Why Should We Go to Church? By Allan McNabb (http://biblestudyguide.org/)
I have met people who thought that going to church was optional.
They thought that it was ok to go to church, but that an able-bodied
person did not have to go to church to inherit a home in heaven.
There are many reasons to go to church, but the most elementary
reason is that God has instructed us to assemble (go to church).
Paul said: "And let us consider one another in order to stir
up love and good works, 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."
Now I am not talking about the people who are unable to go to
church but people who are able to go to church. Some people make
lame excuses for not going to church. You may see someone who
is healthy all week but always sick Sunday morning. God is not
mocked (Gal. 6:7). God can see through our lame excuses and will
judge each of us according to our works (Rev. 20:13).
John says: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His
commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1
Jn. 5:3). Now ask yourself: If a person is not assembling with
the saints according to Paul's instructions, what is the problem?
Or, if I am assembling with the saints but it is burdensome to
get out of bed and go to church Sunday morning, what is the real
problem? Of course, it is our love toward God. If I love God,
I will be happy to assemble with the saints. But, if I do not
love God I will not be concerned about the saints and thus not
assemble with them.
In Hebrews, Paul gives us two closely associated reasons regarding
the importance of assembling with the saints. First, it is important
to assemble because of Jesus (His blood, the new and living way,
His flesh, Jesus as our High Priest, faith, salvation; Heb. 10:19-22).
Second, it is important to assemble with the saints to stir up
love and good works exhorting one another so that the saints do
not sin willfully (Heb. 10:26-27) by backsliding in unbelief (Heb.
10:38-39).
Now think about our attitude concerning the assembly of the saints.
Paul said: "And let us consider one another in order to stir
up love and good works (Heb. 10:24). Paul does not say, "consider
yourself" but he says "consider one another." Although
we are edified when assembling with the saints, our main motivation
for assembling is the welfare of our brethren. Each person in
the assembly is there to exhort one another; therefore, everyone
is edified. The assembly of the saints is unique to the assemblies
ordained by men - each person is present for the good of the others
apart from selfish ambitions. God has ordained that the saints
should assemble upon the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).
God has ordained this assembly for the good of the saints. Those
who love God are happy to assemble with the saints in obedience
to God's ordinance.
Do you go to church? Have you forsaken the assembly? What do you
think: Since God ordained the assembly of the saints and Paul
instructs the saints not to forsake the assembly, can a person
forsake the assembly of the saints and still go to heaven?
Like Women of the Bible - Author Unknown (Contributed by S. Tegg)
Like Deborah, I will serve the Lord in power and speak His
word without fear.
Like Esther, I will intercede for God's people before the throne.
Like Abigail, I will humble myself to wash the feet of the servants
of the Lord.
Like Sarah, I will respect my spouse and his ministry to the Lord.
Like Hannah, I will dedicate my children to the Lord.
Like Priscilla, I will explain the way of God more perfectly to
those who are seeking.
Like the Shunamite widow, I will trust God in the day of adversity.
Like Lydia, I will be a worshiper of God and open my home to His
ministers.
Like Tabitha (Dorcas), I will always do good and help the poor.
Like Joanna, I will use my wealth to support the ministry of Jesus.
Like Mary, the mother of Jesus, I will hear the word of God to
me and answer, "Be it unto me as you have said".
Like Mary, the sister of Martha, I will know the voice of Jesus
and hear his words.
Like Mary, the mother of Mark, I will make my home a haven
for the followers of Jesus.
Like Mary, the Magdalene, I will keep at the feet of Jesus and
love him unto death.
Is Emphasis Important? by Robert F. Turner (From Plain
Talk, September 1970)
"Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue
and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the
love of God; but these are the things you should have done without
neglecting the others" (Luke 11:42).
The preacher, hoping to reform a habitual thief, asked him to
read Ephesians 4:28. As the story goes, the man read, "Let
him that stole, steal! No more work!" If you will check the
passage you will see he misplaced the emphasis.
When we were children we used to play a game with our reading
lesson -- changing the stress or emphasis so that we read the
sentence but made the sentence say something very different from
that intended. It was great fun -- coupled with the distress it
brought our teachers.
Today, when God's word is so mistreated, the consequences are
too serious to be fun. But such abuse of scripture is not common,
and would fool only the most ignorant. We regard as far more serious
the subtle changes in emphasis of subject matter, which indicate
a failure to understand essential elements in the gospel of Christ.
It is one thing to teach the necessity of a faith which obeys
-- a trusting in Christ which leads one to repent and be baptized,
for the remission of our sins; and quite another thing to put
one's faith in "baptism" -- as though we merited salvation
because we were baptized. Christ is the Savior, and no change
in emphasis can change that.
Several months ago I listened to a young man preach his first
sermon. He said (and I wrote it down), "God sent his Son
to establish the church, so that through living in the church,
and by the rules and regulations which He gave us in His word,
we might have eternal life". I like to think I "know
what he meant" -- and my desire to be charitable, and to
encourage the young man kept me from saying anything to him, or
identifying him here. But the emphasis in the statement is wrong.
God sent His Son to die for man (Rom 5:8). The church is the people
of God -- those who put their trust in Christ; it is not some
vehicle that God set rolling toward heaven, with seats for those
who will hop in and ride. In Christ is eternal life -- without
His sacrifice, so that God is justified in forgiving sins, no
amount of "rules and regulations" could save us.
Certain ones came to Antioch and preached "the Lord Jesus".
A great number believed, and turned "unto the Lord".
Barnabas exhorted with them to cleave "unto the Lord".
And much people was added "unto the Lord". Could Luke
have said they preached "the church" or "the kingdom"?
Yes, there is a sense in which this was true (see Acts 8:12).
Were the obedient added unto the church? Yes -- in that they were
added to the number of people, in heaven and earth, who had come
to the Lord. But the fact remains; Luke placed the emphasis upon
their coming to the Lord, cleaving to the Lord, etc. Surely the
wisdom and rightness of this emphasis is clear (Above example
from Acts 11:20ff).
Do I believe baptism is essential? I certainly do -- because Christ
commanded it. Is the church important? Most assuredly -- for that
word says "called-out-people" in Christ, when taken
in its NT context. I have no quarrel with the words -- it is the
misplaced emphasis that makes me believe this article is in order.
Short Exhort - Written and/or Compiled by David J. Riggs (http://www.public.usit.net/driggs/)
"...Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Pet. 2:24)
History records that during the early days of the Civil War, a young Union soldier was arrested on charges of desertion. Unable to prove his innocence, he was condemned and sentenced to die a deserter's death. His appeal found its way to the desk of Abraham Lincoln. The president felt mercy for the soldier and signed a pardon. The young soldier returned to service, fought the entirety of the war, and was killed in the very last battle. Found within his breast pocket was the signed letter of the president. Close to the heart of the soldier were his leader's words of pardon. He found the courage to serve because of the one who had been good to him.
Let us find courage to live for righteousness because of the One who has provided pardon for us.
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Our weekly services are held at 1318 Griffin Road, Leesburg, Florida
34748.
Phone: (352) 365-9946 for times of services.
Web site: http://www.geocities.com/~cdillinger/cocbs/cocbshp.htm
MONTHLY BIBLE READING: Genesis 27-49
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BIBLE INSIGHT is published
for the members of, and visitors to, the Church of Christ at Beverly
Shores, Leesburg, Florida, USA.
Carey Dillinger is the editor. He can be reached at the church
address or via e-mail: dillinc@yahoo.com