© 2006 SeanDietrich.com

WHAT IS THE HOUSE OF GOD?
By Sean Dietrich

WHERE DOES GOD LIVE?

Many traditional churchgoers refer to their church building as the “House of God.” Many people treat it like a literal house that was made for God to inhabit.

Modern churches have different rooms that are more exceptional than the others, like the sanctuary. Children are not allowed to where hats, run, play, or talk above a whisper in the “Sanctuary.” This is the singular room where congregational members offer up songs to the Lord, where they pray, and where they listen to the “declared word of God.” You must respect God by being solemn in the sanctuary.

HEY MAN, DON’T RIP MY VEIL!

So why does God need this special room? He doesn’t. He doesn’t need a sanctuary, and he doesn’t prefer one either. God doesn’t need a Holy of Holies, or a special spot to reside anymore; Jesus ripped that veil when he died. What a message! By shredding the veil, it was like God saying “I don’t need this anymore, I never liked it anyway!” Paul says in Acts 17:24: The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;

THE NOT SO HOLY OF HOLIES

These Holy Rooms actually originate from pagan temples in early Rome. When emperor Constantine converted to his own brand of Christianity, he transformed his pagan priests into Christian priests overnight. Literally. He turned pagan temples into Christian sanctuaries and pagan traditions into Christian ones. Up until 312 BC there had never been any Christian sanctuaries. Maybe the emperor thought the apostles dropped the ball. But never worry; emperor Constantine fixed it for us before he died.

WHAT JESUS WANTS

Jesus wants to be the God who is like a brother, one who we can come to any time of day or night. He really loves being the guy who you can cry on, complain to, rejoice, laugh and cry with. There is no sanctuary. Sorry Charlie.