Why I Love the Church

I love the church because the church is being built by the Lord himself. the immutable, sovereign, faithful, omnipotent Lord of heaven. has spoken about building the church in no less than extremely triumphant words. He said, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. Welcome to Grace to You with the Bible teaching of John MacArthur.

I'm your host, Phil Johnson. If you ask a handful of church leaders why people love being a part of their congregations, you'd probably hear answers like great music, friendly people, an enjoyable atmosphere, and it's fair to say those are the chief selling points for many churches today. That's the reason they think you love to attend church each week.

Well, you no doubt enjoy good music and appreciate encouraging people who don't. But are those the main reasons to love a local church? Frankly, the Bible gives much more important reasons to love a faithful church. John MacArthur looks at those reasons today on Grace to You in a message called Why I Love the Church. And now with the lesson, here's John.

I love the church. I confess to that. I am an inveterate and incurable lover of the church. It thrills me beyond anything and everything to serve the church. It is the supreme joy of my life to labor for the church.

To spend my years on behalf of the church, I wouldn't trade. for anything. And there are some reasons why that is true, and I will share a few of those with you, and we'll look at some texts to undergird them. First of all, I love the church because the church is being built by the Lord himself. The immutable, sovereign, faithful, omnipotent Lord of heaven.

Whose word can't return void, but always accomplishes what he says, whose purpose always comes to pass, whose will is always fulfilled ultimately, whose plan is invincible and unshakable, has spoken about building the church in no less than extremely triumphant words. In Matthew chapter 16 and verse 18, he said, I will build my church. and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. He who knows his sheep. Whose names he wrote down before the foundation of the world.

He, will build his church. The gates of Hades, simply a Jewish expression for death. If Hades is the place of the dead, Then the gate to Hades is what ushers you into that, just a simple picture of death. The most powerful weapon of Satan is the gates of Hades. We were reminded in Hebrews chapter 2 that he holds the power of death and by it keeps men in bondage all their lifetime.

But even the power of death cannot prevent the Lord from building the church. It is the strongest weapon that Satan wields under the sovereignty of God, and it cannot touch. The church, the church will be built. It is his church. I will build.

My church. I love the church. Because the Lord is building it himself. It's his. And it's enough for me, frankly.

To just be a part of it. Small church, big church, medium-sized church, happy church, sad church. It's just enough to be a part of it. I feel like Paul in 2 Corinthians 2, you know, where he was so sad in that letter, but he says, God always causes us to triumph in Christ. It's enough to march in the triumph, he says.

It's enough to be in a parade, folks. I mean, it's enough to wear the uniform. That's all. I don't care. And frankly, The end is already determined.

I'm just privileged to be marching with the troops. It's enough. What do I need beyond that?

Well, second reason. That I love the church is because the church is the Lord's most precious. Reality on Earth. The most precious reality on earth.

So how do you know that? Because it It demanded the highest price, right? For you redeem not with corruptible things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood. Of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 1:18 and 19.

Acts 20, 28, purchased with his blood. 1 Corinthians 6, 19 and 20, bought with a price. How precious is the church?

Well, precious, so precious that the son was willing to come to die in obedience to the father so the love gift could become a reality. One verse. Really?

Well, two verses really say it all. Go to 2 Corinthians.

Well just comment on one and then I'll look at the other one more important. 2 Corinthians 8.9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, What does that mean? It means uh He was rich as God is rich. Not talking about earthly riches, not talking about material things.

When it says he was rich, it means he was as rich as God is rich. He was rich in his pre-incarnate glory. Yet, for your sake, he became poor. That does not mean. Earthly poverty.

any more than it meant earthly riches. He went from sovereign supernatural Deity. With all the richness. To humbling himself, becoming a man. It's the poverty of being human, not the Not the idea of the fact that he was poor economically.

You certainly do understand, don't you, that the economics of Jesus had nothing to do with redemption. It wouldn't have mattered whether he was the poorest man in town or the richest when it comes to redemption. His economic status played no part. It was. the poverty that he experienced.

in the sense that he was Divested of all the prerogatives of deity that were set aside in his incarnation and went all the way to the agony of the cross. And said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? That's poverty. And that's the kind of poverty viewed here.

So, when you talk about the fact that the church is precious, the value of the church is seen here in the price that was paid when the one who was as rich as God in fullness of glory is rich, who became as poor as poor can be when one is alienated from God. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And he did it that you through his poverty might become rich. How rich? As rich as God is rich, because you become a joint what?

