Is the church important today?

Does the church serve any purpose in the 21^st century? Ask ten people and you will probably get ten different answers. Quite often people view the church as a corporation, or the authority on religious matters, or even as an establishment that provides people with spiritual entertainment. With so much confusion surrounding the various aspects of the church, it’s vital that we inquire of God’s word before we can truly appreciate the church’s role in our lives. There are three biblical aspects of the church that make it particularly important to each one of us.

The first important aspect of the church is that it was purchased with God’s own blood (Acts 20:28). The best way to determine the worth of an object is to ask someone how much they paid for it. God spent all, “the riches of His grace,” when He paid our debt through the blood of His Son (Ephesians 1:7). The church is important because it is God’s most valuable possession.

The second important aspect of the church is that it is the pillar of truth (1 Tim 3:15). With the current popularity of postmodern ideology, real truth is a rare treasure indeed. It has always been God’s plan that His wisdom would be known by all who look at His church (Ephesians 3:10). The church is important because it acts as God’s chosen advocate for truth.

The third important aspect of the church is that it is the only group going to heaven (Ephesians 5:23). Despite the popular teaching that every good person who has some degree of belief in Jesus will live in eternal bliss, God’s plan is quite different. God may have loved the whole world enough to send His Son (John 3:16), but Jesus’ saving blood only extends to the members of His body. The church is important because it is the only group Jesus came to save.

How important is the church? The church is God’s most valuable possession, it’s the only advocate for real truth, and it will be the only group that goes to heaven. With a clear perspective of how God views the different aspects of His church, we can know its crucial role in our lives.