Do Believers Need the Church?

The preacher begins by refuting the current perception among many believers, especially young people, that one only needs a personal relationship with God and Scripture without the Church. With tools like livestream, podcast, and zoom, many believers think the Church is unnecessary. However, this view completely contradicts what Scripture teaches about the Church. The central question is: Do believers in Christ need the Church? The answer according to Scripture is: yes, they must need the Church.

The preacher develops the theological argument through Jesus' commandment: "You must love one another" (John 13:34-35), repeated three times in John 13 and 15. The word "one another" implies there must be more than one person, so love cannot be fulfilled if a believer is alone. The preacher explains that because God has a Trinity, God is love because from eternity the three persons love one another. Jesus Himself was the first in Scripture to use the word "Church" when speaking to Peter, saying He would build His Church, and the gates of Hades would not overcome it (Matthew 16:18).

The preacher applies the message to the Church's role in discipline and mission. Jesus taught about the Church's role in judging when there is discord among believers (Matthew 18:15-17). Jesus not only died to save human sins but also died to purchase His Church (Acts 20:28). Paul, who wrote 13 epistles, wrote only 4 to individuals but 9 to churches, and even in the letters to Timothy and Titus, he still instructed them on how to shepherd the Church. The book of Revelation uses the word Church at least 20 times and contains 7 letters written by Jesus Himself to 7 churches in Asia Minor.

Scripture teaches the Church is the body, Christ is the head, and each believer is a part of the body. A member separated from the body will die. Jesus taught: "I am the true vine, you are the branches." Branches must remain united with the vine to live, and the spiritual blessings God gives are meant for believers to participate in the Church, together with other believers to bring the Gospel to those who do not know God everywhere and to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. Believers can only mature and be transformed by the Holy Spirit to become new in Christ when they participate in the Church.

The preacher addresses common objections by reminding that the Church is not a museum displaying perfectly virtuous people, but a hospital for sinners, and Jesus Himself is the great physician who will heal the sick. Even knowing the Church has many hypocrites, Scripture still teaches: "Do not forsake gathering together" (Hebrews 10:25). The early Church from Acts 2:42, 46 is described as believers devoted to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, praising God with joy and sincerity.

Through His death on the cross, Jesus broke down the wall of hostility that separated Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14-16). This wall of hostility was the Law with its commandments and regulations, and Jesus abolished (made ineffective) this Law so that from two peoples He could create one new people in Himself. Three important lessons are drawn: first, unity in the Church is crucial because Jesus sacrificed to create peace; second, we should not use the gifts God gave to build walls separating us from fellow believers in the Church; third, believers should not cause division in the Church because doing so is an affront to Jesus Himself and His work of redemption. Walls of separation have harmful consequences: preventing those who do not know God from coming to the Church, preventing the growth of God's children, and preventing those who want to serve God. The preacher prays that God would help the Church preserve the unity that Jesus purchased with His own blood, and learn to follow Jesus' example to break down these harmful walls.