No Fancy Wardrobe Required

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

I have a confession to make:  it bothers me a great deal when I’m having a conversation with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ, that person professes their love for God, but then they tell me that they don’t go to church, ever.  Does that sound self-righteous and judgmental on my part?  I pray that it doesn’t.  I will admit that I have a hard time wrapping my head around the justifications that some believers use as a rationale for not attending church regularly.  I fully understand that there may be circumstances that may prevent you from attending worship service regularly:  work, travel, illness, a special event, taking care of someone, or just being downright tired.  But absent of such circumstances, you intentionally skip church every Sunday? 

I’ve received a number of answers to my question, “How come you don’t go to church?”, that have absolutely nothing to do with that person’s mobility or availability.  Here are some of the responses I’ve been given - they may sound familiar to you, too - and a few Scriptural counters to those arguments:

“I don’t need to go to church because the church is in my heart.” What does that even mean?  Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV) tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” God certainly understands it, and He’s telling us not to rely on it for guidance.  Scripture is pure and holy, but our hearts are polluted and corrupt because of sin.  Yes, the Bible also says in Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  However, this is about seeking the Lord in spirit and in truth, and not according to your feelings.  If the one who answers is indicating that they don’t need to attend church because they have some familiarity with God’s Word, that won’t cut it either.  Knowing Scripture doesn’t make you right with God; just ask the Pharisees.    

“I study on my own/I watch church services on television/COVID.” Only 2nd to confessing that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:11), reading and meditating on the Word of God is tantamount to cultivating a personal relationship with the Lord.  The Bible is God’s love letter to humanity.  However, we don’t have to (nor should we) strictly study Scripture on our own.  The Lord has given us pastors and other spiritually devoted men of God to not only help us understand and study His word but also to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).  Your presence at church helps others!  If studying solo or watching speakers on television doesn’t result in your sharing God’s word for the purposes of glorifying Him and encouraging others in the faith, then perhaps your study time is a waste of time.  And let’s be honest:  if you can go to the grocery store, the mall, hang out with friends, go to the movies, go out to dinner, attend a Super Bowl party, etc., without the thought of needing to sit six feet away ever crossing your mind, then you can certainly sit in church for a mere two hours once a week. 

The Bible makes it clear that God has blessed each of us with a spiritual gift to be used to strengthen the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12).  When we use these gifts to help others, we receive the honor of glorifying God in the process.  The Lord Jesus says that believers are the light of the world, and we should not hide this light.  (Matthew 5:14-16).  Exercising your God-given spiritual gift in the church allows His light to shine through you, and God desires that we use those gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ.  The church needs you, my Friend, and you need it.  As we get closer to the return of our King, let us not waste another moment taking the Lord’s mercy and His grace for granted.  Meditate on the Word of God, repent of your sins, and ask the Lord to help you find a church that teaches His Word and His Word alone.  When you do, you’ll begin to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart, and He will give you the desire to use your gifts to glorify Him and to edify fellow believers. 

God bless.