God gave the commands to Israel regarding Tabernacle construction (Exodus 25-40). This was the place where the ark of the covenant was housed; above the mercy seat, between the cherubim atop the ark is where God met with His people (Ex. 25:22; 30:6). Wherever they travelled in the wilderness, the tabernacle was erected at the camp and priests would enter it to perform the religious services to God. Many years later—when Israel had long dwelt in Canaan—David bemoaned the fact that he dwelt in a fine palace of cedar, but the ark of the Lord continued to dwell in a tent (2 Sam. 7:2). The Tabernacle’s existence suggested a people still not fully settled in the promised land. Yet, God would not allow David to build the permanent structure of the Temple, but instead commissioned David’s son to do so (2 Sam. 7:3-13).
The arrangement of Tabernacle (and later the Temple) had meaning (Heb. 9:1-7). Each piece of furniture was a shadow of heavenly things (Heb. 8:5). Jesus is the substance of those shadows by functioning now as our High Priest in heaven itself (Heb. 8:1, 2; 9:24). Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses, rendering the temple in Jerusalem obsolete by the sacrifice He made with His own body (Mt. 5:17; Jn. 2:19-22; Heb. 10:8-10)
The church of Christ is God’s place of service and worship today. Yet, the church is not made of material things; instead, it is the people God has saved (Acts 2:47). God’s kingdom is in the hearts of those who follow Him (Lk. 17:20, 21). The Lord’s church must be arranged as He has directed (Col. 3:17). However, we should not confuse the church God has established with the building where His people meet. Jesus told the woman at the well that soon the geographical location of worship, which was so important under the Old Testament, would no longer be of consequence (John 4:21-24).
The New Testament does not command us to have a church building. It commands assembling (Heb. 10:24-25; cf. James 2:2; Acts 20:7); therefore, as an expedient, a building is often the best way for us to come together in one place to worship (1 Cor. 11:18, 33,34; 14:23). Some who have imbibed of the surrounding religious culture and are ignorant of the New Testament teaching on the church may regard the physical structure where Christians meet as holy. They may try to make a parallel between selling religious material on church property and the moneychangers at the temple (John 2:13-17). They may make a law forbidding eating on church property based on an erroneous application of 1 Corinthians 11:22.
Certainly, the assembly should be focused on worship and devotion to God, rather than distractions of business transactions or satisfying one’s hunger. I’m not advocating that just anything should be done in a church building or on church property; however, I am asking if the New Testament does not require (much less mention) the church having a building or owning property, then how important are rules people make regarding what activities may take place on that property? Remember, today it is God’s people, Christians, who are His holy temple, not a physical place or building (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; Eph. 2:21).
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