What Does the Bible Say About Church?
VBC Albuquerque · Aug 1, 2025
The sermon asserts that the church is not optional but essential for true Christians, arguing that Scripture teaches believers are joined to the body of Christ and cannot obey biblical commands to love and serve one another outside of church fellowship. It emphasizes that rejecting the church contradicts the nature of salvation and Christian obedience.
The sermon opens by identifying the core problem: in an era of casual Christianity, many claim to love Christ while rejecting the church. The preacher poses a direct question whether one can be a true Christian without the church, answering clearly that Scripture does not support this view. He explains that the church is not a building, program, or social club, but the body of Christ as taught in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 2:19.
The second section develops the argument that Scripture is filled with "one another" commands that cannot be obeyed outside the church. These include loving one another, serving one another, forgiving one another, and bearing one another's burdens. The preacher cites Hebrews 10:24-25 to demonstrate that Scripture not only encourages but commands believers not to neglect assembling together. He argues that those who forsake church gathering are not commended but warned, and this is presented as a habit leading to spiritual apathy rather than maturity.
The third section applies the message to modern believers, explaining that when someone leaves the church, they become a law unto themselves without accountability, shepherding, or community protection. The preacher warns that isolated believers become easy targets for Satan, as described in 1 Peter 5:8. He emphasizes that the church is where God's Word is rightly preached, ordinances are faithfully observed, and saints are equipped for ministry work.
The fourth section demonstrates that the church is God's chosen vehicle to display His manifold wisdom to the world, as taught in Ephesians 3:10. The preacher clarifies that while salvation does not come through church attendance, a truly regenerate heart will love what Christ loves, and Christ loved the church and died for it. He concludes by affirming that no one can be a faithful, obedient, mature Christian long-term while rejecting the church.
The fifth section emphasizes that spiritual maturation, sanctification, and protection of believers are accomplished through the church. The preacher shows that from the beginning, believers were never depicted as independent agents but as people knit together in covenant communities where truth is taught, sin is confronted, spiritual gifts are exercised, and Christ's name is glorified. He reminds that God did not merely save individuals but saved a people for Himself, and that people became the body of Christ, the church.