The church of the living God is the center of all kinds of human controversies and opinions. Despite this, the house of God remains the most essential place in the life of a born-again believer. I am fully aware that the Lord can meet us wherever we go to seek him, but this does not replace the house of God. Since the times of the Old Testament when God wanted to speak to the people about him, he was always called to meet in a place chosen for this purpose. The church is a place where believers are dedicated to God and meet regularly to worship God and fellowship with one another. Here are six guiding principles of the church of the living God.
1. Grace is not an abuse of divine institutions.
There is much discussion about grace in relation to the church of the living God. It is important to understand that grace also requires responsibility, order, and stewardship. The casual attitudes of Christians towards the house of God under the premise of grace is a dangerous phenomenon.
The early church, under the circumstances in which they operated, still had a place where they met for worship and fellowship. We make excuses and substitutes but God still says, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The church of the living God is the foundation and pillar of truth.
two. The desire for your church must be intentional and purposeful.
There is no place I would rather be than in church, a place set apart and holy to the Lord for worship. It has been the center of my life for over forty-one years. King Hezekiah immediately ascended the throne, set his heart to repair God’s house, restored the sacrifices, put the priest in his rightful services, and called the people back to the temple. See 2 Chronicles 29:2-3
Since our desire for the church of the living God is intentional and not out of obligation, our services to the house of God flow through us with joy. God prospered Hezekiah immensely when his heart was set on his house. See 2 Chronicles 32:27-10
3. The church of Christ is holy and endowed with his permanent presence.
The Lord Jesus chased away those who turned the church into a place of merchandising. Yes, there are those who abuse their power in the church for personal gain, but the church of the living God remains holy. What the Lord expects of us individually in terms of holiness, the same is expected of his physical church which is the house of God.
Four. A place of answered prayers. 1 Kings 2:22-56
It does not mean that the Lord cannot answer prayer anywhere else, but the church is a unique place set apart for collective sacrifices to him. We know that the Lord is a spirit and also omnipresent, yet this house (the church) remains a place of prayer for all nations.
When you walk into church with a hungry heart, you can always feel the intensity of his presence. The church of the living God provides us with that solitude for cherished fellowship with the Lord in prayer.
5. A place of companionship, friendship and affection.
The Bible says that unless God builds his house (the church), the workers labor in vain. True Christianity comes with a heart of compassion and there is no better place to demonstrate this than in the church of the living God. It starts from here and extends to our communities and the world at large.
6. A place of rest, peace and unity. James 4:1-6
True peace dwells in the church of the living God because his presence dwells there continually. The message of peace and unity are the mark in his church. The Bible says that those who carry this message in church are blessed.
We must not leave the church of the living God for any reason. It is in the church, that the fullness of Christ rains down on us, it is worth putting our hearts and minds in the church than any other institution around.