THE HOUSE OF GOD
(Not What You Think!)
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If someone said to you, "Let's go down to the House of God."  You might think, we are going to go to a building.  But you would be wrong.  If someone were to say to you, "Let's go to church."  You might think, "We are going to go to a building."  Again, you would be wrong.  Why?  The word Church comes from "Ekklesia," meaning "called out ones."  It has nothing to do with stones or wood, because it is made up of people. God is calling them out of this world's system.  He is inviting them ahead of time, to be part of His coming system called the Kingdom of God.  They will not be aliens or strangers to it, they will be citizens of it, even before it comes to earth. 

Ephesians 2:19-3:1
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,

20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,

22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.  
NASU

The House of God is where God's Spirit dwells.   It is us.

More and more people are being added to God's household as time goes on and it is  growing into a Holy Temple.  The Greek word for household used in verse 19 above  means "relatives."  Jesus Christ is the corner stone, and the apostles, and prophets are the foundation, and if you have God's Holy Spirit, then you are a part of this Holy Temple too.

It seems like a complicated subject, but the House of God is made up of many citizens.  It is in fact a family...The future God Family.  Christ was the first born of many brethren.

Ephesians 3:14-15 has an interesting scripture that is rarely quoted.  This scripture is the only time in whole New Testament where the word "family" is used.  It tells us we are named after God.  Paul says that he bows to the Father of Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. 

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."  

We are named after the God Family?  Did not Christ say, "ye are gods."  The reason He was quoting this scripture to the Jews was because they were on His case, because He claimed to be a Son of God.  He in effect said to them, 'Hey, don't jump on me about this, the scriptures say that you are gods too.'  And they do.
 

John 10:34-36
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
KJV

Here is the scripture He was quoting from Psalms.

Psalms 82:6
"I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High."

You might say, "there is only one God," and you would be wrong... The plural word Elohiym meaning 2 or more Gods so baffled the translators of the Bible that they changed this plural word into the singular form over 2000 times! They couldn't understand the concept of the growing God Family.  They couldn't understand Christ's words..."ye are gods."  It's not so hard to understand.  In your own family, if you have 10 children, they all have your last name.  God is the last name of this family.

We are all God's children.  The Bible calls us sons of God in so many places that it would take pages to list all of them.  No need to do that.  We will have God's name stamped on us at our true birth into the Spiritual realm that God lives in.  We are like babies in a womb.  We vaguely sense God's presence.  We can't see Him, we can't hear Him, but we know that He is there.  We are going to be added to the Family of God.

These are only two members of the God Family now, the Father and Jesus Christ.  More sons will be added at the return of Christ.  And 1000 years later, at the end of the millennium, everyone who has ever lived will come up in a gigantic resurrection called the Great White Throne Resurrection. (Revelation 20:11)  This is where all who have ever lived will come up and have their chance to learn God's system and how to live, and they too will be given a chance for eternal life at that time. 

But for those who have God's Spirit at the return of Christ, this is when we will be "conformed to the likeness of His son."  We will receive our permanent body, made just like Jesus Christ's Spiritual body.  A human being doesn't give birth to a dog.  God is going to bring forth God beings, just like Himself.  Christ was the firstborn among many brothers that will be born into this Holy Family, and be made in God's image.

Note the plural words us and our.

Genesis 1:26
"Then God (plural... Elohiym) said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..."  NIV
 

Yes, Adam was a physical man and he looked like God, but God has predestined that men will in due course, be made in His spiritual image and likeness.

Romans 8:28-30
"...For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."  

What is God's ultimate goal for you?  "Those he justified, he also glorified."  God's goal is to eventually glorify you and make you just like Him.  When He makes you in His own image and likeness, you will be given eternal life and God powers beyond human understanding.  But that is a dangerous thing to give to someone who has not been faithful, tried or tested.  We must be compliant to God and keep His whole system (Laws, statutes and judgments) if we want to be part of God's system of government called the Kingdom of God. 

He has to evaluate us to be sure we are obedient and trustworthy of such great power.  Jesus Christ is called our brother in Romans 8:28-30.  In another part of the Bible, the Church is called the bride of Christ.  These are simply analogies to show the family connection and relationships that we will have with the House of God.

 
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