Houses and Mansions
 

Many, many, different songs are sung about us "Coming or going to the "house of the Lord". Is that biblically possible for us?

I very often hear phrases like "Welcome, to God's house", or "If you can just get to the house of God".
I generally hear them atleast 5-10 times per service.
I realize many would say 'Well, it's just figuratively speaking", we really mean the church people not the building. It wouldn't bother me to bad, if I heard it (house of God)used that way every great once in a while. I fall short finding any N.T. scripture for "the building being "the temple or house of God, though I may be just not seeing it?





In like manner, is John 14 speaking of "our mansions in heaven" we always sing about,(Which hardly lines up with why we will need a new earth, IMHO) or his house in us?

John 14 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house (abode) are many mansions
(mansions is used 1 time in new testament- greek lexicon=1) a staying, abiding, dwelling, abode 2) to make an (one's) abode 3) metaph. of the God the Holy Spirit indwelling believers

Was he not speaking of the coming Holy ghost to dwell in us, to have his mind and will. (searching all things, yeah, the deep things of God.) after all, according to new testament scripture, We are his house/abode, Our Father now dwells in us. (mansions for us in heaven?)

(ISV) John 14:26 Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Then my Father will love him, and we will go to him and make our home(abode-KJV) within him.

1 Cor. 2:9 But as it is written, (O.T. Isaiah 64:4) Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared(sounds like John 14) for them that love him. :10 But (N.T. now after Acts 2) God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ( heavenly mansions?)


Are the terms "House of God" and "temple of God" biblical when being referred to a church building?
If not, Is it scripturally permissable to refer to the building we gather in as "the house of God?"
Just wanted to get some other thoughts and opinions on this subject.
(Sorry, but I can't read or reply to anything till after work 2nite. Thanks for your input)

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Hi shag!
There is a literal house= built of wood, brick or stone.
There is the house of God= us, the Church or Bride.
There is the house of God= indiviuals = a walking temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.

Jesus said in Jn14:2-4-In my Father's house are many rooms/mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the WAY to the place where I am going.

Ps 122:1- I rejoice with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord".
Yes, IMO, it's ok to call a church(building)the house of God.

Ps 127:1- Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain.

We are here to help , lift and encourage each other.

Hope that helps.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Hey, where'd you get that picture of U2? I'd like to get one!

I think the whole "house of God' thing is way overused in church and tends to make the organized church the locus of God's presence and activity rather than the people that comprise the church, thus in some cases assisting people in relegating themselves to spectators instead of living members of an organic structure.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

LOL Hey A PoMo, I have alot of different ones!! And thanks.


I was also thinking as I read your post shag, about the mansions in heaven. If we are the temples or the living house....we are being perfected daily here on earth....those mansions in heaven being built are us(?), being built while here...and we will put on immortality one day....

maybe we are those mansions??!! Just a thought.
...And I thought/think/hope LOL my mansion walls will be made of cheesecake!!!!!


ICor. 2:9-
However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Now that's a can of worms that people don't like!

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Just a note, I would love to see someone come up with a New Testament scripture regarding a "church" being a building, and any example of the NT church having a building designated as such...........Hope this view doesn't get me banned HERE too!

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Thanx a mil for givin me your thoughts American Angel.

Tied to what U said, could "WE" possibly be the new temple thats being built? in Jerusulem (in Daniel?) Each person being "a stone" in the temple? (Since we are the N.T. temple)

Rev. 21:2 I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "See, the tabernacle of God is among humans! He will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. (sure sound a lot like John 14 to me, him abiding in us)

Eph 2:22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Eph. 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love

(still wonderin about any N.T. scripture for a church building being a "house or temple of God". Psalms is Old Testament, him speaking of the "Tabernacle of David" I assume.)

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

You won't get banned for this! Good point, I'm anxious to hear the responses.

Some on here think you can only get spiritual when you go to church.

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Yeah, Stephen was the 1st martyr for this kinda talk. LOL

Acts 7: 46-49 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands.........What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

and Paul opened a similiar can of worms in Athens, (though rest assured I am not saying that our house/temple thinking is of any comparison to him dealing with the gods of the Athenians. But are we a little over kill referring to the building as the house or temple of God(according to N.T. scripture), especially so often thru speech and song?)

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;

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

I'm anxious as well. So far responses are from 4 people (90 views). LOL

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

The only thing "special" about a church building is the fact that it is set apart for prayer unto God. the same could be said about anything/place that is set apart for God... especially people. Ye are the temple...

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Several years ago while browsing a very old dictionary, I noticed that the word
remnant was connected with the word, remain or remains. Then
I found the word remain connected to the word mansion. Connected
to the word mansion was the word abode.

Now do a study on those words comparing what the Bible says about each word.
You don't have to have an old dictionary today. Just google Merriman-
Webster's dictionary online and start with the word remnant. It will tell
you to go to remain and remain refers you to mansion. Interesting!

Blessings,

Falla39

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

What would give you the idea that a view like this would get you banned here?

