Our spiritual journey

[Deborah]

Hi Deborah
Thank you for your reply there are many different aspects to think about and you make some very good points when I said what I did I was thinking about these verses.

Exo 20:24  An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
Exo 20:25  And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
Exo 20:26  Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

here we have Gods alter being built of very simple inexpensive materials should we follow this commandment or should we follow Solomon's example.

Or should we heed Paul's words which maybe are more in keeping with the subject in hand.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

The spiritual body of Christ which we are is the temple of God so when we are congregated together it's not the building but those inside it which are the temple of God and the cement that holds it all together is the Holy Spirit.


Love and Peace
Dave

Hi Dave

A church building is not really equivalent either to an Old Testament altar (which corresponds to Christ's cross) or to the Old Testament Temple (which corresponds to the Church in the sense of the community of people). It corresponds to the Jewish synagogue - about which there are no instructions in the Bible at all!

There's a piece about the Church as God's Temple on my website, which might interest you:
https://deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com/the-church/gods-temple/
https://deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com/the-church/gods-temple/

[davetaff]

Hi Deborah
Thank's for your reply and the link an interesting read do you think the true church is in all denominations even when we get things wrong I was thinking that God judges the Heart not the intellect if what we say or do we do we do to glorify God will it be acceptable to Him.

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
 
Love and Peace
Dave

[Deborah]

Hi Deborah
Thank's for your reply and the link an interesting read do you think the true church is in all denominations even when we get things wrong I was thinking that God judges the Heart not the intellect if what we say or do we do we do to glorify God will it be acceptable to Him.

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
 
Love and Peace
Dave

Hi Dave

There is only one Church as far as God is concerned. It has lots of subdivisions (which we call denominations). The vast majority of them are part of the true church.
I personally don't have an issue with denominations, and I don't think God does either - unless we go round attacking anyone who doesn't agree with us 100% on everything.
https://deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com/the-church/the-church-is-one/
https://deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com/the-church/the-church-is-one/

[davetaff]

Hi Deborah
Thank's again for that interesting article and I agree with it, I think the only think that can bring us all together is Love to Love one another is far better than fighting and squabbling but it seams we prefer confrontation.
I have wondered if all these differences are part of Gods plan to keep his word alive in the world the core truth's seam to be the same in most denominations.
All we need to do is humble ourselves and love one another easier said than done.

Love and peace
Dave     
 

[Deborah]

Where have you been, Dave, if you think that the denominations are all fighting and squabbling with each other? That may have been the case a century ago, but in the 40 years that I've been a Christian I've seen very little of it. A lot of Christians (including myself) move from one denomination to another as the years go by. We accept that there are differences in the way we do things; most churches don't require their members to sign up to a particular set of doctrines, as long as the core beliefs are agreed.

There are so many interdenominational events now (such as Spring Harvest), where we discover that we can get along together very happily thankyou. We've made a lot of progress!

[davetaff]

Hi Deborah
Thank's for your reply Maybe fighting and squabbling was a bit harsh but I was thinking more of the those who run the different  denominations don't seam to make an effort maybe I'm wrong.
Having said that I wonder what these differences are are they insurmountable are they serious or trivial.
Just realised I'm derailing your thread maybe we should move it to a new one or drop it.

Love and Peace
Dave       

[Deborah]

These days we rarely see the leaders of the different denominations arguing. Usually they 'agree to disagree'. And that may look as if they aren't 'making an effort'.
Some differences are trivial - we just like to do things like worship services in a different way. And what's wrong with that?
Other things are more important. Take baptism, for example. Some denominations allow infant baptism, some don't. Both sides have good reasons that are based on the Bible, but can't come to an agreement. But that doesn't mean they can't work together in other areas. In many towns, the Baptists and Anglicans get along very well together.

It's unrealistic to expect all the denominations to merge together as one. But it probably isn't necessary. Unity doesn't have to mean uniformity.

[davetaff]

Hi Deborah
Thanks for your post I expect your right God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.
Our spiritual journey the title of this thread intrigues me a bit how do you see it is it something we enter now or something we enter into in the life hereafter.
I have thought the scriptures can be spiritually discerned this through the spirit and as God want's us to know is this the spiritual journey you mean seeing the scriptures in a different light.

Love and Peace
Dave