Joint air. It's absolutely incredible verse. An absolutely incredible verse. The gospel, the incarnation, the condescension of Christ for the purpose of redeeming the Father's elect, the Father's elect love gifts to Him. It had nothing to do with his economic condition, and everything to do with the fact that he came all the way down to being alienated from the God.

He loved. Frankly, the gospel can be no more equated with the financial poverty of Jesus than it can be equated with his pain on the cross. Such matters may tug at the heart of human emotion and elicit sympathy, but they have nothing to do with salvation. He became poor not by giving up Earth's riches. but by giving up heavens.

So that you might gain them. In 2 Corinthians 5, 21, it is stated as explicitly as it can be stated. What the work of Christ was. 2 Corinthians 5:21, you ask, how poor? What is this poverty that he endured?

Terrible, terrible condescension. He made him who knew no sin.

Now, there's only one person who qualifies there. Jesus, so that's not hard to interpret. God Made Jesus. The sinless one, the one who knew no sin. to be sin.

On our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. That's how poor He became. God to fulfill the plan took the one who knew no sin. and made him Since on our behalf. That we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This is so. This is the doctrine of imputation. See if I can't tell you ever so briefly what it's saying here. In what way did God make Jesus sin?

Well Some Modern charismatic False teachers say that on the cross Jesus He became a sinner and he had to go to hell for three days to pay the penalty for his sins. That is blasphemy. On the cross, Jesus did not become a sinner. He was not guilty of any sin. Ever.

Not even when he was dying on the cross. He committed no sin ever. When he hung on the cross, he was absolutely innocent. No sin could be put to his account. He had no capacity to commit any sin.

He did not become a sinner. You say, what happened? Very simply. God treated him As if He had committed. Personally, every sin ever committed by every person who ever believed.

Can you grasp that thought? God treated Jesus Christ on the cross as if He had committed. Every sin. ever committed by every person who ever believed. And God heaped the full fury of a just wrath.

on him as if he were guilty of all of it. When the fact is he was guilty of none of it. But God poured out his fury so that all that sin was sufficiently expiated. and could never be held against Those who believe.

Now, that's the first half of imputation. But there's a second half. He treated Jesus, as if he had committed every sin ever committed by every person who would ever believe. And he did it for us in order that we might become what? The righteousness of God.

Are you ready for this? Jesus was not a sinner on the cross. And I'll tell you something else. You're not righteous. You're not righteous.

You're not any more righteous than Jesus was sinful. God treated Jesus as if He was a sinner and he treats you as if you are righteous. He wasn't and you're not. And neither am I. That's imputation.

I'm not righteous. I'm still sinful. I have to say with Paul, oh wretched man that I am. Don't I? Who is going to deliver me from the body of this death?

The things I want to do, I don't do. The things I don't want to do, I do. I'm not righteous. Are you ready for this? But God treats me.

as if possessed. The perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. Is that astonishing?

Well, it is if you know me. Certainly, it is if God knows me. You see, that's the doctrine of imputation. That's what we're talking about here. God treats Jesus.

As if He'd committed all our sins and treats us as if we had only done all His righteousness. That's the price. To fulfill the Father's plan, it had to be so. The sin had to be paid for. And the righteousness had to be given.

One who was not a sinner had to be treated as if he were, and those who are not righteous can be treated as if they are. Why did Jesus come down and endure this? Horrible humiliation. Separation. Why?

It had to be so. to fulfill the Father's plan. I know we think that he did it just for us. No. No, he did it for God.

Some time ago, I preached a message entitled Christ Died for God. We're just the gift gets passed back and forth. Is the church precious? Sure. Because it bears the very righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to it, since its sins have been imputed to him.

It's an incredible reality. That is why Matthew 18 warns us to be careful how we treat each other, doesn't it? Because how you treat another believer, Jesus says, how you treat me. I love the church. I love the church because the Lord is building it Himself.

I love it because it's the most precious thing on earth. Jesus paid the price for His church. This is a precious church. That's why Matthew 18 says: if you cause another Christian to stumble, you'd be better off for the millstone put around your neck and be drowned in the sea, right? Better be careful how you treat these precious people.

Better be careful not to despise the least of these little ones. You better be careful not to cause another believer to stumble. You're. You're touching Christ. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, 1 Corinthians 6, 17.

Well, let me give you a third. I love the church because the church is the only earthly expression of heaven. It is the only earthly expression of heaven. You know, if you based it on some people's church experience, they would think that heaven was some kind of a shallow, flippant place for entertainment. Superficial, clever, indifferent, and man-centered.

