Church

“To show proper reverence to God, we must be quiet and somber.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment
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They say, “To show proper reverence to God, we must be quiet and somber.” Is it true? No.

There will certainly be times to be quiet before God, but the Bible says we are to “rejoice in the Lord always.”

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 The Greek word translated as “rejoice,” chairó, means to rejoice, be glad, be cheerful.* We are to rejoice “always;” the Greek word, pantote, means, at all times. That would include when we’re in church. And yes, we’re to rejoice even in the face of suffering and persecution.

The Hebrew word translated as praise, from which we get hallelujah, means to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify:—(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light).”**–even dance and spin around! No straight faces and sitting still!

*https://biblehub.com/greek/5463.htm

**https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1984/kjv/wlc/0-1/

“The church isn’t  a building.” “The church is in the office, the marketplace, the school—wherever the individual is.”

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Is it true? No.

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The word translated as church in the New Testament of the Bible is “ecclesia,” a decision making body. While it’s true that the building isn’t the church, and the church can be any type of building, home, even a tent or a tree to gather under, individuals in the office, marketplace, school, etc. are not, by themselves, the church. The gathering of believers to worship, fellowship and learn together is the church.

“I’m not called to missions.”

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Is it true? No.

Maybe.

Maybe you’re not called to leave your life in your home country behind to live overseas and learn a new language, or even leave your previous life behind and work as a volunteer to support those who do go. It is a hard life though it can be rewarding. But every Christian is called to be part of the spreading of God’s Kingdom, whether through prayer, financial support or moral or logistical support. Jesus addressed his Great Commission to all his followers. However, there are many more who are called to go, who hang back and talk themselves out of it.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

They say, “Most of Jesus’ teachings were before the cross so they don’t apply to us.”

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Is it true? No.

If it were, how could one be a Christian at all if not by following Jesus teachings?

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31,32

If Jesus’ teachings don’t apply to us, then we can’t be his disciples—Christians, or know the truth and be set free by it. How sad and empty that would be!

Yes, a few things Jesus said were specific to the situation but the truth is, we are to follow Jesus’ teachings in order to be his disciples, which results in knowing the Truth and in freedom..

They say, “If a church doesn’t have a fancy building, they must be a cult.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / 1 Comment

Is it true? No.

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The first churches—until the late 200’s, met in homes and did not have separate buildings. It takes hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars to build, buy and maintain church buildings, taking resources away from proclaiming the gospel. In many countries, church buildings make the Christians there a target for persecution and terrorist attacks; in those settings, house churches or night meetings in the woods work better, are closer to the original church and are no less real.