“Jesus said to them, who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered; you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said to him…I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:15-18)
Christ is the rock and the church is His body. Hades is where the body and soul dwell when people die (the grave).“...the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory…gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body...” (Ephesians 1:17, 22-23)
You do not join or go to church. If you are a part of it, it is only because God has placed you into it…
“God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” (1 Corinthians 12:18)
You do not join or go to church. If you are a part of it, it is only because God has placed you into it…
“God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” (1 Corinthians 12:18)
Members of the church are present anywhere that there are humans who have faith that Jesus died for their sins, was entombed, and that God raised from the dead.
King David wanted to construct a house of God and God sent the Prophet Nathan to tell him...
"...the Lord spoke His word to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Will you build a house for me to live in?...I have never said to the tribes, whom I commanded to take care of my people Israel, “Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?”...’I will choose a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so they can live in THEIR OWN HOMES." (2 Samuel 7:4-5, 6, 10)
Solomon built the Temple and it became a place for "solemn assemblies" and teaching the "precepts of men".
“I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies…what do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.” (Amos 5:21; Jeremiah 6:20)
"Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men." (Mark 7:5-8)
Church members do the things God requires...
"He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD REQUIRE of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)
And when members of the church help those in need, they do so without telling everyone about it...
What church members do will be "manifested in front of the Dais of Christ". There each of us will be praised, or not, according to our acts, and the motives for those acts.
"Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5)
"Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5)
"For all of us must be manifested in front of the Dais of Christ, that each should be requited for that which he puts into practice through the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)
"And I perceived a Great White Throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it, from Whose face earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them." And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. And the scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened which is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged by that which is written in the scrolls in accord with their acts." (Revelation 20:11-12)
The bad stuff will be burnt up - and I for one will be glad to see it go up in smoke.
"For other foundation can no one lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Now if anyone is building on this foundation gold and silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, each one's work will become apparent, for the day will make it evident, for it is being revealed by fire. And the fire, it will be testing each one's work - what kind it is." If anyone's work will be remaining which he builds on it, he will get wages. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire." Are you not aware that you are a temple of God and the spirit of God is making its home in you? If anyone is corrupting the temple of God, God will be corrupting him, for the temple of God is holy, which you are." Let no one be deluding himself. If anyone among you is presuming to be wise in this eon, let him become stupid, that he may be becoming wise, for the wisdom of this world is stupidity with God." (1 Corinthians 3:11-19)
The church is not a magnificent construction project - it resides inside each member of the body of Christ every day of the week.