The Importance of the Church

By Nathan House

 

How many times have we heard people question the importance or value of the church? There is this misconception in the Christian community, and at times even in the church itself, that the church is just a place to go. That it is of little significance in God’s plan. We will look at two Scriptures that demonstrate why the church, is in fact, of great and eternal importance.

In Ephesians 3:10 Paul wrote, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” The church is important because it was in God’s plan to demonstrate to beings in heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God through the church. How significant is the church, if it is to play a role in demonstrating the greatness of God’s wisdom? Should any who claim to love God not want to be a part of this privilege?

In Ephesians 5:25 Paul goes on to say that Christ “loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Two points are worth mentioning here: first, Christ “loved” the church. The second point from this passage adds depth to Paul’s statement. He loved Her so much that He “gave himself up for her.” If the goal of a Christian is to be “Christlike,” then should the Christian love the church? If you love the church, should you desire to spend time in it? Should we love the things Christ loved? If Christ loved the church so much He gave himself up for Her, certainly that demonstrates that the Church was, in the mind of Christ, something of great significance, importance and value.

Is the Church important? Yes, so much so that it was through the church that God was going to display His wisdom, and it was for Her that Christ gave himself up.

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