God's purpose for the Church

 (Renjith Krishnan - FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Ephesians 3:10-11

So if the church is not the building but instead is the people of God, what is God's purpose in the church?  Ephesians 3 (above) tells us His purpose.  God has chosen the church to be the means to communicate to the world the grand mystery and story of Jesus Christ.  Paul tells us that in ages past the profound truth of Christ was a mystery, unknown to many who desired to know, but now - in the time of Paul and up through now (2011) - God shows the world the glory and goodness and love of Christ...in the church.  What a blessing and honor that God has placed upon us. 

Now, pause and think about what the church is often allowed to become - a place where, once (maybe twice) a week we gather to sing some songs and learn some of the Bible.  No, according to Paul's letter to the Ephesians, the church was not created to just learn and exist in a holy huddle, but instead to declare the glory of God.  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14 that when the people of God proclaim the truth of God, the non-believer is likely to say, "God is really among you!" 

CONCLUSION 1 - One of the purposes of the church is to declare the wisdom of God in the mystery of Christ.