Romans 16:5 (KJV) “The Church Is Not a Building” Misses the Point

Romans 16:5 (KJV)

Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. 

Adam Clarke writes of this passage and “the church that is in their house”: “the word always signifying the congregation or assembly of believers, and not the place they assembled in.”

I’ve been thinking about how important the church really is. We are so prone to reading into Scripture what we already believe that, without the assembly of believers—without the preacher, without evangelists, pastors, and teachers—we are likely to read the Word of God daily and sincerely, yet remain within the comfort of our own persuasions and skip over important biblical truth.

Concerning the church:

Some view it as a universal body.
Catholics take that universal body to be their church under the authority of the pope as the true church, and they see everyone else as heretics.
Protestants view the universal body as invisible, incorporating all the saved. In that light, they often say, “The church is not the building, but the people.” This concept gives some people mental permission to avoid organized churches altogether.

There are others who focus on the fact that churches met in houses back then and therefore believe it to be biblical to continue the same practice today—even going so far as to say it’s unscriptural to meet in a building designated for public assembly and worship.

I view it as more practical than that. The fact that churches met in houses necessarily dismisses the universal body doctrine. It was local, visible, and organized. An assembly isn’t assembled 24/7, but it’s still a church. This implies church membership and responsibility. Churches met together at regular times, but the members remained part of the church even when not physically assembled.

There are those who are happy in their personal practice of faith and cheerfully read through the Bible, but because they are not part of a body of believers—one committed to personal study of the Word and led by a preacher who is himself a serious student of the Bible (not just a reader of a prescribed lectionary)—they never confront differing views or grapple in their soul with biblical truth.

Soul liberty is precious and should be valued. But it ought not mean that we live comfortably in ignorance.

#LocalChurchMatters #TruthInAssembly #BiblicalChurchNotMystical #SoulLibertyNotSoulIsolation #PreachingAndPersonalStudy

“The Church Is Not a Building” Misses the Point: Without the local Church, We May Drift Into Comfortable Error

🔍 Are you searching the Bible for answers but still feeling stuck? God never meant for you to walk alone.

📖 Reading your Bible is vital—but it’s not the finish line. God designed the local church to guide, challenge, and grow you through biblical preaching, fellowship, and accountability.

💥 Take action today: Find a local, Bible-believing Baptist church near you and make plans to attend this Sunday. Don’t just read the Word—live it with God’s people.

💬 Question: What has helped you grow the most in your walk with Christ—personal study or preaching? Share in the comments!

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

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Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

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Romans 16:5 (KJV) “The Church Is Not a Building” Misses the Point

Romans 15:13 (KJV) Joy, Peace, and the Power of the Holy Ghost

Romans 15:13 (KJV)

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 

It would be proper to view this verse as a brief prayer. As such, there is much to learn about prayer—specifically regarding the kinds of things we would be wise to pray for on behalf of others.

The appeal is to the God of hope.
As believers, we pray to the God who is, and who is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. He is the source of our hope. He is hope itself—for without Him, there would be no hope. It makes sense to begin prayer with reflection on the character of our God. Our prayers are meaningful only because they are directed to the One who is able to answer them.

The petition is that they would be filled with “all joy and peace.”
Who among us would not like to be happy in this world, and to be content—at rest with self, with others, and with eternal matters?

The purpose is that they would abound in hope.
Paul’s prayer was not that they would have some shallow sense of happiness or a naïve sense of peace. The world in which they lived was a difficult one. It would be foolish to be blind to the troubles they faced. Further, he wasn’t praying for momentary relief, as one might enjoy during a vacation or holiday. He prayed they would abound in hope—that being fully aware of their circumstances, their faith would find a resting place. That they would face life’s challenges with joy, with peace, and with a growing longing to meet the One who is the answer to their troubles.

Through the power of the Holy Ghost.
No one receives this joy, this peace, and this hope through human means. No friend can deliver it. No preacher can persuade us into it. No event in life can convince us of it. Joy, peace, and abounding hope—these are the work of the Holy Ghost upon us.

Are you burdened for a soul today? Is there someone you know who urgently needs your prayers? I suggest this is a biblical, practical, and powerful example of how you might pray for them.

#GodOfHope #PowerOfPrayer #JoyPeaceHope #HolyGhostPower #BiblicalIntercession

Joy, Peace, and the Power of the Holy Ghost: The God of Hope Still Answers

💥 Struggling to find real peace in today’s world?

Romans 15:13 shows us that true joy, lasting peace, and unshakable hope come only through the power of the Holy Ghost. This isn’t just a comforting verse—it’s a blueprint for action in your prayer life.

👉 Here’s your next step: Pray by name for one person who needs hope today. Ask God to fill them with joy, peace, and faith that leads to abounding hope—not temporary relief, but spiritual strength!

