Why does the Iglesia Ni Cristo build houses of worship?

Answer 1

"...build the Temple. Then I will be pleased

with it and be honored," says the Lord"

haggai 1:8

Always, our detractors attacks the INC doctrine about building houses of worship. These people will quote Acts 17:24 and II Chro. 2:6, argue that the house of worship cannot be the dwelling place of god, here it is...

"The God who made the whole world and everything in it is the Lord of the land and the sky. He does not live in temples built by human hands."

"But no one can really build a house for our God. Not even the highest of heavens can hold him. How then can I build a temple for him except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?"

Clearly stated in the said verses that god does not dwell in temples made by man. And, the builder of the first temple, King Solomon of Israel, says that heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain god.

QUESTION: As this case, in what sense is the house of worship the house of God?

ANSWER: Lets read II Chr. 7:16 that says,

"I have chosen this Temple and made it holy. So I will be worshiped there forever. Yes, I will always watch over it and love it."

There is no saying the fact that no house or temple can contain the creator, but there is a house that he has chosen and consecrated for himself. It is in this house, the house of prayer or house of worship, where his name, eyes and heart will dwell forever. It is here where his glory dwells, as said by King David:

"Lord, I love the Temple where you live, where your glory is." Ps. 26:8

Another attack is that for them, it would have been better for the church to course her resources to the improvement of the livelihood of her members, or just donate it for the charity rather than spend them on building houses of worship.

The reason some people think this way is that they believe that serving God can be performed anywhere a person chooses. They suppose that the construction of houses of worship is a thing of the past since they claim that christ and the apostles neither built nor commanded the building of these during their ministry.

Contrary to that belief, the Church of Christ upholds that the houses of worship are essential in serving god even in the Christian dispensation. The undying endeavor of the church in building majestic houses of worship, through the joint efforts of her leadership and her members, is solidly based of The Bible. That's why even our detractors do efforts just to show to others about their view that building houses of worship is not so important, INC continues the constructions of the houses of worship in the country and all around the world...

Africa

Philippines

America

Australia

And in 90 other countries...

BIBLE PROOFS

"Don't worship the Lord your God that way, but look for the place the Lord your God will choose-a place among your tribes where he is to be worshiped. Go there,...Be careful that you don't sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you please. Offer them only in the place the Lord will choose. He will choose a place in one of your tribes, and there you must do everything I am commanding you." Deut. 12:45, 13:14

God's commandments that Moses taught were very precise. God should be worshiped in the way and in the place he chose. This proves that services to God should not be performed anywhere a person chooses. That's why God instructed his early nation to make a sanctuary or tabernacle for him (Exod. 25:8-9). The Tabernacle that God commanded his nation to make is the place where God promised to dwell. It is not his nature or being that dwells in the house of worship for, as testified by King Solomon, neither heaven nor the heaven of heavens can contain God

(I kings 8:27). What dwells in the house of worship is God's name (I kings 8:27-29) and glory (Ps. 26:8). Thus, the house of worship is properly called the house of God (I Chr. 28:6, Isa. 2:3, Luke 2:49).