IS WORSHIP ATTENDANCE IMPORTANT?“Just because I don’t attend church regularly does not mean that I’m not a good Christian.” I initially heard those words from a “professed” Christian nearly 50 years ago. I have heard it scores of times since. Although I have no idea where it originated, I’m confident that it did not originate with God’s word.
God commands us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The early church frequently assembled to do so – Acts 2:41-42; 20:7ff; 1 Cor. 16:2; etc. Speaking of which, Hebrews 3:12-13 states, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but EXHORT ONE ANOTHER DAILY, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” How is such exhortation possible unless Christians assemble regularly with the saints?
Moreover, Hebrews 10:25-27 says, "…NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and SO MUCH THE MORE as you see the day approaching. For IF WE SIN WILLFULLY after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain FEARFUL EXPECTATION OF JUDGMENT, and fiery indignation." If we intentionally forsake church assemblies, we not only disobey this directive of God, but we rob ourselves of the benefits of worship, including spiritual renewal. And, as the reading indicates, failure to grow spiritually makes us more susceptible to willful sin and dire consequences.
It is no coincidence that when people fall away from the Lord, they typically start by missing church assemblies like midweek Bible study. Before long, they begin missing Sunday morning Bible study or Sunday evening worship. In the end, they stop attending Sunday morning worship. Oh, they may occasionally show up at a service, but by that time their devotion to the Lord is virtually non-existent.
Is worship attendance important? In addition to the aforementioned points, listen to David – the man after God’s own heart - “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD.’" (Psa. 122:1)
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
God commands us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The early church frequently assembled to do so – Acts 2:41-42; 20:7ff; 1 Cor. 16:2; etc. Speaking of which, Hebrews 3:12-13 states, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but EXHORT ONE ANOTHER DAILY, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” How is such exhortation possible unless Christians assemble regularly with the saints?
Moreover, Hebrews 10:25-27 says, "…NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and SO MUCH THE MORE as you see the day approaching. For IF WE SIN WILLFULLY after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain FEARFUL EXPECTATION OF JUDGMENT, and fiery indignation." If we intentionally forsake church assemblies, we not only disobey this directive of God, but we rob ourselves of the benefits of worship, including spiritual renewal. And, as the reading indicates, failure to grow spiritually makes us more susceptible to willful sin and dire consequences.
It is no coincidence that when people fall away from the Lord, they typically start by missing church assemblies like midweek Bible study. Before long, they begin missing Sunday morning Bible study or Sunday evening worship. In the end, they stop attending Sunday morning worship. Oh, they may occasionally show up at a service, but by that time their devotion to the Lord is virtually non-existent.
Is worship attendance important? In addition to the aforementioned points, listen to David – the man after God’s own heart - “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD.’" (Psa. 122:1)
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
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