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 God
authorizes the assembling of saints (HEB.10:25
1CO.11:18-f.14:23-f) which, in turn, certainly authorizes a
place of assembly. I am well aware of the brethren's tendency to
stretch this into banquet halls, fishing camps, T.V. and coffee
rooms, and of course, the elaborate and costly
"sanctuaries" which are more showplaces to satisfy the
pride than just a place to assemble and worship God. These gross
abuses have led some to remark, "Christians could worship
God out under a tree;" and so they could. But only the
"gross abuse" of a remedy would lead one to suggest
that all meeting places be sold.
Meeting
under a tree is not, of itself, a guarantee of true worship. In
OT times, groves of trees became places of idolatrous worship.
The Asherim was "probably a wooden symbol of a goddess
Asherah" (as footnote to EXO.34:13) and DEU.16:21 shows
that the growing tree was associated with such pagan worship.
Gideon cut down the Asherah, and used the wood to offer burnt
offerings to Jehovah (JDG.6:25-27) (see K.J., "sacred
groves".). The thinking of many brethren would certainly
demand that we have the very finest tree available —
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carefully trimmed, watered, and
decorated. I suppose we could get up a "crash fuss"
over what kind of tree was scriptural (Remember the oaks of
Mamre, cedars of Lebanon, etc.??).
Elaborate
buildings indicate poor, and oftimes sinful judgement on the
part of brethren; but meeting under a tree doesn't indicate
soundness. Big congregations often get that way by catering to
the whims and pride of the people; but a little church may be
just as proud of its martyr status and far more
"whinny". Although there are right and wrong ways to
"build up a church" we must not allow ourselves the
luxury of such loose thinking.
These
"externals" are evidence of something far more
important — the deep-seated attitudes that produce such
fruits. If we are filled with "churchanity" instead of
Christianity we need a new heart. Moving out under a tree could
reveal some "stuffed shirts" but "stuffed
heads" would remain to plague us. "Except Jehovah
build the house, they labor in vain.
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