Earlier on, we discussed briefly, the difference between the church as we know it, and the “church” as we ought to know.
From history, during the Dark Ages of the Roman Catholic Church, the religious leaders taught the people so many traditions and customs that weren’t in line with God’s Word. That was up until the reformation showed up.
The reformation realized these wrong things were happening because the common people weren’t given the chance to read the scriptures for themselves. The religious leaders claimed that the common people were not authorized by God to have access to His Word. So the Bible was left in its Latin translation – many in the Roman empire found difficult to read.
The Spirit of God couldn’t reveal anything thing to them or even help them discern right from wrong, because they didn’t have access to the scriptures. This allowed the leaders to cook up whatever interpretation they wanted for the people; and the people would believe it as coming straight from God.
There was no standard through which the people could judge revelation.
William Tyndale
One of the reformation’s best was a guy was called William Tyndale.
He was a great scholar and Bible translator who began to translate the Bible into English in order to give the Bible to the common people to read for themselves. He was martyred because of his work. He died being strangled and burnt on a stake. (You can check out this amazing book in His biography here, if you want to know more about this amazing “outlaw.”)
Being one of the first English translators of the Bible, Tyndale disliked the term “church.” He never used it in His translation (Tyndale Bible). He rather used, “congregation.” This should tell you something. (You can check out His Bible here for free online).
The scholars of King James came later on and changed the English translation. Like I showed you in the earlier session, they replaced “Ecclesia” (which was an assembly or congregation) to “kuriakos” which now refers to church.
What is Church Viewed As?
The term “church” is religiously viewed as the house of the Lord. The place were “Christians” must meet in order to worship God.
We all say this time and time again, “Let us go to church.”
Church became a religious building owned by a religious organization.
In recent years, this view has been changing gradually through the revelation of God’s word to His people. However, many are still ignorant of the real function of the Ecclesia because of the name it’s been given – “church.”
The True House of God
The Word of God states clearly that as a believer, your body is God’s House. Your body (not the building) houses the Spirit of God. Your Body is the temple of God (1 Cor 3:16, 6:19 & John 2:19-21).
If you are going to use the term “church,” it should be related to the congregation of believers, not the building where they meet.
Be it one believer or more, when they gather, they form the building of God. The house of God is typically the individual body of a believer or the corporate body of an assembly of believers (two or more).
It is the believers that make up the “church” not the building. When we fellowship with one another (no matter where we meet – a car, plane, stable or a cave) that is what we can call the “church.”
More will be discussed in our next session. Stay tuned!
Uche Okorie
(Author of “Tree of Righteousness: The Planting of Yahweh” – kindle edition)
Ecclesia Oikodomeo 