Can We Get Along Just as Well Without It?

by David Gibson

What if God gave us a choice of plans of salvation? Option A is the church plan. Option B is the non-church plan. In other words, if you want to be a part of the church, fine, but if you’d rather get to heaven without the church, that’s OK too!

So what is the church?

But what does the New Testament say? “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body ...” (I Corinthians 12:13 NASB). The body is the church, and the church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:12; Colossians 1:18, 24). The body is not a union in name only, but a practical, functioning fellowship (Ephesians 4:15-16). This means people worshiping and working together for a common cause and mutual encouragement.

What is the church worth?

Just how important is the church? “... Christ also is head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body ... Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:23, 25). It is “the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

Being a part of the church is both easier and harder.

It is more challenging because we must work with others who may come from a very different background and who might not be easy to deal with. It is harder in that we have an obligation to help one another (Galatians 6:10).

However, being a part of the church is easier than trying to make it alone. The encouragement we receive is invaluable, especially in times of illness or loss. Being a functioning part of the church helps keep us from becoming self-centered (Philippians 2:1-4). It enables us to accomplish far more for the Lord than we could possibly do on our own, as our talents and resources are combined and coordinated under the direction of our elders.

And what is the church worth to you?