Why Church???
I am, and always have been, a big advocate of the local church. It’s a vehicle God uses to do much of His work in local communities. The Bible speaks many times about the fact that we are subject to the authority placed in our lives. Whether it be church pastors and elders, local Government or beyond, sometimes we may struggle with that, but the Bible is quite clear that we are subject to authority, including church.
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TODAY, WE’RE ASKING AND, HOPEFULLY, GIVING HELPFUL ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION, “WHY CHURCH?”
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In the book of Philippians, Paul provides much insight into different kinds of relationships and situations. A church is an assembly of believers; it’s not a building or a place or a time, but it’s an assembly of believers. Today, we are asking and giving hopefully helpful answers to the question, “why church?”
-Why Church?
Philippians 1:1-11 says,
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God for every reminder of you. 4 In every prayer of mine for you all, I have always made requests with joy, 5 due to your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonments and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, you all are fellow partakers of my grace. 8 For God is my witness, how I long after you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all discernment, 10 that you may approve things that are excellent so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.
The book of Philippians helps us better understand our day-to-day interactions with each other and the world around us. Throughout the book, joy is a common theme. Paul, the author, strangely enough, is writing from a prison cell. So as a side note, that should answer any question about the relationship between joy and circumstances… there isn’t one.
Circumstances don't dictate joy. When you put people under pressure, who they are tends to come to the surface. Some people step up in difficult circumstances and try to help; others tend to worsen things. It’s difficult for us to hide who we are under pressure. In Paul’s case, while he is sitting in a prison cell, his joy and love for the local church come to the surface.
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WHEN YOU PUT PEOPLE UNDER PRESSURE, WHO THEY ARE TENDS TO COME TO THE SURFACE.
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Throughout history and today, the popularity of religion and spirituality, particularly Christianity, comes and goes. And there are many people who don’t like it. Let’s be honest about it, not all that dislike is unfounded. And there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that; it’s good to do so. Churches have always had problems. Churches have always struggled with living God’s way. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” He doesn’t understand that Jesus, Christians, and Church are a package deal. If you love one, you love all three; they are inseparable. It's a package deal.
Churches are made up of imperfect people, but they are people loved by God and saved by His grace. However, a church itself, when assembled together, is often disjointed, dysfunctional, and challenging. That's the reality. I've heard various perceptions of church, including some about the church I pastor. Church has its problems, and we all have work to do, but many have a misguided perception of what church is and what it's about.
So, why do people who become Christians choose to be part of a church? Why don't we go about our business and operate independently?
It might seem easier to read your Bible, do your own thing, and avoid the complexities of church. Actually, some believers do attempt to function independently of the church. Sometimes it may appear that church overly complicates things. In episode #98 of the PC Speaking podcast, we ask and answer the question: Why church? Why did God establish the institution of the local church? Why does it matter? What is its purpose?
Some might answer fellowship or kids' programs, but what if we remove those things? What is church truly about? What is a church for?
People have different views on church, but God instituted the local church for you and me, probably not for the reasons we tend to think. Why are we part of a church? What does church do for us? What do we do for the church? Why does it even exist? God created the institution of the local church to provide help as we live life as Christians. The answers to the question "Why church?" are found within church.
Why Church? - Identity
Verse 1 says: "Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons." The first answer to the question "Why church?" is that it gives us an identity.
Paul writes, "To all the saints." A seminary professor once told my class, "You are a saint; you just need to start acting like it." It seemed funny at the time, but it's true.
All believers are saints. The word "saint" means holy ones or those who have been set apart. It's not about behaviour or accomplishments; it's about identifying with what has been done for us through the Gospel. If you know Jesus as your savior, God has set you apart as a saint or a holy one, not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus has done for you.
Sainthood is not achieved through good deeds; rather, God has set His people apart as saints. It's a term that signifies the position in which God has placed us. The world may not be interested, but we recognise that identity within the church context.
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IF OUR IDENTITY AS A SAINT WERE BASED ON BEHAVIOUR, WE WOULD BE CALLED MANY THINGS, NONE OF WHICH WOULD BE A SAINT.
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Let's be frank; if our identity as a saint were based on behaviour, we would be called many things, none of which would be a saint. Some saints are nice, while others are not so nice. Some saints do a lot of good things, while others do not. "Sinner" and "saint" refer to positions, not behaviour. Sinners and saints do both good and evil things, but the difference lies in their relationship with Jesus.
Paul tells us in verse one how we know this: "To all the saints in Christ Jesus." Saints are holy and set apart because of their relationship with Jesus. If you don't have that relationship, you don't have the identity, and you don't have church.
