First we need to define the word "church", most believe it is a
building or organization, but it is not! It is a community or assembly of
believers.
Why do we assemble?
Because there is a command to assemble on the Sabbath before the Lord in
prayer and worship.
Leviticus 23:3 "Six days can work be done but the seventh day is
the Sabbath of rest, a holy gathering."
Ecclesiastes 5:1 "Keep your foot when you go to the house of
God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools,"
Matthew 9:35 "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and
healing sickness and disease among the people."
Matthew 21:13 "It is written, My house is called the house of
prayer,"
Mark 6:2 "And when the Sabbath day had come, he started to teach
in the synagogue,"
Luke 4:15-16 "And he taught in their synagogues, being praised
by all. Then he came to Nazareth, where he had been raised, and as the
practice was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and then stood
up to read."
Luke 4:31 "Then he went down to Capernaum a city in Galilee,
teaching them on the Sabbaths."
Luke 4:44 "And he taught in the synagogues of Galilee."
Luke 19:46 "As it is written, my house is a house of
prayer."
I Corinthians 12:28 "And God has set some in the church, first
as apostles, second prophets, third teachers, and after that workers of
miracles, then the gift of healing, helpers, administrators, and
interpreters."
Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how we can inspire each
other to love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another all
the more as you see the day approaching."
Up until the time of the Babylonian captivity there was only one location
(Jerusalem) for the gathering of worship and to celebrate the annual high
Sabbath days. After the destruction of the temple and the exile of the Jewish
people, synagogues were established to service the small communities of exiled
Jews. Thus began the establishment of churches. Yet according to Mathew, any
location, even ones home will do.
Matthew 18:20 "Wherever two or three are gathered in my name,
there am I in the middle of them."
The Sabbath day was established as a day of rest, a holy gathering of
Gods people, as few as two people gathered in the Lords name constitute a church
meeting.
Does it Matter Where?
Does the physical location of assembling to worship matter?
Yes!
Does your group assemble to worship him in places dedicated
to false religions? Then it is doing wrong!
Exodus 34: 11-16 "Observe thou that which I
command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the
Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the
Jebusite. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the
inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the
midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and
cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD,
whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the
inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do
sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a
whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their
gods."
Deuteronomy 7: 1-5 "When the LORD thy God shall
bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out
many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the
Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the
Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the LORD
thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly
destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto
them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt
not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For
they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other
gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee
suddenly. But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars,
and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their
graven images with fire."
Deuteronomy 12: 1-3 "These are the statutes and
judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of
thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the
earth. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye
shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the
hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and
break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down
the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that
place."
The Lord's command was to destroy the places where false gods
were worshiped and warned against making agreements with the people of the land,
which includes making agreements not to rent or use their places. When renting
these type of places, are you not helping them out financially to spread the
false doctrines. God made it clear not to have anything to do with these pagan
religions. God warned that these places of worship would be an
influence, so they were to completely separate themselves from other religious
practices.
1 Corinthians 3: 17 "Know ye not that ye are the
temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile
the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are."
Should we as the temples of God worship within the temples of
the ungodly?
1 Corinthians 8: 9-11 "But take heed lest by any
means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak.
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's
temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat
those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the
weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?"
Yes, one should be strong enough in faith to understand and
stand firm against paganism, but those that are weak, or new, who are facing
trials may end up stumbling into the hands of the group whose building you are
using. Is it worth the risk?
1 Corinthians 10: 20-21 "But I say, that the
things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to
God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot
drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of
the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 "Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an
infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are
the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."
Coming together is to encourage, teach, admonish, and edify one another, and
should be joyous!
When most Christians think of church, the following comes to mind, singing a
few hymns and then the congregation sits quietly in their pew, while the pastor
conducts the service and delivers the sermon. They stand and sit on cue and pass
the offering plate.
The gathering together with others is to be a participatory and interactive
event, where each person uses his God given spiritual gifts for the benefit, or
building up, of the congregation as a whole.
A church should be a place to assemble and hear the word of God read aloud,
and those that have questions can ask them aloud, a place of prayer, a coming
together in joy and song, a place where those in a common belief can fellowship
together encouraging and strengthening each other in their belief.
Music was always an important part of religious services, there were singers
and musicians who took part in most worship services, be it the weekly Sabbath
or annual Sabbaths. Music, singing, and dancing were part of the celebrating
before the Lord.
In locating a church, you need to find one that follows doctrines that are
scriptural, as outlined within the Bible. No church organization, or minister
can get you into heaven, its an individual responsibility.
Sermons
The sermon in today's church meeting seems to have become the primary event
of the service, with everything else leading up to it. The sermon has taken over
center stage, and the meeting is judged by the quality of the sermon message.
Sitting through a boring sermons while glancing at your watch and trying to
stifle a yawn is part of Satan's counterfeit Christianity. That format is non
Biblical. People learn more and are rarely bored when engaged in conversation
with each other.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "How is it then, brethren? when ye come
together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue,
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto
edifying."
Clearly when the brethren met, everyone shared in the teaching and uplifting,
it was not just for a special few to deal with it, but interaction occurred..
Being a member of God's church involves a spiritual membership, not a
physical one. Having the spirit of God dwell within you is what makes you a
member of his church. Christ is not returning to a material building, he is
returning to a church that is built on the foundation of the prophets, apostles,
and Christ himself, Ephesians 2:19-22.
The church (body of believers) would be a small group.
Jesus taught that the true church would be a "little flock" (Luke
12:32), hated by the world (Matthew 10:22), and persecuted (Matthew 10:23). He
also taught only a few would find the way to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14;
20:16). Jude indicates that the number of saints was relatively small (Jude 14),
while Paul called the small group a "remnant" (Romans 11:5).
Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is
the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leads unto life, and few there be that find it"
If you cannot find a church in your area, remember that the true temple of
God is your own body, for the spirit of God dwells within you.
Is there only one true Church Organization?
Luke 9:49-50 "And John answered and said, Master, we saw one
casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not
with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against
us is for us."
There are many organizations, as long as the hold true to scripture they are
following God's word.
Remember that you must do what is right with God and not what is right with
some church Organization, for some day you will have to answer to God, not to
the Organization.
