“A GROWING TEMPLE”
The church of Christ is portrayed in the passage in Ephesians as being a growing temple (Ephesians 2:21). The language used implies a continual growth. The church of our Lord is the pillar and ground of the truth in any community (I Timothy 3:15). Truth does not change with times or the culture (Hebrews 7:12,24). The idea, then, of a growing temple is not the advent of new truth for each generation, rather it is the growth of the individual believers as they adhere more and more to the truth of Jesus the Christ.
The very description of the temple is one that is holy. Such holiness speaks volumes about the separation of the individual believer from the entrapments of the world around him (II Corinthians 6:14-17). It is a call for Christians to be different from the world in such a way that the world does not have control over the Christian in any arrangement, business or otherwise. Jesus reveals that He will present His bride to Himself as a glorious bride (Ephesians 5:27). What were the conditions cited by the Lord? It should be holy and without blemish.
The strength, then, of the temple (church) is the lives of the members who on a daily basis live their lives for the Lord. The Word of God is a living and active message (Hebrews 4:12). It is, however, a living and active message only to those who act on it. Truth ignored has the power removed from it. Jesus taught that the truth had the power to set men free (John 8:32). That truth and its ability to set men free is based on men “knowing that truth”. Jesus came to give us the power to become the sons of God. If we reject Him, then the power is not there.
The Christian, then, lives his life in accord with the will of God. It is the standard by which all of his judgments are made (Colossians 3:17). As each member strives to exalt the Son of God through obedience the church will continue to grow. On occasions when some leave the way of truth, then elders can motivate the believers to make every effort to bring back the wayward one (Galatians 6:1). Elders, then, who watch for souls should both encourage us and, if necessary, reprove us that our souls will remain strong (II Timothy 3:16,17). If we as individuals continue to grow, then the church of which we are a part will likewise continue to grow (II Peter 1:5-7).
The expression is sometimes used that this or that congregation has become “liberal”. What does it mean that a church has chosen a liberal path way? It occurs because a group of believers choose to set aside the Word of God as their standard. They will strive to find some way to be compatible with the denominational world. When you question them about their source of authority for such actions, it will never be what is in the Word of God. Such things as praise teams or women leading in public worship should be enough to alert any Christian to the dangers of setting aside the Word of God as the standard.
Other things that necessarily follow is a change in what it takes to become a Christian. Worship is shifted from honoring the Son of God to pleasing men. Worship becomes a performance somewhat akin to a concert. In such an atmosphere the Christian is not challenged to search the Scriptures but rather his feelings. If he leaves feeling good, then it must be alright with God. I hasten to add that individuals tend to feel just as good when their favorite sport teams wins a game. It is only by a search of Scripture in which the Christian stares honestly at the perfect law of liberty and decides to do that which will make him feel better because he knows he is right with God.
Many congregations lose their way and their focus. The church begins to preach to its members about weight loss, financial principles, feeling good emotionally and other such “wonderful topics”. The result is members may lose weight, gain control of their money matters and begin to feel real good. While all this activity is going on to make individuals feel good, souls are dying lost outside of Christ with no hope.
When the pulpit begins to ring out about spiritual well being and devotion to God through search and obedience of His will, churches can begin to grow again. The major problem is what will it take to stir people up enough to leave the weight loss factories and money saving tips in lieu of a deeper faith arising from God. Brethren let us keep growing the temple here and work to see souls saved by the Lord.