Be Ye Doers. . . Of The Word!

Being raised in the church, I never really considered this question. I gave it no more thought than whether or not you need food to survive. The answer has always been obvious to me. My brother-in- law has only been a Christian for about three years. I told him that I was going to write an article about this question. He said, "I can answer that in one word, ‘No.'" While the same answer may be obvious to many, it is not so clear to some.

As a minister, I am constantly talking to people who believe that you can be a Christian without the church. Suddenly, you are called upon to defend something you have always taken for granted. We all know that 2+2=4, but try to prove it to somebody that doubts it. I'm sure that many other Christians have experienced this same dilemma. Never fear, the Bible always has the answer. Any question that can't be answered with scripture isn't worth asking. So, I did what any good Christian would do. I studied my Bible. This article is a result of my study. I hope it is of use to you when you are challenged on this issue.

I need to clarify something right off the bat. When I say "the church," I mean the one and only church that Jesus built. This is an important point. Not just any "church" will do. Only the church that is found in the pages of the New Testament will do. The scriptures I will be referencing are not talking about any man-made denominations. They are all talking about the precious church of Christ.

There are many scriptures that will bear this out. However, this is not the point in question. So, let me just point out a few. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus promised to build only one church. Ephesians 4:4 tells us that there is only one body or church. John 10:16 tells of one fold and one shepherd. Jesus prayed for oneness before He went to the cross. Romans 16:16-17 tells us that division is sinful. 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 condemns the practice of following men and wearing their names. Matthew 15:1-9 condemns the teaching of traditions or creeds of man as the word of God. Many others could be cited, but if these don't convince you, you're probably not being honest with yourself. Check your attitude and go through them again.

Now, on to the question at hand. Can I ba a Christian without the church? I will prove that you can't by disproving that you can. You can be a Christian without the church if, and only if, you can be a Christian without the items to follow. All of the items to follow are only obtainable through the church. If you can be a Christian without them, then you can be a Christian without the church. Keep in mind that if only one of these items is necessary to being a Christian, then you cannot be a Christian without the church.

The Blood of Christ

Acts 20:28 says that Christ purchased the church with His own blood. He didn't purchase any man-made organizations. He only purchased the church. Jesus didn't shed His blood for a worthless or unneeded institution. To say that the church is not necessary is to say that Christ's blood is not necessary. Any attack on the church is an attack on the very blood that bought us. Let's not belittle the soul-saving blood of Christ by belittling the church He bought with it. God is saying that the church was worth the blood of His only Son. How much is it worth to you?

A Savior

Ephesians 5:23 says that Christ is the Savior of His body, the church. He is not the Savior of those outside of His body. If you want to have a savior, you must be part of the church. I don't know of any biblical way to be saved without a Savior. Therefore, I don't know of any biblical way to be saved without the church. God thinks the church is worthy of a Savior. What is it worthy of in your eyes?

Reconciliation to God

Ephesians 2:16 says that we are reconciled to God in the one body, the church. Reconciliation to God is in the church. The only people who don't need reconciliation are those who have never sinned. Romans 6:23 shows us that we have all sinned. God thinks the church should be reconciled to Himself. Are you willing to be reconciled to the church?

Salvation

Acts 2:47 states that God adds us to the church when we are saved. Notice that all who are saved are in the church. If you are not in the church, you can't be saved. God put you in the church because He wanted you there. He wouldn't place you in an unnecessary situation. God thinks we should be in the church. Are you in the church?

The Manifold Wisdom of God

Ephesians 3:10 says that God makes His manifold wisdom known through the church. It is the church's responsibility to carry on the work of the great commission. Show me somebody that believes you can be a Christian without the church, and I'll show you somebody that is not working to fulfill the great commission. Evangelism is to be carried on through the church. It cannot be accomplished apart from the church. God wants evangelism to be through the church. Are you busy evangelizing?

The Pillar and Ground of Truth

1 Timothy 3:15 calls the church the pillar and ground of truth. Show me somebody who is outside of the church, and I'll show you somebody that is not grounded in the truth. The church is the anchor and support for the truth. God thinks that the truth should be supported and anchored. Are you grounded in the truth?

Fellowship

Acts 2:42,46 and Hebrews 10:25 show us the necessity of fellowship. God understands that man is a social creature. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tells of the importance of leaning on one another. Galatians 6:2 tells us to bear one another's burdens. This can only happen in the church. Social interaction is certainly not the primary purpose of the church. However, it is an important one. God thinks we should fellowship with other Christians. Do you fellowship as you should?

There are many other reasons why you can't be a Christian without the church. However, the above list covers some of the more important ones. I counted at least twenty-five items that Christians need and can only be found in the church. Many say, "I can worship at home," or "I'm dedicated to Christ, not His church." The scripture lays bare the fallacy of these type of statements. Let's all love the church that Jesus built as much as He did. He thought it was worth dying for. I can't argue with that.

Reprinted from:
The T N T Journal
Teaching New Testament Ministries
P.O. Box 988
Connersville, IN 47331
(317) 698-2623