More From Jon C. Goeringer

In the late 1970s, my wife and I were traveling and stopped at an old Roman Catholic church in Carson City, Nevada. I was walking around inside the church, watching children lighting some candles. I heard a still small voice say, “Jon, are you comfortable? You will always be comfortable in my house.”  I wondered, Who said that? Was that God, or did I just imagine that? Is the church God’s house? I believe it is, because of what we see in John 1:1-12 about how Jesus came into the world. Luke 21:25-36 tells us that Jesus will invite us to him, to be born of the Spirit and participate in the eternity of God. In Revelation 19:11-16, we read about a white horse — its rider faithful and true. He wears a white robe dipped in blood. The armies of heaven, also wearing white linen, follow on white horses. I believe that the leader in this scene is Jesus Christ, and his followers represent the Church. I believe that the bloody robe Jesus is wearing is his blood that he sacrificed on the Cross for all of us.  

I do see the Church as the house of God. And yes, I am comfortable and I enjoy our worship every Sunday and during special occasions. I used to think that God was the Old Testament and Jesus was the New Testament. But I had not read it carefully enough. John 1:1-5 and Genesis 1:1–2:4 tell us that those two are the Father and the Son, and nothing was created without both. The still small voice that I heard in the church in Carson City, Nevada, may or may not have been God talking to me. But if not, it sure has changed my opinion of the Church that makes me comfortable.