Boy, that sounds blasphemous, doesn't it? We pray this prayer all the time. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Will be done. On Earth?

as it is in heaven. Where's that going to happen? In the United States Congress? I don't think so. In the White House?

I don't think so. In the Supreme Court, no. In the university? No. See Haltno.

Where is God's will done on earth as it is in heaven. Only one place. They've got only one place. That's the church.

Now you have to ask the question, what goes on in heaven? If we're heaven comes down, what goes on in heaven?

Well, worship, would you agree? Praise. Adoration, and it all flows to God. It is all directed at God. Read in Revelation chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 19, all around the throne is worship, worship, worship, worship.

The worship of God. Secondly, another thing goes on in heaven, and that's the exaltation of Christ. The exaltation of Christ. He is the adored Son in glory. He sits at the Father's right hand.

You see the Lamb right in the throne, don't you, in Revelation? He is exalted and adored in an unabashed wonder. A third thing that is True about heaven is the presence of absolute purity. Absolute purity. It is a holy place.

You come to the end of the book of Revelation, for example, and it becomes crystal clear that nobody is going to get in there who isn't holy. No unclean thing, no one who practices abomination and lying shall ever come into it. The end of chapter 21. Chapter 22. Outside, verse 15, are dogs and sorcerers and immoral persons and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

You don't get in there. It's the place of purity.

Now, if we want to bring heaven down, what are we all about? I think we're all about the worship of God, the exaltation of Jesus Christ, and the pursuit of holiness. That's what we're all about. And we're so utterly unlike anything on this earth as to be absolutely distinct. Look at Matthew 18.

Just one illustration of this. Matthew 18. 15 talks about dealing with sin on the issue of holiness, and we'll... We'll just look at this and close with one other comment. In Matthew 18, 15, if your brother sins, you go reprove him in private.

If he listens to you, you've won your brother. If he doesn't listen to you, take two or more with you. If he still doesn't listen, verse 17, tell the church. If he still doesn't listen, put him out. Then verse 18.

Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. What is that?

Well, binding and loosing was an old rabbinical expression which was used with regard to dealing with people on the matter of sin and repentance. And when a person was confronted about their sin and they wouldn't repent of their sin and they refused to turn from their sin, then the rabbi would say to them, you're bound in sin. It was simply a declaration of the fact. But if they repented and had remorse, confessed that sin and turned from it, he would say you were loosed from your sin. And in a disciplined situation, that's what you're doing.

Those who repent, you can say you're loosed from your sin. And those who will not repent, you say you're bound in your sin. And when the church says that on earth, it is simply saying here what heaven has already said. Heaven has already rendered that verdict. We bring heaven down.

Never is the church more heavenly than when it is confronting sin. Never. You can't minimize sin in the church and at the same time say, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We literally Act in perfect harmony with heaven. When we deal with sin.

Heaven's already rendering those verdicts. The church then? Is the only earthly expression of heaven? People ought to walk in here and say, I have never experienced anything like this. They shouldn't walk in and say, yeah, I feel comfortable here.

This sounds familiar. That's a pretty groovy deal here. What?

So unlike anything they've ever experienced. has to be shockingly different. This is the closest we get to heaven. Another thing about heaven is fellowship. With the saints, right?

That's what we're all about. Heaven is a place of worship toward God, exaltation of Christ, pursuit of holiness. Sweet. perfect harmonious fellowship. Let the world see that.

So they can really see. The reality. of the power of God. One last comment. Fourthly, the church is the source of truth.

The church is the source of truth. We're the voice of God in the world. I love what Paul says. said to Timothy, the church, 1 Timothy 3, 15. which is the pillar.

and foundation of the truth. If we do anything. We hold up the truth. It ought to be said when people walk into church, they hear the truth. The impressive temple of Diana.

One of the seven wonders of the world was in Ephesus. One of its features was its pillars. It had 127 of them. Each one was a gift from a different king. Everyone was marble.

All was studded with jewels, overlaid with gold. Every pillar was a tribute to the king who gave it and they held up an immense roof. This massive roof was upheld. By these pillars. And as the pillars of the Temple of Diana were testimony to the gross errors of false religion, the church is to be the pillar that holds up the truth.

It is the solemn responsibility of every church to lift up the truth and hold it high. And really with it to smash the ideological fortresses. of Satan's lies. We have a stewardship of truth not to be tampered with, not to be depreciated, not to be misrepresented, not to be abandoned, and not to be altered. It is the sacred saving treasure given to us.

So that the unfolding redemptive plan of God may come to pass.

