Here's the thing: I follow Jesus as Lord and only Jesus as Lord, and it's the Lord who tells me, in His Word, that He was building His church. Hmm. Where'd it go?
Jesus said if you have a dispute, you should take it to the Church. Which sorta implies you could find it, and it would have the authority to solve disputes.
Paul says the Church of God is the pillar and foundation of the Truth. That makes it kinda Biblically important, doesn't it? He wrote pages and pages on the Church. Was he on the wrong track?
Scripture also says all generations would call Mary "Blessed." I do. Don't you?
So it seems you've set up a false dichotomy: Jesus OR Jesus' Church, Jesus OR Jesus' Mother, and Jesus the Image (ICON) of the invisible God, OR Jesus' Icons.
The Church is described Biblically as Christ's s Body and also as His Bride. Why would you want to, or how could you, split Christ from His Church, or choose one but not the other?
It's not an either/or thing. It's Christ being All in All.
I agree....Scripture does call her blessed....but nothing beyond that.
No He didn’t. He said to take it to the “assembly” that they met locally with. There was no such thing as an organized organization called a “church”.
>>Paul says the Church of God is the pillar and foundation of the Truth.<<
Once again, the word used is “assembly”. Those who are “called out”. The organized “church” is a perversion of that concept. Every believer who has accepted Christ as their only hope is part of that “called out assembly”. That “called out assembly” consists of every true believer regardless of where they “assemble” to worship and study.