(For this article Church with an upper case C refers to the
universal Church, the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ, church with a
lower case c refers to the local church fellowship or community.)
I was listening to a podcast by Ger Jones of Vintage Church in L.A. and he talked about how he had heard people say that they loved Jesus but did not care for Church. He went on to say how wrong this thinking was. I too had heard people say this and at the time just thought it was one of those fad sayings of the contemporary Church. Although I knew it just did not sound right. When I heard Ger speak about it, it got me to thinking. Ger did a great job of teaching on the Church and I got a lot out of it. But I saw that it was just lunacy to think that we could love Jesus and not like His Church. The Church that Jesus called His Bride. (Rev. 19:7 and 21:9; Eph. 5:21-23)
I was listening to a podcast by Ger Jones of Vintage Church in L.A. and he talked about how he had heard people say that they loved Jesus but did not care for Church. He went on to say how wrong this thinking was. I too had heard people say this and at the time just thought it was one of those fad sayings of the contemporary Church. Although I knew it just did not sound right. When I heard Ger speak about it, it got me to thinking. Ger did a great job of teaching on the Church and I got a lot out of it. But I saw that it was just lunacy to think that we could love Jesus and not like His Church. The Church that Jesus called His Bride. (Rev. 19:7 and 21:9; Eph. 5:21-23)
I thought how I would feel if someone told me, "I love
you but don't care much for your wife" or “Hey, let's have lunch but leave
your wife at home." My wife and I are joined by Christ and cannot be
separated by man. (Gen. 2:23-24) So is Christ and the Church, the Bride
of Christ.
If you are one of these that say you love Jesus but could do
without the Church, I urge you to consider the Marriage Supper of the Lamb,
mentioned in the Bible. (Rev. 19:9) Do you really think you will make it being
just a Jesus lover and not a lover of His Church?
Being in Christ, you are part of the Church. (Rom. 12:5;
1 Cor. 10:17 and 12:12; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 4:4-6) It is your part to join
with the Body of Christ and become the Bride without spot or wrinkle.
I have told many people through the years who have told me
they could not find a church they could feel comfortable with and I told them
that they did not need to stop looking until they had visited every church in
their town. It is foolishness to think that Christ saved someone and did not
place them in the Church as a whole. (Acts 2:47;
5:14; 11:24)
A true lover of Jesus Christ can fit in with any
part of the Bride that the Lord guides them to. He may put you somewhere you
feel uncomfortable in, but you are needed. Seek the Lord and choose to love His
Church. Fellowship with them, pray for them and give thanks for them.
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