Paradigms and "Church Buildings"

par·a·digm

Pronunciation: \ˈper-ə-ˌdīm, ˈpa-rə- also -ˌdim\

Function: noun

Websters Dictionary

1 : example, pattern; especially : an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype
2 : an example of a conjugation or declension showing a word in all its inflectional forms
3 : a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly : a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind

We all tend to view different things in our lives in different degrees through a paradigm. It is perhaps the culture itself, that to an extent formulates the framework through which we view the world and reality itself. The issue I have though, is that we tend to view the truth and still choose to ignore it. Why?! One major culprit is tradition. Tradition is so ingrained in our minds we can't seem to see clearly. The eyes of our understanding are blinded.

Lets look at an example. "Church" buildings are a primary illustration of what I speak of. We view the buildings in which we meet as spiritual. Why? There is nothing of the sort in the New Testament. You may not think this is a big issue, but it is. We say phrases like, "We're going to church", "behave yourself in the house of God", "let's assemble in the sanctuary". There is no doubt about it, we tend to view the building we meet in as holy and the roots of that are deeply ingrained in tradition. When confronted with scripture we readily agree with it (that it disagrees with our tradition) but our actions and words deny that we believe it. We still have this idea that God is more readily present there then anywhere else. We tend to believe that praying in that building will grant us better access to God. We dress up to go there, we act differently when we are there... All our actions testify to the fact that we truly believe that the "church building", is the house of God when God's word is in direct opposition to that. What if we believed that we, not a building, were the temple of God? Would we live our lives differently?

Ac 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth NOT in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Ac 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Ac 7:50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

Not once does the bible equate special significance to a building after the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Any teaching that puts spiritual overtones to a specific building flies directly in the face of NT teaching. Why?

2Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? FOR YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD; AS GOD HATH SAID, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, AND WALK IN THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

Before Christ died on the cross, there was a priestly ministry, a temple, and a sacrifice. Now those of us that are Christ's, are priests and kings unto God. We are the temple of the living God, and the one sacrifice that is sufficient for all time in order to pay for all sin has been made, which is Christ. All of those prior things reach their end when Jesus died for our sins on the cross. The temple veil was rent from top to bottom, and now God lives in His children, not in a building of bricks and mortar. We now have direct access to God by faith. We have the same access to God as does Jesus Christ. We don't need another sacrifice. We don't need a priest or a pastor to intercede for us to God. We have one High Priest, and one Head of the true church, and that is Christ.

For three hundred years the church flourished without "church buildings". The Christian faith was founded in believers homes, along roadsides and in courtyards. Then Constantine (Roman Emperor) gave Christians pagan temples to worship God in and that started the downfall of what we see today. Instead of the believers in Christ being the temple of God, it slowly digressed into a meaningless building of brick and mortar. It is a direct insult to the redemptive work that God did for us in Christ. It is a denial of the truths of God's word. We do not go to "church" to worship God. We are the temple of God, we are the church and we worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Our very lives are meant to be an act of worship. To denigrate worship of God to a couple of hours on "the Lord's day" (everyday is the Lord's day), is a travesty.

The early church believed that Christ was the very presence of God. They believed that the body of Christ, the church constitutes the temple and they turned the world upside down. Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing against buildings for Christians to come together in. I do have a problem when a mere building is revered, and replaces the true house of God which is not a building made with hands.

The other day I was reading a book called, "The Tangible Kingdom", and the author made a statement that a "church building" was no more holy or spiritual then your local coffee shop. Well, I did a double take. You see, I knew this before, but hearing it in such a manner really caught me by surprise. It proved to me that knowing what I know, I still look through a paradigm and view the world partially through a framework of tradition.

This is a constant struggle. How hard it seems to remove those things we once believed from our minds. How hard it is to see truth and receive it gladly without allowing preconceived notions and beliefs from getting in the way. I will continue to trust that the truth of the word of God will set me free in every way.

Pertaining to Salvation

It's not enough to be a good person. It's not enough to try harder to do what's right. It's not enough to be religious. It's not enough to go to church and become a member. It's not enough to try to be a good Christian and do the best you can. It's not enough to know that you're a sinner. It's not enough to want to be saved from hell. It's not enough to know that Jesus died and rose again. It's not enough to want to believe.

If you asked the devil whether Jesus died for sinners and if God raised Him from the dead, he would (if he wasn't lying) say yes. He knows. If you asked Satan if Jesus was God in the flesh, he would say yes. He knows that even though he isn't saved. That doesn't make Satan a Christian.

What separates a Christian from a non Christian then? Baptism? Membership? Obedience? No. A true Christian has stopped trusting in himself because he sees his utter lack of sufficiency and placed his faith in another. He has turned from himself as an end to all his deeds, and placed his faith in Jesus. A saved person no longer has any faith in a single thing he has ever done, or ever will do to get him right with God. A born again Christian has no confidence that his own righteousness and merit will gain favour with God.

A religious person on the other hand is no different in a sense, then a total heathen sinner. A religious person does religious deeds in order to earn favour with God (and to be seen of men) for his own personal gain. So in effect, the religious person is going through life, working and living purely for himself. How is this any different then the sinner who continually indulges in his own lusts? Their both working for the same end... Themselves. The end of living for yourself is eternal death. The religious person is growing his own "good person portfolio". That is selfish and selfishness is the essence of sin. That is as sinful as you can get. Just because an individual does right in the eyes of man, does not mean that God views it the same way. We can fool men but we can't fool God. God knows the intention of the heart and if the "good deed" is done merely for selfish reasons, He doesn't count it as good. He counts it as sin. He knows why the religious person does religious deeds. He knows that all this person's work and self effort is for self gain. That religious person is worse off then the ungodly sinner who has never has stepped into a church building, synagogue or mosque. That's why Jesus had more harsh words for the religious then for the ungodly sinner.

Back to the Christian. A true Christian knows that if left to his own devices, he will perish and spend eternity in the lake of fire. He has no faith in how he has lived. He has no confidence in his own right doing. He has turned from himself, from his life, from his self-seeking ways and placed his life in the hands of another. His faith is in a Man who died for his sins whom God raised from the dead. All his hope and faith is in the Son of God and in His right doing... In Christ's righteousness... In His merit alone. That's why the Christian is saved. Not because he lived right, but because Jesus lived right. He's not saved because he confessed all his sins, but because the blood of Jesus paid for his sins and he simply believed that. He is not counted righteous because he is righteous. The Christian is counted righteous because God reckoned or imputed righteousness to his account when he simply stopped trusting in himself believed the gospel with all his heart.

This belief is not something mentioned in passing or something you confess and live out on Sunday morning. This is not a glib faith. This belief costs you yourself. It costs you self love, self trust, self worth, and self gain. When you believe in Jesus, He is your focus every day. He is your affection. He is your hope. You no longer live for yourself but for the one who died for you and rose again. Not a day goes by that you aren't thankful that He saved you from the wrath to come. Not a day goes by that you don't wonder at the mercy and grace of God that saved a wretch like you. It never ceases to amaze that God didn't just throw you into hell like you deserved.

So what are you trusting in to get you to heaven? Your good works? Your faithful church attendance? Maybe because you're a Methodist, Lutheran or a Baptist? If that is what you're trusting in, you're lost. There is no salvation there. Salvation is in Jesus Christ alone and it is in turning from yourself, from your life and believing with all your heart that what Jesus did is enough to get you into heaven. It's believing, that makes salvation effectual for the sinner, not doing something. It is giving up on yourself and trusting Jesus.