I Will Build My Church

Introduction

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

In the previous article, we learned that the church was not the building itself but the congregation that meets there. If Jesus came to build His church, and it’s a physical building, then why do we not see pictures of it? Why can’t we travel to it? It’s because the church is not a physical structure but a spiritual structure. It’s made up of the faithful individuals who call themselves Christians (Acts 11:26), and live their lives according to God’s word and will (Mt. 7:21).

All too often people connect the building rather than the people. You hear stories on the news of someone destroying the church when it’s actually the building. Those who meet there can meet somewhere else and continue to exist. With this in mind, we’ll look at some of the myths and traditions that people hold to about the church building.

The Church Building is…


Not Holy Ground—contrary to popular belief, it is not sacred grounds. The idea of holy ground stems back to the days of Moses when God spoke to him in the burning bush (Ex. 3:5). At that time, it was holy ground because he was in the presence of God. Once God left, the ground was no longer holy. Certain religions call the church holy ground because of God’s presence there. However, if God is everywhere and in everything that would basically make the entire planet holy ground.


Not a sanctuary—Another popular belief is that an individual who is a criminal or suspected of a crime can come to the church and seek sanctuary from the law. The idea of sanctuary dates back to the OT when cities of refuge were built specifically for an individual who kills someone accidentally (Numbers 35:11-15). It does not apply today.


Not a dining hall—Whether it’s on a weekly or monthly basis, you’ve seen people gather in a separate room of the church building to partake in a common meal. The idea is to socialize with those of like precious faith. However, Paul writes in Romans 14:17, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Although the building isn’t holy, is should be used for the reason it was designed; for the worship of God. This was an issue in the church at Corinth which Paul addressed in 1 Cor. 11:17-22. Here the members were treating the Lord’s Supper as a common meal. He goes on, starting at verse 23, to explain the importance of the Lord’s Supper and why it was instituted in the first place.


Not a place to “kill time”—How often do you hear people moan that they have to go to worship? Or those who utilize the service as something to do until the game starts or until their flight leaves? Your attention can’t possibly be on God’s word and the worship service if you’re just there to pass the time. When you begin worship you are before the throne of God (Heb. 4:12-16)


Not an entertainment palace—Again you see services that seem more like a rock concert or carnival atmosphere than an actual service to God. Rock bands, choirs, comedians, skits, and motivational speeches are given to make people feel good about themselves than to convict one of sin (2 Tim. 4:1-5)




Conclusion

There are other examples, of course, but these should suffice to show you that the majority of religions out there who claim to be a church are not there for your spiritual edification but rather a gratification of the flesh (Rom. 16:17-18; Phil. 3:126-19).