"For shut-ins or invalids who aren’t able to go to church, the ministries on radio or TV might be the only kind of fellowship or spiritual nourishment that they get. God certainly understands the circumstances of these people, and recognizes the sincerity of their hearts. However, it is a different matter for those who could attend church but are too lazy, or put other things such as entertainment and amusements before God, or who harbor bitterness or indifference toward other believers (Robbins)." I found this statement to be incredibly true about non-churchgoers and the reasons why they don't attend. I think it is very important for everyone to understand the difference between not being able to attend versus not attending. It may seem like a small difference, but it is really a quite large one. Those who are not able to attend have something going on that doesn't allow them to take the time out to make it to Sunday mass/church, work for example. On the other hand, those who don't attend are the people who think they have something better to do, when they may not even know that going to church could be the best thing for them. These type of people tend to be selfish and have their heads wrapped around something else. They would probably find their life to be a little easier when they have a truly personal relationship with God himself. "Going to church is a visible, tangible expression of our love and worship toward God."
Work Cited
Robbins, Dale A. "Why Should Christians Attend Church." Victorious.org. Victorious Publications. 1995. Web. 8 Fed 2010.
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While I clearly believe church attendance to be important, I would hesitate to cast an all-inclusive, negative light on those who don't attend. As I have mentioned repeatedly, our relationship with God needs to be the driving force behind ALL of our actions. Too often, Christians live life how they want to, with a little God added in to comfort their souls. Christianity is supposed to be a lifestyle, not just a day of the week. God's gift to us, Jesus, deserves a radical response – a life fully dedicated to Him.
ReplyDeleteYour final quote shows church attendance as an example of love expression. I simply wish to make abundantly clear, that church isn't a chore, nor something to be guilted into. God gave us his son to remove our guilt, not condemn us. We just need to make the daily choice to maintain our relationship with Him.