Behavior in the House of God

1 Timothy 3:15 – “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.”
Habakkuk 2:20 – “But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”

The Bible contains some inspired instruction on how the services of the church should be conducted. If we follow the Scriptural teachings our meetings should be profitable and reverent.

The apostle Paul told the young preacher Timothy, “These things write I unto theeā€¦that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God.” The house of God designates the local assembly. The Church is not a hall or a building, but a “Body.” We use the word “church” in referring to a building only because it is the place where saved people come to worship. The believers themselves are the actual “living stones” of which the true Church is composed. Yet we should recognize that the building itself is set aside for the worship of God’s people and therefore should not be desecrated by careless behavior.

I am greatly disturbed many times as I sit in the church and hear the hum of whispering and observe people “doodling” with a pencil on the church bulleting or trimming their fingernails. Instead of engaging in silent meditation and prayer for themselves, the pastor, and the blessing of the service, they do a great deal of rustling and stirring. Then the latecomers further disturb the meeting by coming in late and searching for a place to sit.

Beloved, “these things ought not so to be”! If you believe that “where two or three are gathered” the Lord is also present, it should make you punctual, reverent and worshipful. What a blessing would be ours if we gave more serious thought to our behavior in the house of God. Remember, the impact of the message depends upon our personal preparation to receive it!