What Now? Day 5 “Do I believe I really need the church?
Do I really believe I need the church?
There are a lot of opinions floating out there about whether or not someone can “love Jesus” and not “like the church.” The problem with that idea is that it strikes against the whole idea of the Gospel itself. From the garden of Eden, it has been God’s plan to have a people for Himself. That’s right…a people (plural), not autonomous individuals. The Greek word used in the New Testament for church is “ekklesia” which means “call out ones” or “assembly.” The idea is simple. The Gospel is about calling out a people for God’s own possession.
1 Peter 2:9-10 may give the clearest defense of this truth:
“You (plural) are a chosen race (plural), a royal priesthood (plural), a people (plural) for His own possession, that you (plural) may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you (plural) out of darkness into His glorious light. Once you (plural) were not a people (plural) but now you (plural) are God’s people (plural). Once you (plural) had not received mercy, now you (plural) have received mercy.”
So it is impossible to separate God’s work of salvation and his gracious love from the body of Christ…the church.
Not only do we error when we dislike the church but the Bible makes it clear we NEED the church.
Consider how many times the New Testament uses the phrase “one another.” To be exact, “one another” is used 93 times in the Epistles alone, not counting the 4 Gospels and Acts! Here are few:
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” – Hebrews 3:13
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. – 1 John 1:7
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 1 John 3:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:11-12
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” – 1 Peter 4:10
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5
In the end, it is simply impossible to ignore the importance of the church when the Bible puts so much weight on it. The church is THE expression and display of the Gospel to the world!
Here are 2 videos that I have found that also help get a bigger picture of what it means to be the church. Enjoy!