At AFF how you present a view can get you banned (if it involves personal attacks) but not the view itself. The only things we do not allow (within reason) are outright heresay or blasphemy.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Thanks for posting Stephen.

With that in mind, How do you feel about songs like: "Let us go into the house of the Lord". (and many more, from O.T. psalms). Compared to N.T. scripture?

And comments like . "Invite someone to come to God's house today" or, "Welcome to God's house, where anything can happen".

Doesn't that subconciencously send a message that you gotta be at the church building to see the "anything that can happen" (miracles etc)(especially when its said a lot)? And leave us perhaps a little weaker in faith, when it comes to us operating in the "anything happening" outside the building? (like praying miracles with someone at a public setting outside of the church building) Not to mention where does the building being so often referred to as the "house of God" line up with N.T. scripture like these:

Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,....

Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us,.....

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, .....

Thanks again for commenting on the subject.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Yes, tis interesting. Remnant connected to mansion, (which in my amplified reads "dwelling place". Thanks Falla39

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

What do you think about the scripture forsake not the assembling of yourselves together?

You need a place for that. And in the OT and NT they called it a temple. But we now have what we call a church. Not sure when and where that term got started. :)

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Not me. I would not love to see that...since I don't really know anyone that thinks the building we have meetings in is "the church". BTW where else have you been banned from?

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Hmmm.... The New Testament usage of the Temple by Christians was rather short-lived though was it not?

I am not so sure the Christians ever fully controlled the temples at the time of the early church. Rather, it was God's plan to destroy the Temple in Jerusalem.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

What about the references to "The House of God"? Is this OK? Certainly there was a time of transition, even Jesus made referece to "My House", but was this intended to continue after the introduction of New Conevant?

Know ye not... ye ARE the temple...

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

I don't know that they controlled the temples either. I do know that Peter and John was on their way to the Temple when they stopped to heal the lame man. :) And if memory serves me right they went daily.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Yes indeed, they did go to the temple and MORE...

26Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

I would argue this was all in the transitional era following the introduction of the gospel.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

I would like to think we could still sing those psalms and balance the meaning out with teaching on the NT focus of Christ IN us.

Those are interestng scriptures especially 4:17.

All in all - yes, I agree, to often there is an inordinate affection placed on "The House of God".

Another concern is the excusivity that is implied with it.

I prefer to say "a place of worship", or "the assembly" (of believers).

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

That depends on what they mean. We tend to also call the place we meet "the sanctuary". But I think if you asked them they simply mean this is the building where we all come together and God comes too (where two or more are gathered)

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They never controlled it. They were eventually kicked out. They also went to synagogues but this was to evangelize

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

BTW calling that building the house of God or whatever does not necessarily mean they are saying that building is the church. The church always refers to the people but in the OT the temple or house of God always refereed to the building. So there is no correlation

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Some seem to regulate everything else to "heaven". Why not streets of Gold (biblically a singular STREET), and mansions next door to Jesus??

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Prax, I agree, the church is the "Christians gathering". Where does that leave us in the N.T. as far as the comments I posted on #14-pg.2 IYO?

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I think they are only saying it is the house of God because it is where the entire church meets.

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But I never hear anything about "US" being the House of God", or " God's House" like N.T. scriptures say. Always the "building" in which we gather is "God's house". Maybe I'm just parting too many hairs hey?

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

I hear lots about our bodies being the temple of God or the house of God.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

I could stand to hear it a couple times. I do hear the "temple" part every great once in a while, I will say. During teaching on those particular scriptures. (our body is the temple...) I never hear either of the 2, that I recall, from a church service setting like in worship service. I do hear a lot of exaltaion on "the house of God"- building and title of it. Like thats where we need to go to get God, just not so much coming out and saying it. I do believe and credit that God is there, because as U said earlier, where 2 or 3... But is it "God's house", or the "House of God" (per N.T. scripture) if we aren't there?
Boy, I am partin hairs now- LOL

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

? Not sure I follow. Lotta symbolism in revelation (streets of gold)

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I was banned from that new site. Only one....I'm not on a lot of forums. :-)

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If we use "where 2-3 gather in his name" to show what building can be referred to as "God's house", then does it not somewhat conflict with N.T. scripture definition for "God's house"?

And if we do that, then whatever building we are in, (gathered 2-3 in his name), is that building "God's house"? be it coffee shop bible study and prayer, or wherever.

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

Yes conflicting is right... because I am sitting at Starbucks, ALONE, drinking a quad on ice and God is all over this place!

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

The REAL New Testament Church is not a building.
It is an organization.
It is the UPCI.

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Any time and any place two or more are together in the name of the Lord, they are a church. Ref Matthew 18:20

Re: Houses and Mansions
 

LOL :ursofunny

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This is true. 99% of the time it is quoted, it is to show that God shows up where 2-3 gather in his name.

Actually the context of Matt. 18:20 is showing what we should do when we have "offence" with someone in the church. Go and reconcile with them, and where 2-3 gather in his name, he'll be there.