🗣️ Question for you: Who in your life needs that kind of prayer right now—and are you willing to be the one who lifts them up? Drop their initials in the comments and commit to pray for them today.

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Romans 15:13 (KJV) Joy, Peace, and the Power of the Holy Ghost

Romans 14:2 (KJV) Soul Liberty and the Weaker Brother

Romans 14:2 (KJV)

For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 

There is no one portion of the Bible more important than another. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…” But Romans 14 is a defining passage for historical Baptists. It is one of the clearest—if not the clearest—passages on the subject of soul liberty.

“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”

“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant?”

“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

And we could go on with these arguments for the right to worship God according to the dictates of one’s own conscience. No one has the right to force his own convictions upon another.

But I would like to point out that this in no way implies that all ways are as good as the Way, or that it doesn’t matter what we believe so long as we are sincere, or that—when it comes to spiritual matters—there is no right or wrong.

Jesus said in John 14:6 (KJV), “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” That’s extremely exclusive.

Romans 14:2 begins the passage by defining who is the weak brother. It’s not up for debate—it’s the guy eating herbs. I see that as referring to anyone still observing the Old Testament Law.

• There is a right and a wrong.
• There is a weak and a strong.
  

And we are told up front which is which.

We are able to read this distinction into every verse of Romans 14. It’s clear, obvious, and incontrovertible. As far as I’ve experienced, everyone who “eateth herbs” gets around this text by dismissing the authority of Paul. That’s because there’s no way to argue what Paul says—so they must argue against the one who says it.

Here’s the thing: even knowing who the weaker brother is, we are instructed not to become frustrated, not to attempt to force our position, not to dispute. I believe the Bible gives us a mandate to speak our convictions and faith—but never to dispute over them.

“Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God…”

#SoulLiberty #Romans14Truth #BiblicalAuthority #StandBeforeChrist #ConvictionNotContention

Soul Liberty and the Weaker Brother: Conviction Without Contention

🔎 Are you looking for clear, biblical answers in a world full of religious confusion? Romans 14 lays out soul liberty—not as a license to believe anything, but as a charge to follow God’s truth without forcing others.

📖 Read Romans 14 today—and then ACT:
✅ Write down one personal conviction you hold from Scripture and share it (without dispute) with someone this week. Live it boldly.

💬 Question: What’s one area where you've been tempted to argue rather than live out your conviction with grace? Share below.

👉 For more solid Bible teaching, visit marvinmckenzie.org and strengthen your walk today.

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Romans 14:2 (KJV) Soul Liberty and the Weaker Brother

Romans 13:1 (KJV) The Baptist Legacy of Respect and Resolve

Romans 13:1 (KJV)

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 

There may be few passages that have challenged Christian practice more than this one. Given the nature of "higher powers," and taking that to mean governments, the history of evil associated with them raises a hard question: how can we possibly reconcile this teaching?

One of the earliest “test cases” would be that of Jerusalem and Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah was thought to be out of his mind when he preached that God wanted them to submit to Babylon. But any clear reading of Jeremiah must conclude that God used an ungodly—one could argue, evil—government for His purposes.

The Jews of Christ’s day were certain that Rome was evil and believed they ought to resist it. They could not conceive of a Messiah who would not fight Rome. Yet far from challenging Roman authority, Jesus pled with His Father to forgive them for their part in His crucifixion.

The man God used to pen this passage—Paul—was himself executed by these very powers.

The history of the Anabaptists and Baptists is one of quiet submission to those powers, even when wicked men, with cruel intent, condemned countless numbers—some suggest millions—to death.

Baptist preacher John Bunyan politely refused Judge Wingate’s order that he cease preaching without a state license. While Bunyan believed he must obey God rather than men, he absolutely rejected any impulse to be rude or disrespectful toward the judge or his authority.

And yet today, I see, with concern, a growing resentment among believers— Baptists included—who express contempt, disrespect, and rebellion toward government. 

I do not believe we must always obey the government. But as followers of Christ, we must always respect it.

Romans 13:2 (KJV)
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

#BiblicalAuthority #RespectThePowers #FaithfulSubmission #ObeyGodRespectGovernment #BaptistHeritage

The Baptist Legacy of Respect and Resolve: Submission Without Compromise

Are you struggling with how to respond to the government as a Bible-believing Christian? God's Word gives us clear answers. Romans 13 isn't just about obedience — it's about living out real respect, even in hard times.

💬 Question for you: How can you show biblical respect for authority this week, even when you disagree? Tell us in the comments!

✍️ Action Step: Write a short, respectful note or email this week to a public servant — a mayor, council member, or officer — thanking them and letting your Christian testimony shine.

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Romans 13:1 (KJV) The Baptist Legacy of Respect and Resolve