The Church is a Bathroom

The word 'church' comes from the Greek word "Ekklesia". This refers to a body of people who are "called out" to carry out governmental assignments. Under the Roman Empire it was known as "senate", akin to present day house of parliament. The senate's role was to carry out the desire of the king through the instrument of legislation. That is why when Jesus first spoke about the church to Peter He added,

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 16:18-19)

It's so sad that we have applied our binding and loosing to demons. But this verse suggests nothing in relation to demons. Rather, it reveals the responsibility of the church (God's Senate) to act on behalf of heaven here on earth. Thus, whatever decision heaven takes, the church is charged with the responsibility to legislate it on earth. The church alone can lock and unlock heaven on earth.

One of the major roles of the church is to continue to clean with the Word people who have already been washed, sanctified and justified in heaven by the baptism (water), death (blood), and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (1st Cor 6:11). Hence the church can be rightly referred to as a "bathroom" where the sinner comes to be washed by the blood and cleaned by the Words of Jesus Christ.

That is why it is ridiculous for people to be so confused about sinners in the church. In fact, if there should be no sinners in the church then where should sinners go? How silly would it be for you to complain that there are too many sick people at the hospital. Where should they go for their healing if not to the hospital?

Again, if a person is dirty he enters the bathroom to wash down. Would you be right by saying that your legs are dirty so you don't have to enter the bathhouse? Why would you think you are too much a sinner so you want to get right with God before you go to the house of God? How? Jesus said in John 13:10

"...A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."

Yes, Jesus has forgiven the sins of every sinner who comes to Him. But conspicuously every believer still needs some cleaning of his feet. That is why the church has the responsibility of preaching and teaching the Word so that we can all continually have our feet being washed by the works of God's Holy Spirit through the word. The fact that my feet are dirty does not mean I have not had my bath. Jesus has cleaned his children already but they need the church to keep their dirty feet washed in the basin of the Word.

So do not worry if your feet are dirty; just go to the house of God and get some refreshing. Do not also let anything pull you away from going to church. You may have failed but keep going and washing until our saviour returns to give us a more glorious body that needs no continual washing of feet. As for your sins, you can only find them on the Cross so leave the cross and get to the crown of righteousness that is freely given to all who come to the cross.

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Anathallo Chapel International