DO I HAVE TO!!

From time to time Christians are heard to make statements like "where do the Scriptures say that I have to attend worship services three times a week?" Or "do I have to attend the services every time the door is open?" Is this the attitude that a Christian should have toward the worship of God? Should Christians attend all of the services of the church that they are able to attend? We intend to show in this short article that the above attitude of Christians toward worship is not that which pleases God and that it is sinful for Christians to willfully fail or refuse to assemble to worship when God’s saints come together for that purpose.

First, this attitude gives a strong indication that the individual Christian’s concept of assembling for worship is that of a duty rather than a privilege; that it is something they would do because they had to do so, rather than something which they desire to do; that it is something that would benefit God rather than that which would be a blessing to the Christian. It is evident that those who make statements by way of excusing their failure to assemble for worship at all of the services provided by the church do not realize that it is indeed a privilege to assemble for worship in a service in which their Creator, their Lord and Savior, etc., is both present (Matthew 18:20) and praised in worship. Certainly the Psalmist in the one hundredth Psalm counted the opportunities to worship God a privilege, honor, and an occasion of joy. Note how the Psalmist expressed it: "Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations."

A second reason a Christian should attend all the services of the church of which he is a member is to take advantage of the opportunity to study the Bible. In almost every service, the congregation engages in Bible study. Surely, no one will lay claim to having a perfect knowledge of the Bible. Everyone needs to take advantage of every opportunity to study the Word of God because the one thing that may ensure their going to Heaven may well be discussed in the service (services) that they miss. Surely, if one feels that his knowledge of the Scriptures is so great that he does not need to attend the Bible studies of the congregation, his love for and desire to help his fellow Christians to go to Heaven will cause him to want to share his great knowledge with them.

A third reason that it is sinful for a Christian to willfully fail to assemble for worship and study is found in Hebrews 10:24-25: "And let us consider one another 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." From this passage it is evident that one of the purposes of our assemblies is to build up (that is to strengthen) one another and to encourage each other to love and good works. Surely, no one will claim to be so perfect that they do not need to be strengthened and stirred up to love and good works. If they should so claim, they need to study carefully 1 Corinthians 10:12. However, if they should feel that there is no room for or need for improvement in themselves along these lines, surely their love toward their brethren will cause them to want to assemble so as to help build up their brethren and to encourage them unto love and good works that they too might make it to heaven.

A fourth reason why it is sinful for Christians to willfully fail to assemble for worship and study is found in James 4:17. James writes "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." Is it good to assemble for the worship of God on Sunday evening and on Wednesday evening? If it is not, then services on those and other such occasions need to be cancelled. If it is good, then according to James 4:17, it indeed is a sin to willfully fail to attend. Some may try to justify themselves by saying it is good to have services every night of the week, thus it would be a sin not to have services every night. While there is nothing wrong with having services every night, most recognize that people do have Scriptural responsibilities to their families, as well as other responsibilities that require time to fulfill and thus it would not be expedient to have services every night of the year. These principles would certainly be applicable to nightly services during Gospel Meetings, etc., however.

A fifth reason why one should attend all of the services of the church is found in Jesus’ statement in Matthew 6:33: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." A Christian who deliberately misses the services of the church is not obeying this command of Jesus to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When a Christian is faced with a choice of watching a TV program, reading a book, or other things of a material nature, or the assembling for worship and chooses to engage in the material rather than the spiritual, he is not really putting the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first in his life.

These five reasons should be enough to show any one that a Christian would want to attend all the services of the church and that the attitude referred to at the beginning of this article is not compatible with the true spirit of a Christian as set forth in the Scriptures.

H. Stanton See

Via Eastland Message of Truth vol. 6 July, 1987 No. 3

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