Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Apostle Paul often speaks powerfully about the church that Jesus built. In Ephesians 3:8-13 he says this:

“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,  according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.”

Paul points out that the church was in the eternal purpose of God. The church was the great mystery of God. It was planned by God. Jesus said he would build it (Matthew 16:18). When Jesus died on the cross, He bought the church with His own blood (Acts 20;28). He loved the church and died for it (Ephesians 5:26). He is the Savior of the church, His body (Ephesians 5:23). 

Some will say that they want to be “spiritual” or “religious” but don’t want to be involved with the church. When they say that they are rejecting that institution which is the fulfillment of the mystery of salvation. Through Jesus and His death on the cross God purchased a body to which all that are saved are added. It is His church. 

Christ built the church which is to walk in unity (1 Corinthians 1:10). The church is to continue to assemble on a regular basis (Hebrews 10:25). The church is charged to spread the manifold wisdom of God. There is no Christianity separate from the church that Jesus built. 

We can meet at the cross when we come together in His body, the church.

Dean Kelly is minister at Highland Home Church of Christ.