4.8-You cannot worship in your church building

4.8-You cannot worship in your church building

We are going through a season now that the leaders of our community are asking the church to meet in their homes instead of their church buildings. This is for the purpose of reducing the danger of the Corona virus spreading and killing more of our citizens.  I read about some churches who are using this as an opportunity to show their independence from needing to obey the government laws.  Is this a time to cooperate and have home church services and/or online services?  Is this a time to stand up for our own independence to reject the laws of the authorities?

Titus

3 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, ² to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. ³ For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs ^[a]according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸ This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. ⁹ But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. ¹⁰ Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, ¹¹ knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

This passage reminds us of several important principles.

1.      Be subject to rulers.

2.      Be ready for every good deed.

3.      Malign no one.

4.      Be peaceable.

5.      Be gentle.

The apostle Paul who wrote this letter had been a very forceful and violent man prior to his conversion to Jesus.  He explains in this passage that changed him was

The Kindness of God and His love for mankind.

He saved Paul and all of us not on the basis of deeds which we have done, but He saved us on the basis of the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.

He explained that had been justified by God’s grace.

It was God’s love that gave Him the hope of eternal life.  This mercy is what powered his desire to submit to the authorities that God has placed over him.

These authorities had beaten him and placed him in prison, yet he continued to praise God.

There will be some people who use their religion to excuse factious and divisive behavior.  Not those who are filled with the Spirit of Jesus.  They are free to use their love power to cooperate with the authorities.

There is nothing wrong with worshiping in our homes instead of church buildings.  The church didn’t even have any church buildings for the first 300 plus years of its existence.  Paul often wrote to the church and would mention the church that is in your house.

Let us look for new ways to serve and be free and flexible to love our community.