Made Known Through the Church, 10/12/2008

“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known” (Eph 3:10). Here Paul is stating clearly the reason for the existence of the church. If we say that we need to congregate, we need to come together as a church; then one of the key questions we need to ask is why? We know that a parliament exists to govern the country, a company exists to provide some services, a charitable organization exists to meet some needs.
Why must there be the church? What goal or purpose that the church fulfills that is not met by a government or a club or just any charitable organization? What is the reason for the church’s existence? Why the church?
Ephesians 3 lists the following reasons for the church’s existence:

The church is where we can all approach God with freedom and confidence. We all are heirs together, members together, sharers together of His presence and His blessings in the church.
The church is a showcase of God’s wisdom. It is through the church that the manifold wisdom of God is made known.
The church is where we can experience and comprehend the love of Christ together. The manifold wisdom of God is for all to marvel, the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ is for His people to experience. “We each comprehend a little, together we fathom the unfathomable.”
The church is where there is an outburst of praise and worship to God — may He be glory in the church for ever and ever!