it may be, you are bowing down to an idol. That statue is made of plaster, cement, wood or some other worldly material. You don’t know what Mary looks like, you don’t know what Jesus looks like so the statues that you bow down to are replicas of some one else. Our world is full of false images that are supposed to be images of someone that they never even seen.

The term "church" is derived from the Greek ekklesia, meaning "gathering," "assembly," or "called-out ones". "Called out ones" refers to the literal Greek definition of ekklesia (often translated as "church"), signifying a community called out from the world to follow Jesus and be set apart for God. It represents a collective, purposeful body of believers rather than a physical building, dedicated to carrying the gospel, daily surrender, and living out Christ's mission. The focus is on discipleship and a daily decision to take up their cross and follow Jesus, often implying courage and obedience. They are not merely an audience but a chosen generation with a specific purpose to represent Christ, exercise spiritual gifts, and serve as the body of Christ on earth. The church is defined by its mission to spread the Gospel, make disciples, and serve the world, a "mission" identity that exists beyond church walls. The church is a gathered community that worships, prays, and supports one another. It is characterized by relationships and shared life, which can occur in homes, coffee shops, or, as historically seen, when believers meet in secret. While church buildings can be valuable for facilitating ministry, they are not essential to the definition of the church. The church exists wherever people gather in Jesus' name. The focus is on being "the church" in everyday life, not just attending a service. 

While many, particularly in the Catholic tradition, hold a historic commitment to the sacredness of a specific place, the theological emphasis is on the gathering of believers. The United Church of God highlights that scripture never refers to the church as a building, but always as a group of people. Ultimately, the building is just a venue for the people who comprise of the true church. In other words, the people that enter the building are the church, the building that they enter is just a meeting place.

The word "church" in the Bible (translated from the Greek ekklesia) never refers to a physical building or a specific act of worship, but always signifies an "assembly," "gathering," or the "called-out" community of believers. It describes the people, not the place, and focuses on the congregation gathered to worship and serve. When ever Paul mentioned the church, it was always referring to the believers in Christ, never a building.

Well, I could go on and on with this message, but I think you get it. My focus is that you learn from the scriptures of the Bible and then live accordingly. If you have doubts about what I share, then do Bible study for yourself. Do not, and I repeat, do not let your salvation be determined by some religion or man that stands behind a pulpit or alter with some religious degree. Some of them might be right, but its not worth the gamble when it comes to eternity. Eternity is a long time, and you make the choice where you want to spend it.

As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”