On Not Being a Chamber Pot

The house of God is a great house, an expansive house. We refer of course to the Church of God—as the promises of God have established her, spread out through all human history. As we look in faith to our brothers and sisters, we see portions of that great house, but we see it through a glass dimly.

When we build physical structures, we are should be reminding ourselves of the same realities, looking for the city whose maker and builder is God. The church building is not the Church, but church buildings do speak about the Church. But just as writing in a book is no good to someone who does not know how to read, so also the gospel in stone is of no use to the one without evangelical faith. What is evangelical faith? It is spiritual literacy. The natural man does not understand the things of the spirit because they are spiritually discerned. But the spiritual man knows and understands what God is saying, even when He says it in church architecture.

Paul speaks of surety of the foundation of God. The NKJV renders it as a solid foundation.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour” (2 Tim. 2:19–20).

Just remember that when we have built a solid church, one you can touch, this is simply a type of the great house, the final church, the ultimate city. But do not forget that the one that is coming is far more solid, more real, more tangible, than what we will be able to build. And as the stones represent the living stones that will rejoice in the presence of God forever, so let those who would be living stones depart from iniquity. So let the stones cry out.