Church
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3. Is it correct to call the place of worship ‘House of God’ and
‘Church’? |
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No, it isn’t, because the house of God is not a building made of
bricks or stones or wood, but a spiritual building made of born again people,
which is a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. For the writer of the
epistle to the Hebrews says: “We are his house” (Hebrews 3:6 – NIV), Paul
says to the Ephesians: “In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22), and Peter says in his
first epistle: “To whom [Jesus] coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed
indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 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” (1 Peter 2:4-5). |
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Neither is it correct to call the place of worship ‘church’, because
the Greek word ekklesia means
‘assembly’ or ‘the called out,’ therefore this word must be used only in
order to refer to the assembly of those called out from the world and
belonging to the Lord,’ apart from the place where they gather together to
worship God. The following passages of the Scriptures confirm this: Paul
wrote to the saints in Colosse: “Salute the brethren which are in |
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Therefore those who call the place of worship ‘House of God’ or
‘Church’ should stop calling it in this way. |