The temple is the house of God

It is clearly stated in the Bible that "God does not dwell in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24). So, why do you call your temple or chapel as "house of God" when, obviously, your chapels and temples were made with man's hands? This is certainly a doctrinal error on your part.

Editor's reply

It is never wrong to call the temple as "the house of God. The Almight God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, and Prophet Isaiah made such pronouncements.

Prophet Isaiah called the temple as "the house of the God of Jacob" (Is. 2:3, New King James Version). The Lord Jesus Christ referred to the temple as "my Father's house" (Lk. 2:49, Today's English Version). Above all, the Almighty God Himself declared that the temple is His house:

"Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts'." (I Chron. 28:6, NKJV)

You would, then, ask why it is written in Acts 17:24 that God does not dwell in temples made with man's hands? The Almighty does not dwell in temples made with man's hands in the sense that the temple is not His place of rest or dwelling:

"Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?'" (Is. 66:1, Ibid.)

The temple is not God's place of rest or dwelling. He does not dwell or "rest" in it. Which is then that dwells in the house of worship or temple? God said:

"For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually." (II Chron. 7:16, Ibid.)

It is the name of God that dwells in the temple. God has chosen and sanctified His house, and promised that His name would be there forever. Moreover, His glory also dwells in the temple:

"LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells." (Ps. 26:8, Ibid.)

Thus, it is biblically sound to call the temple or house of worship as the house of God, for His name and glory dwell in it.

Top