Forsake Not the AssemblingForsake Not the Assembling

Do I Have to “Go to Church”?

Do I Have to Go to Church?Do I Have to Go to Church?

As we consider the decline in church membership in the United States, we must consider whether or not most Americans believe that one must be a member of the church (in their concept, just any church) to be saved. A good many Americans have reached the conclusion that they can be just as good a Christian without going to church as they can be while attending a church (J. Russell Hale, Who Are The Unchurched?, p. 40). "Can a person be a good Christian or Jew if he or she doesn't attend church or synagogue? Seven out of 10 of the churched segment, and eight persons in 10 of the unchurched, answer in the affirmative" (The Unchurched American [Princeton Religion Research Center], p. 9). Truth Magazine XXIV: 30, pp. 483-485July 31, 1980

Do I Have to Go to Church?Do I Have to Go to Church?

Many do not “go” because they are lazy

Many do not “go” because they are told they do not have to

Many do not “go” because they are turned off by who is there

Many do not “go” because they have more important things do

Micah 6:8Micah 6:8

Does Micah 6:8 teach a bare minimum religion without “going to church”?

Consider the context: Israel was going through the ritual of sacrifice, but they needed to repent and act justly before they bring their sacrifices (see Micah 3:11)

Micah 6:8Micah 6:8

This principle is also found in 1 Sam. 15:22; Isaiah 1:10ff; 66:1-4; Jer. 6:19-20; Hos. 6:6

God wants righteousness first, not just ritual; get right with your heart first, then offer with your hands (Psa. 51:16-19)

Leviticus 17:8-9Leviticus 17:8-9

Israelites were required to bring their offering to the tabernacle (Lev. 1)

Israelites were required to come and worship at “the place” God chose (Deut. 12)

Matthew 23:23Matthew 23:23

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy

It was not either / or; it was both / and: tithing and justice

Acts 2:47Acts 2:47

The “church” is not a place that you “go to”, the “church” is a body of saved people (Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:23; 5:23)

Hebrews 10:25Hebrews 10:25

Forsake not the assembling of yourselves

Worship was done “with one accord” (Acts 2:41,46)

Prayer was done after being “assembled together” (Acts 4:31; see also 12:12)

Discussing local church problems after they “called the multitude” (Acts 6:1-2,6)

Hebrews 10:25Hebrews 10:25

Teaching God’s word was done when “gathered together with the church” (Acts 11:26; see Col. 4:15-16)

Discussing the Lord’s work was done after gathering “the church together” (Acts 14:27)

Discipline was to be done when you are “gathered together” (1 Cor. 5:4)

Hebrews 10:25Hebrews 10:25

The Lord’s supper is served “when you come together to eat” (1 Cor. 11:17,18,20,33-34; see also 10:16-17) – “gathered together to break bread” (Acts 20:7-8)

Worship and edification is done when “the whole church be gathered together” (1 Cor. 14:23) and “when you come together” (1 Cor. 14:26; see v.23)

Hebrews 10:25Hebrews 10:25

The collection was done “upon the first day of the week” (1 Cor. 16:1-2)

Do I have to “go to church”? I, as a member of the body, the Lord’s church, have to (get to) assemble with the saints each week!