Remember, Jesus, church, and Christians are a package deal. Even though we are identified as saints, we are still flawed and broken as church people. We will not be perfect until we are in heaven with Jesus.
The church is full of problems and people with a sordid past, including myself. However, despite all the shortcomings and defects of church people, Paul still identifies church people as saints—people set apart as holy by God's grace and unconditional love.
Why Church? - Transformation
We are all in different places in our walk with God and going through the lifelong process of sanctification, which is where spiritual growth happens. It involves gaining knowledge, wisdom, and experience. However, growth also encompasses the larger concept of transformation.
In Romans 12:2, the Bible talks about transformation, urging us not to conform to the world but to be transformed by renewing our minds. In Philippians 1:6, Paul writes, "I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." This verse emphasises that God is at work in us and will complete what He starts. In verse 9, Paul prays for love to abound more and more in knowledge and discernment, showing that part of what God is working on in our lives is helping us love others more. This process of transformation and growth doesn't happen in isolation or individually; it takes place within our church community.
Therefore, church plays a significant role in our transformation.
Transformation and growth aren't always about adding or gaining things; sometimes, they involve removing things. Hebrews 12:1 advises us to lay aside every weight and sin that easily entangles us, enabling us to run the race before us with endurance.
Growth often means removing things that don't belong, similar to Michelangelo's approach to sculpting. Just as Michelangelo chiselled away the superfluous material from a block of marble to reveal the sculpture within, God uses church to remove parts of us that don't belong in us.
Church helps bring to light idols and errors in our beliefs, which can be challenging to accept. It's common for people to love and support their church until it reveals a blind spot in their faith or contradicts their personal narrative. Instead of recognising the need for personal change, they become angry and blame the church or someone within it.
Some saints worship their comfort, preferences, and pride as idols, placing them above all else. They go to great lengths to protect these idols, twisting scripture out of context, fighting against authority, and claiming God to be on their side.
However, God is not on anyone's side but His own. It's time for such "saints" to grow up and align themselves with God's side.
When church exposes our idols and errors, it can be difficult to accept. We can either allow God to work with His hammer and chisel or fight against Him and run away.
The book of James tells us we should count it all joy when things are difficult because God is working on us. Although we may not necessarily like everyone in our church or everything about it, our church serves as God's tool to transform us into whom He wants us to be.
A block of marble can't get up and walk away, but people can stay or leave. Like in a marriage, enduring difficulties allows for transformation and growth. There are times when church requires endurance and faithfulness, even when we feel uncomfortable.
Complaining seems a common pastime, but life is inherently hard, just like a hammer and chisel are hard and sharp. However, enduring and remaining faithful leads to change, transformation, and growth. But if you don't endure and remain faithful, you won't be changed, you won't be transformed, and you won't grow.
Paul describes what should happen in verse 11, "being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God." Through all of the friction and irritation, hammering and chiselling, and even being annoyed with each other, God produces the fruit of righteousness—things like love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Is that what is happening to you?
The things you find difficult with church are the same things God uses to transform you, to remove the parts that don't belong. God doesn't just work individually; sometimes, He works on an entire church and removes parts that don't belong.
And that's a good thing.
Why Church - Purpose
Which leads me to our final answer today to the question why church? So far we have identity, transformation, and finally purpose.
Church makes us part of something larger than ourselves. Verse 5 says, "due to your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." You see, the fellowship that believers share is not because they are great people. It's more than a social connection. It's more than lunch on Sunday. It's more than just hanging out and having a chat. It's sharing in our common reconciliation to the right relationship with God. It is sharing in being a saint.
In our world, everything is out of place. Our world is broken. There is poverty, death, rebellion, and evil everywhere. But for those identified as saints, it is not the world but our relationship with God that informs everything we do and say.
Church gives us purpose. We glorify God together, showing His purpose in our life. We live the Gospel in word and deed. We learn and live that purpose through church.
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BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM.
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The local church is the vehicle God uses to reach the world. But we are often so wrapped up in the world, the news, conspiracy theories, and all that garbage that we forget our purpose of serving God. Church is the solution. Be part of the solution, not the problem.
Live the Gospel in word and deed. Live knowing that you are identified as a saint, as part of a group of saints set apart by God. A group of people being transformed and entrusted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Take some time and pray, "Lord, please use my flaws and failures and the ones of those around me to transform me into more of whom you want me to be.”
There are plenty of answers to the question, “why church?” What are some of yours?
Now, go to church.
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