Why do we have the Church?
The “Church” and the “gospel” are technically two separate things.
And we need BOTH.
While we can love belonging to the Church, we have to become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But I also believe that while we can become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, we also must fully participate in, embrace, and even love the Church.
Moroni reflected on these questions at the end of his life.
He said that after being baptized, “. . . the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.” (Moroni 6:5)
He also mentions teaching each other the scriptures, taking the sacrament, and getting rid of all iniquity.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is what it’s all about.
But we wouldn’t have this gospel in its fullness without the Church.
I love the Church.
I love that we can coordinate to serve and respond to disasters better.
I love that we can build temples and perform temple work.
I love that we can send out missionaries.
I love that we can make covenants with God and build holy temples.
What else would you add to the list of why you love the Church?
Of course, dealing with mortal humans with pride, weaknesses, sins, egos, and misunderstandings can make things very (very very) tough.
Separating the gospel of Jesus and the Church can often be helpful in rooting our love and commitment to the Savior above all else.
Loving God, Jesus, and Their gospel of truth is absolutely essential.
But administering the gospel in its fullness through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a beautiful and absolutely essential element, too.
“One cannot fully achieve [the doctrine of Christ] in isolation, so a major reason the Lord has a church is to create a community of Saints that will sustain one another”. – D. Todd Christofferson
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
