 |
WHY DO WE "GO TO
CHURCH?"
First, allow me to qualify the
expression "go to church". Strictly speaking, only non-Christians go to
church. Church members gather together as THE church. But, I use the
phrase accomodatively. Why do we gather as an assembly of the church?
Children may come together because their parents insist that they
attend. In doing so, they learn the importance of meeting together. A
husband, a non-member, may attend because of his wife being a member
attends regularly and vice versa. Some people may attend the assembly in
order to be seen of men as being religious. If this is their reason for
attending, they thereby receive their earthly reward, they are seen of
men. That is all the reward that they will ever receive (Matt. 6). But,
why ought we, as Christians, attend an assembly of the church?
1. To Worship God: -- In doing so, we offer up living sacrifices
unto Him (1 Pet. 2:5; Heb. 13:15). We go, not to promote some political
agenda, not to engage in and promote some general relief program, not
for secular purposes, not to be entertained by some musical group, not
to be recreated by engaging in some sport, not to be fed physically with
food for the stomach. But to be fed with food for the soul, spiritual
food.
In our assembling together as the church of the Lord, we worship God by
partaking of the Lord's Supper each week, by singing psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs, in praise and devotion to the Lord. By laying by in
store each week as we have been prospered by the Lord. By praying to
Jehovah God through His Son Jesus Christ. By studying and applying the
Word of God to our lives, not only when we are assembled together as the
church of the Lord, but every day of our lives should be guided by the
Word of the Lord which is able to save our souls. Saving our souls is
the reason we worship God, who is our Savior.
2. We Assemble Together As An Assembly Of The Lord's Church In Order
To Encourage One Another: -- Our fellow-Christians need us as
encouragement to them. In gathering together as the church, we
contribute to each other's edification, by stirring up love and good
works in one another (Heb. 10:24,25). We meet to greet one another and
to express our love and appreciation for one another. Also, there my be
non-believers in the audience. They too, need to be greeted and
encouraged to continue to come and study the Bible with us. In doing so,
they have an opportunity to learn what their obligations to the Lord are
and how to fulfill such obligations by obeying the Gospel.
3. We, As Christians, Also Attend The Assembly Of The Church In Order
To Better Equip Ourselves To Serve And Be Built Up In The Most Holy
Faith: (Eph. 4:11-16). Those who are careless about attending the
assembly of the church will most often drift farther and farther from
the Lord. We also need to attend the assembly of the church in our own
self- defense to keep our spiritual lives active and grow thereby in the
Lord. Yes, we need to attend the assemblies of the church for our own
good.
----- Adapted
from an article by
Whit Sasser in The Whetstone, Vol. 3, No. 34, Nov. 5, 2006.
|
|
