Why Go to Church?

Why do we go to church?  I saw a post on Facebook about how people don’t need to go to church every Sunday to worship God as long as they believe in God, or something like that.  The statement is partially true.  It is not a sin to miss church, I don’t think, but if you are able, you should be there.  You need the church body and the church body needs you.  It is not a ticket to heaven, either.  We are saved by grace through faith, not going to church.  But, being part of a church is an act of worship and it brings you into a family that will encourage you, teach you, strengthen you, pray for you.  These are things to look for  when finding a home along with sound biblical teaching.  Also, though, we should not go there expecting to be fed all the time.  As we go, we need to look for ways that we can serve the church and do all those things for others.  The church is not a place.  It is a people.  It is you and me.  It is believers.  It is the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12-28

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

We need each other.  The church body is where we grow in our faith.  A strong church body can bring others in to the body of Christ as well.  The early church were bound to each other.  They supported one another and were one in Christ.  Of course, they had their struggles.  But people saw God working in them and through them and they turned to God.

Acts 2:42-47

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were to witness thousands of people come to know Jesus Christ?

As fellow believers, we should be praying for one another and serving in the church to make it complete, so that God can use the ministries to reach others and further His kingdom.

Hebrews 10:23-25

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 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.

  James 5:13-20

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Jesus says they will know us by our love.  We need to love one another and those outside will see our example.  Some will hate us for our faith, because they hat God and the gospel.  But others will see there is a better way, the only way, to life.  Jesus Christ is the only true way to life and it is life eternal.

Author: davesdailyscriptures

I lived in the far corner of Northeastern Washington with my beautiful wife for 16 years, but now live in my home state of Wisconsin. God has blessed me tremendously and I am so thankful for His grace, and the people He has put in my life, and for His work in and around me. View all posts by davesdailyscriptures