church relationship are exalted above the personal relationship of
the individual with his God, many teachers now incline to an
opposite extreme, which makes little of the church as an institution,
substituting therefor a sort of "loyalty to Christ," _individualism_,
subversive of true New Testament standards.

[Sidenote: The true church Scripturally important]

The church is not to be exalted above the Christ, nor is it a
substitute for the Christ; but in the light of New Testament teaching
we must regard the true church as _the_ instrument--the divinely
appointed instrument used by the Holy Spirit in carrying forward the
work of Christ on earth. Jesus himself said, "Upon this rock I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"
(Matt. 16:18). At a later time we read, "And the Lord added to the
church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47).

If Paul were living today, he also might despise the "church" idea in
its narrow sectarian sense. But from the apostle's words, it is very
evident that he regarded the church as it existed in his day as an
institution crowned with glory and honor, the concrete expression
of Christ and his truth. "_God hath set some_ IN THE CHURCH, first
apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues"
(1 Cor. 12:28). "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the _edifying of the
body of Christ_; till we all come in the unity of the faith ... that
we ... may _grow up into him in all things_, which is the head, [of
the body, _the church_, Col. 1:18] even Christ" (Eph. 4:11-15).