What is church?
Jesus said, “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 18:19-20 (NKJV)
God does not reside in inanimate objects: Ephesians 2:19-22(NKJV)
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. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. Acts 17:24-25 (NKJV). The Church, figuratively, is made of Jesus Christ Himself as the chief cornerstone. The Apostles and Prophets being the pillars. In Jesus, we also are built to become a dwelling place, a Holy Temple in the Lord, in which God lives by His Spirit.
God’s Temple is sacred: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17(NKJV)
God’s Spirit is living in us, and therefore we are God’s Temple. So we should not corrupt the temple of God. “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” II Corinthians 6:16 (NKJV).
Christ Jesus is Head & others are Members of the Body: Ephesians 4:11-16(NKJV)
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” I Corinthians 12:27-28 (NKJV) We can explain the church comparing it to a human body with Christ Jesus as the Head of the body and others are body parts. So together we should function as one.
Church is a place where saints meet: Hebrews 10:19-25(NKJV)
We meet to encourage each other, to love, and to do good deeds. Let us not give up doing that; even more as the Last Days are approaching. 1 Thessalonians 5:11-21(NKJV) Respect those who lead you and correct you. Grow in faith as fellow citizens of God. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:16, 19-20 NKJV
Warning of Jesus: Matthew 23:1-12 (NKJV)
Evaluate a church on the requirements laid down in the Bible. Make a well-informed prayerful choice; do not be part of a congregation that does not meet the criteria but serve vested interests of individuals and groups. Jesus warned us to be wary of people like the Pharisees of His time who dominate church congregations in the present time as well. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they by themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Jesus was very angry for the first and last time when He saw the vendors in the temple area. Mark 11:15-17(NKJV)
Do not be an observer but a participator. Do not be a critic but an encourager:
While it is crucial we make the right choice, let us not give up attending church services or being part of a congregation. We risk moving away from God’s presence from our lives if we are not cautious. Jesus said if two or three come together in His name, He will be there amidst them. So let us find time to come together as a family; to worship, pray, and meditate on the Word. That is as good as attending church in the absence of an alternative. Christians need each other; believers cannot stand alone. Our spiritual growth is more important than everything else.