IS INVITING PEOPLE TO “CHURCH” and FILLING THE “HOUSE” (A “CHURCH BUILDING”) GOD’S PLAN FOR EVANGELISM? NO!
THE LORD SENT US “OUT” TO PREACH! HE DID NOT COMMAND THE LOST TO “COME” TO A BUILDING TO HEAR THE GOSPEL!
AFTER THE DAY OF PENTECOST (THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH), THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE SCRIPTURE WHERE ANY BUILDING WAS EVER CALLED “THE HOUSE OF GOD.”
THERE IS NO VERSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHERE A BUILDING WAS EVER IDENTIFIED AS BEING “THE CHURCH.”
“THE CHURCH,” “THE HOUSE OF GOD,” ETC. WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE BODY OF CHRIST: HIS PEOPLE!
IS THERE A HARM IN CALLING A BUILDING “THE CHURCH,” “THE HOUSE OF GOD,” ETC.? WELL, IS IT EVER OK TO LIE? NO MATTER HOW LONG WE HAVE SPOKEN THE “LIE,” IT CAN NEVER MAKE THE LIE TRUE! NEVER!
IS A LIE EVER “HARMLESS”? RIDICULOUS QUESTION!
SOME WOULD SAY, “BUT IT IS A TRADITION”! THANK YOU FOR THE SET UP!
THIS IS WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT “TRADITION”:
Matthew 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Matthew 15:6-9
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
(See also Mark 7:5-13)
“NICE STUFF” TRADITIONS!? THEY CAUSE US TO TRANSGRESS THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, MAKE HIS WORD OF NONE EFFECT, AND MAKE OUR WORSHIP VAIN! THE CLAIM “OUR TRADITION” IS FREQUENTLY USED TO “JUSTIFY” ALL KINDS OF FALSE DOCTRINES.
ARE SOME TRADITIONS “OK” AND OTHERS BAD? NO! RELIGIOUS TRADITION AND BIBLICAL TRUTH HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE! ALWAYS!
(I know, I know the “law” about using “caps.” But I’m “preaching” and that’s what you do when you preach is “yell,” right?)
PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING!
SOME QUOTE THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE:
Luke 14:21-23
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
HOUSE (Olive Tree Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary) g3624. οἶκος oikos; of uncertain affinity; a dwelling (more or less extensive, literal or figurative); by implication, a family (more or less related, literally or figuratively): — home, house(-hold), temple.
AV (114) – house 104, household 3, home + g1519 2, at home + g1722 2, misc 3;
I. a house an inhabited house, home any building whatever of a palace the house of God, the tabernacle
II. any dwelling place of the human body as the abode of demons that possess it of tents, and huts, and later, of the nests, stalls, lairs, of animals the place where one has fixed his residence, one’s settled abode, domicile
III. the inmates of a house, all the persons forming one family, a household the family of God, of the Christian Church, of the church of the Old and New Testaments
IV. stock, family, descendants of one
THIS “HOUSE” IS THE HOUSE OF GOD, THE BODY OF CHRIST!
SO, WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT WHO “THE HOUSE” IS?
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
HABITATION (Olive Tree Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary) g2732. κατοικητήριον katoikētērion; from a derivative of 2730; a dwelling-place: — habitation.
AV (2) – habitation 2;
I. an abode, a habitation
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6:15-20
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Peter 2:4-5
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
WHAT HAPPENS BIBLICALLY WHEN “A HOUSE” (BUILDING) IS FULL?
THE LOST CAN’T GET TO JESUS WITHOUT FIRST “TEARING UP THE HOUSE”!
Mark 2:1-12
1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
WOE, BE UNTO US IF GOD HAS TO USE THE GOVERNMENT, NATURAL DISASTERS, ETC. TO GET THE CHURCH OUT OF OUR BUILDINGS AND INTO THE WORLD, JUST SO WE WILL OBEY HIS WORD!
IF HE HAS TO, JESUS WILL TEAR UP OUR HOUSE!
Apostolic Iron 