Bible Reading: 1 Kings 1, 2; Luke 19:25-48.
“Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.” – Luke 19:46 (KJVS).
The church is a place where Christians and potential Christians come to pray to God. It is a place where worshippers come to praise their God, thank him for what had been done for them and make a request for help either for themselves or others. It is definitely not a place for selling and buying of items. Whether you are very reasonable in determining your price or quite exploitative (then qualifies as a thief) in pricing, you are not expected to take your items of sale to the church. That is why the Lord Jesus said in Luke 19:46 (KJVS), “Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
The scripture further says in Luke 12:34 (KJVS), “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Thus buyers and sellers alike will focus their attention on the wares brought to the church instead of God. Our God is a jealous God and does not want anything or anyone to compete with him. That is why Jesus reiterated it in Mark 12:30 (KJVS), “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” How can you be selling your wares in the same church where you have gone to pray to God and you will give Him your full attention? It is not possible! This is also explicitly stated in Matthew 6:24 (KJVS), “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” This is why you should focus your attention on God.
These days, though some people still take their wares to church for sale, it is not so common. However people go with other motives such as dressing to outclass others or dressing to purposely expose some parts of their body that will attract the opposite sex such as woman’s breast or man’s hairy chest or wearing very tight dress that will expose the contours of your body. In some other cases people go to church to show off their wealth or beauty or for business discussions. In all cases, your intention matters. Why are you going to church? If it is anything other than to serve God, you need to repent and ask for mercy while forsaking such acts.
Action Point: Make sure you do not go to church for any other purpose other than to fellowship with God.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero