The Temple vs The Church

What is the difference between a Temple and a Church?

Most people think there is little difference between a Temple and a Church, the phrase is used as flippantly as if it is a like for like or true reflection and translation of the same thing.  This is a major error and obstacle to the psyche, similarly when people are convince or more precisely indoctrinated to believe that Jesus is a direct English translation from Yeshua, or that Yahshuah was white skinned, or Christ is a direct translation from Kristos, which is a direct translation of the Hebrew word Messiah, all meaning exactly the same thing. This is not only misleading, but as makes it very difficult to truly get a meaning of these individual terms, words and names that are specific to particular cultures, where differences exist that make the use of these terms, not interchangeable but, incompatible and incomparable.

Likewise the idea that the Church is just a new or updated name for a Temple is also very damaging.  In fact the two phrases are reflected and utilised in the Holy Bible, quite differently and with a clear different focus and emphasis placed upon them.  For instance  the word Church features in the Holy Bible hundreds of times, however it never appears in the Old Testament at all, it only features in two verses the four canonical gospels, specifically at Matthew 16:18 and 18:17, meaning Mark, Luke and John do not use the term in their Gospels.  Also it should be further noted that we are clearly sanctioned to use this term and include it in the Proclaiming of The Gospel, as both times when it is mentioned in the Gospel according to Mathew, it was used by Yahshuah himself.  However its main use is from the Acts of the Apostles onwards and in particular and specifically by Paul, who although not being the subject or fulfilment of what Yahshuah instructed, has become and can be rightly attributed, credited and justifiable called the Rock upon which the Church is built.

However the word Temple is used in the KJV of The Holy Bible, thousands of time both in the New & Old Testaments, in addition to this Yahshuah uses the term and word Temple on numerous occasion, as its physical existence was a central theme throughout His Gospel and Ministry.  More importantly and significantly the Temple was used by Yahshuah himself as a metaphor for his own Body, which coincides and is the basis upon which this website is built.

Therefore to summarise and conclude, as well as to make a clear and necessary distinction, between a Temple and Church, both in their construction and their purposes, I think can be explained quite easily.   The Church is to house for a congregation with a focus on the collective followers that was ultimately propagated , publicised and constructed in and through the mind of Paul of Tarsus, through the Holy Spirit we are told.  Complete differnet from the Temple specifically said by Yahshuah himself, to House the Divine essence of humans, with a focus on individual self that was propagated, published and constructed by the creator of Human beings Mind, Body & Soul, namely Yahshuah.

From this it is very clear to see that a temple is very different from a church and more specifically that it is a Temple that we must be devoted to, seeking to contribute to and visit regularly, in order to associate with the expected attendee’s, with the intention of developing oneself spiritually and righteously.  Opposed to a Church that people are externally devoted to, pay financially too, for the privilege, visit religiously, in order to socialise with the expected weekly church goers, helping to sustain and develop the congregation, but more specifically to help the Church and its directors, financial upkeep of the building and its staff.   This  Church however does help the individual in some useful ways, as it does fill a void in humans need to be filled by worship a deity, it gives them a network of likeminded people and it does help them if they maintain regular attendance and payment of the required Tithes, to move up, both in the Church, socially and sometimes even politically.

This concludes The Yahshuah Temple analysis of the difference between a Temple and and Church.