By Dr. Jack Cottrell
THE ISSUE: Is church necessary? Do we need to be a part of a local congregation in order to live a Christian life and be pleasing to God? In a previous note I answered this question with a firm YES, from the perspective of the Biblical teaching that God’s people are compared to a flock of sheep who especially need shepherds. Here I will continue to show that church membership is not optional but is in fact NECESSARY, by presenting a series of interlocking propositions.
THE ARGUMENT: All of the following propositions are based on specific Biblical teaching. If we want to be truly obedient to God’s Word, then we must be a part of His church.
The first proposition is this: You cannot live as a genuine human being without HONORING GOD. This is part of what it means to be a human being, and not just an animal. Only human beings are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-28closeGenesis 1:26-28
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)
closeGenesis 1:26-28closeGenesis 1:26-28
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)
), and thus have the ABILITY to honor their Creator. True, the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1closePsalm 19:1
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (ESV)
closePsalm 19:1closePsalm 19:1
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (ESV)
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (ESV)
), but not consciously. All created beings are a testimony to the power and majesty of God (Rom. 1:20closeRomans 1:20
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and spanine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (ESV)
closeRomans 1:20closeRomans 1:20
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and spanine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (ESV)
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and spanine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (ESV)
), but only human beings have a conscious knowledge of God as their Creator and a personal ability to “honor Him as God” and “give thanks” (Rom. 1:21closeRomans 1:21
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (ESV)
closeRomans 1:21closeRomans 1:21
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (ESV)
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (ESV)
).
This is the main thing that makes us different from animals. I have seen animals in church services. I preached in an outdoor service in the Yucatan Peninsula, where chickens hunted bugs in the aisles and under the benches of the worshipers. Dr. David Grubbs tells of preaching for an outdoor service near a river in Africa, where there were 173 in attendance: 170 people and 3 hippos. I think I can safely say that the chickens and the hippos were not there to worship God! I have also seen animals voraciously enjoy the bountiful food provided by God for their sustenance. Bees and hummingbirds take nectar from flowers, and dogs gobble down pieces of meat or cheese. But only human beings know what James 1:17closeJames 1:17 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (ESV) closeJames 1:17closeJames 1:17 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (ESV) 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (ESV) means, and only human beings pause to say “Thank you, God,” before eating.
The point is that when we do not honor God, we are putting ourselves on the same level as animals. Thus to truly live as human beings, we MUST honor God. “In all your ways, acknowledge Him” (Prov. 3:6closeProverbs 3:6
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (ESV)
closeProverbs 3:6closeProverbs 3:6
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (ESV)
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (ESV)
). “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6closeHebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)
closeHebrews 11:6closeHebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)
).
The second proposition is this: You cannot truly honor God without HONORING JESUS CHRIST. Many people give great honor to false gods, which is idolatry. Many people who know a little bit about the Bible and about Christianity give allegiance to some “higher power” or to “the man upstairs,” and think this is all they need. The problem is that the true God, the God of the Bible, is specifically the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot honor the true God without also honoring his Son, Jesus. God has so testified: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; hear Him!” (Matt. 17:5). We can come to God ONLY through Jesus. Jesus says, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. . . . I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:1, 6closeJohn 14:1 I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:6 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV) closeJohn 14:1closeJohn 14:1 I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (ESV) I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:6closeJohn 14:6 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV) ). Most significantly, Jesus says, “For not even the Father judges any one, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:22-23closeJohn 5:22-23 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. (ESV) closeJohn 5:22-23closeJohn 5:22-23 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. (ESV) 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. (ESV) ). See 1 Tim. 2:5close1 Timothy 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) close1 Timothy 2:5close1 Timothy 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (ESV) .
Saving faith is not just a general faith in a divine being, but is faith in the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. The only God we really know is the God of the Bible, the God who is inseparable from Jesus. If you say you can honor God without honoring Jesus, what “god” is that? Where did you get your information about him? Any such deity is an idol, a human invention, in which there is no salvation.
The third proposition is this: You cannot truly honor Jesus Christ without BELONGING TO HIS CHURCH. Here we get to the heart of the present issue, i.e., the idea that we can honor God, and even honor Jesus Christ, without being a part of “the church.” Many will say, “I can believe in Jesus and be a disciple of Jesus without all that church stuff.” But here again we must ask, what “Jesus” is that? Where did you get your information about him? The only real Jesus is the Jesus of the Bible, and the Jesus of the Bible is inseparable from his CHURCH. The real Jesus has said, “Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it” (Matt. 16:18). The real Jesus is “the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23closeEphesians 5:23 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (ESV) closeEphesians 5:23closeEphesians 5:23 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (ESV) 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (ESV) ). The church is the object of Christ’s love; he “gave Himself up for her,” i.e., for the church (Eph. 5:25closeEphesians 5:25 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (ESV) closeEphesians 5:25closeEphesians 5:25 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (ESV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (ESV) ). The church is what “He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28closeActs 20:28 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (ESV) closeActs 20:28closeActs 20:28 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (ESV) 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (ESV) ). Thus only those who are a part of HIS CHURCH are under Christ’s headship and are saved by his blood.
Note that I have said here that we cannot truly honor Jesus without belonging to HIS church. Some “churches” use that word as a deliberate parody of the church of the Bible. I saw an ad in a newspaper for “The North Texas Church of Freethought: A Fellowship of Unbelievers.” In another paper I saw an article about the “First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church.” Madelyn Murray O’Hare started “Poor Richard’s Church.” Other groups even within Christendom use the name “church” in a sincere effort to follow Jesus, but their faith and practice deviate from the pattern of the true church found in the New Testament. If you want to truly honor Jesus, you must be a part of a local congregation that is true to the NT teaching in the closest possible way. It is not true that “one church is as good as another.”
In summary: You cannot live as a genuine human being without honoring God; you cannot honor God without also honoring Jesus Christ; and you cannot honor Jesus Christ without belonging to His church.
For more information about and from Dr. Jack Cottrell, please visit College Press for his published works or his store front at Cincinnati Christian University.
