Why Should I Love the Church?

As I mentioned in my last post, there was a time when (at my best moments) I tolerated church. There was nothing about the church that I loved. But God called me to change.

I had been thinking of the people around me as hypocrites; in other words, I was proud and sinfully judging those around me, not loving them. I had to ask for the Lord's forgiveness for that. And actually, if you happened to be at the same church as me during that time, would you forgive me for arrogantly judging your heart? I want to publically confess that I was sinning and I am very sorry for that.

The Lord began to convict me of this sin and I started to see more clearly that I had to change. Josh Harris puts it well in his book, "Stop Dating the Church"

"As Christians we're called to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1). We're to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Can there be any question that part of being like Jesus is to love what He loves? Christians often speak of wanting God's heart for the poor or the lost. And these are good desires. But shouldn't we also want God's heart for the Church? If Jesus loves the Church, you and I should, too. It's that simple."

I did not love the church like God was calling me to. Where does scripture tell us that Christ loves the church? One passage is found in Ephesians 5:

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."

According to God's Word, Christ loves the church so much that He gave up His life to redeem us. That is some serious love. Next, I'll share what it looked like practically as God began to grow in my heart a love for the church.