Some 1.19, the psalmist said, My heart stands in awe of thy word.

So it should be.

Well, let's pray. Lord, it's enough for us just to be... in the Army just to wear the uniform. Just to be so privileged, to march in the triumph. In the victory.

of an invincible church. It's enough. Why should we ever ask for more? Lord, give us a love for your church. This wonderful love gift.

That you're giving to the Son, who in turn will give it back to you. May we love it because it's yours. May we love it because of the price paid by our dear Savior. Who was treated as if he had committed every sin committed by every person who would ever believe, in order that we might be treated as if we committed every righteous deed Christ himself has ever done. Such condescension for such unworthy sinners is beyond our understanding.

But we rejoice. in the preciousness of the church. That you would do this for us. And then, Lord, we thank you.

So much that we can be a taste of heaven on earth. that we can be the only heaven people will see here. Oh, may it be so. May it be that the distinction is so clear. that people feel like they've walked into a place the likes of which they've never known, and wonder.

What transforming reality could create this. May we be committed to the things heaven is committed to. worshiping you Exalting Christ. unashamedly pursuing holiness and sweetly fellowshipping. To that end, we pray, Lord, that you might be glorified in your church, of which you are so worthy.

And we pray in Jesus' precious and wonderful name. Amen. You're listening to Grace to You, the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. The title of today's lesson: Why I Love the Church.

Well, after a lesson like today's, an important topic to consider is church membership. John certainly believed in this biblical concept, but for a lot of Christians it's not the priority that it should be. People will argue that formal membership isn't in the Bible, so we don't have to, and in fact, we shouldn't worry about it today.

Well, we asked John how he would answer that claim. Here's what he said Well, I think there are a number of ways to answer it. First of all, On the day of Pentecost when the church began, The record of the book of Acts is that 3,000 people were basically joined to the church. The church started with 3,000 people. They identified themselves, confessed Christ, and they were baptized that first day.

Somebody was counting.

Somebody was identifying these people. A few chapters later in the book of Acts, another 5,000 men are added to the church. And it says they are added to the church. The number of people was known. The people were known.

They were personally baptized, individually baptized.

So, this is not just a bunch of people showing up somewhere at an event. These are people who professed Christ. These are people who were baptized. By the apostles and whoever else needed to be a part of that to get through 3,000, 5,000. They were known people.

We also know in the New Testament that when believers traveled from place to place, they went with letters from their own church commending them to the church if there was a church in another city. They were commended as members in good standing so that the church could embrace them. And I think another thing is When you read, for example, in the 13th chapter of Hebrews that we are to respond and follow the example of those who are over us in the Lord. And the same thing is said in 1 Thessalonians 5 in different words: We have people who are over us in the Lord. If you understand that a pastor is a shepherd of a flock, that he knows his flock, he knows his sheep.

If you understand that a pastor is also a bishop or an overseer, he has the responsibility to oversee the life and growth and service of the people in his care. You understand that all of this speaks to the issue of knowing your flock, knowing your sheep, and identifying these people. They have professed Christ, they have been baptized, they have been added to the church, they're under the watchful care of pastors and elders and overseers who watch for their souls. And then you add what it says in Hebrews 13 that they have to give an account to God for how they care for your soul.

So respond to them in such a way so they can do it with joy and not with grief. You really understand. that this is committing myself To the care of men who, before the Lord, are responsible for my life. That's essentially what it means to be a member of the church, and it's clearly a biblical concept, a biblical reality. That's right.

And, friend, to help answer your questions about church membership and other questions you might have about the church, let me remind you about John's booklet called Your Local Church and Why It Matters. We'll send you a free copy. All you have to do is ask for it. Request your copy of your local church and why it matters when you contact us today. The number to call is 855 Grace.

You can also request your booklet from our website, gty.org. Your Local Church and Why It Matters looks at how God designed the church and the role He wants it to have in your life. It answers questions like: What is the mission of the church? How can I best serve my local congregation? And how do I grow my love for the church?

This is a great resource for a new believer or for anyone who might not understand what the body of Christ does and how to be a part of it. Again, to get a free copy of your local church and why it matters, go to gty.org or call us weekdays from 7.30 a.m. to 4 o'clock p.m. Pacific Time. at 855 Grace.

That number translates to 800-554-7223.

Now for the entire Grace TU staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Make sure you're here tomorrow when John MacArthur shows you how the love that God has for the church should affect the way you love the people in your congregation. We'll continue John's lesson called Why I Love the Church. With another 30 minutes of Unleashing God's Truth one verse at a time on Grace to You.