The House that God Built

Throughout the New Testament, the church is called the house of God.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (I Corinthians 3:17; see Acts 7:46-50).

“But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6).

“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” (I Peter 2:5).

Every house has a builder (Hebrews 3:4), so who built the house of God? God gave Jesus the order, and He sent the Spirit to guide the apostles in the construction of the house.

“All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he [the Holy Spirit – DR] shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:15).

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

“In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22).

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. (10) According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon” (I Corinthians 3:9-10).

Since we are in God’s house, we should act like it! “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15). Are you a member of the house of God? If you are, do you behave in it like you should? How wonderful is it that we are God’s house!