There has been much discussion lately about whether businesses are essential or non-essential. I have been amazed at some of the businesses that have been deemed essential: liquor stores, fast food restaurants, and coffee shops, just to name a few. It appears that each state’s governor has assigned this title to businesses within his state as he sees appropriate. Praise the Lord, I live in a state where the governor has deemed church an essential business! I am aware of some other states, however, where the governor has closed the churches as non-essential businesses and has even gone as far as to ticket people who show up in church parking lots to listen to preaching from their own cars. This type of behavior has led me to this thought that I would like to share: why church is an essential business.
The definition of essential is “absolutely necessary; extremely important.” Now, let us go back to that list of “essential” businesses that I gave earlier: liquor stores, fast food restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Can we honestly say that any of those businesses are absolutely necessary or even extremely important? I know I cannot. Thus, what businesses should be considered essential and why? What businesses are absolutely necessary? I think we all can agree that hospitals, police stations, fire stations, and grocery stores would be at the top of the list of essential businesses because the services they provide are extremely important and, often, absolutely necessary.
For this same reason, church should be considered an essential business; the services provided are extremely important and, more often than not, absolutely necessary. The church is so important that Jesus gave His life for it. (Ephesians 5:25) There is not another institution or business for which Christ gave His life. That alone makes church extremely important and, therefore, essential by definition.
Perhaps that is not enough to convince some. Hospitals are deemed essential because they help restore health to the sick and save lives. The church is a hospital for sinners. It is a place where backsliders can find redemption; where people can learn the steps necessary to live a spiritually healthy life; and where the lost can be saved from the depths of Hell. If a hospital saves a person’s life but that person still dies and goes to Hell, then what good was the hospital’s salvation? Dealing with the eternal health of a soul is absolutely necessary; therefore, by definition, church is essential.
Police stations are deemed essential because they enforce the laws of the land. The church enforces the laws of God. It is the church’s job to make sure God’s people know His laws and to ensure that those laws are kept. As a side note, there is more to God’s laws than just the Ten Commandments. For example, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,… (Hebrews 10:25) This sentence is written in the imperative mood, meaning that it is issuing a command or instruction. It is God’s law that we assemble together. As citizens of Heaven, we are to obey God’s law above all else. It is extremely important that we know and are directed to abide by God’s laws. Therefore, by definition, church is essential.
Fire stations are deemed essential because they help put out fires and rescue people from them. The church is commanded to …Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel… The church must rescue people from the fires of Hell. If the church does not go soulwinning, how many people will burn in Hell for all of eternity? I wrote a previous devotion about being witnessing EMTs for Christ. In most cities, EMTs work out of the fire stations. Without the fire stations, the EMTs and firemen could not be sent out, and people would perish. This would be a tragedy. However, the greater tragedy would be a world without the church! There are souls who would spend eternity in the torments of Hell’s never-ending fire. Salvation is absolutely necessary; therefore, by definition, church is essential.
Grocery stores are deemed essential because they provide the food necessary for people to survive. The church also provides necessary food. Job said that the Word of God was more valuable than his necessary food. (Job 23:12) Jesus said, …Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4) It is true that we can read the Word of God on our own, but it is hearing God’s Word that causes our faith to increase. (Romans 10:17) Because we hear the Word of God in church, that is where our faith has the ability and opportunity to increase. Without natural food, we will die. How much more important is the nourishment received from the Word of God! Man cannot be saved aside from the Word of God. Our very salvation is dependent upon hearing God’s Word. Our spiritual growth is also dependent upon hearing God’s Word. That seems at bare minimum extremely important, if not absolutely necessary; therefore, by definition, church is essential.
I hope that this little article has helped each reader to see why church is an essential business. Its doors need to remain open because the services it provides are extremely important and, more often than not, absolutely necessary! Church is a most essential business!
by Crystal Collingsworth
Amen! What a stirring devotion! Thank you, Crystal, for sharing this!