The Bible uses the terminology, “house of God,” to refer to the church, an assembly of truly saved and then immersed people. This is also what scripture calls the heavenly throne room, where God’s presence is. 1 Timothy 3:15 is the most explicit place calling the church the house of God, when it says: “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” It’s also in 1 Peter 4:17: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
Do you want to be in the house of God? You may ask, “What do I mean?” I could mean heaven, where the presence of God is. Guess what? God calls the church, the assembly of believers on the Lord’s Day, the house of God, and He also calls where He dwells in heaven the same terminology, house of God.
You could say that you want to be in the house of God and you mean heaven, but why would God think you want to be with Him in His house in heaven if you don’t want to be in His house on earth? Consider John 14:2, where Jesus says, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” Of course we want to be there, especially in light of the alternative. The house of God is a place where the Word of God takes preeminence. Everyone listens to God’s Word in heaven. It’s His house.
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