Thoughts On Church Attendance

This is something I've given a lot of thought to in my life. I have had more traumatic/scaring experiences in church than I care to recall. But, I persist in going. Why? Because I believe the Bible is clear: If you are a believer then you have to go to church, or if you're a Quaker - meeting. The Bible says the church is the body of Christ. You have to be a part of a body. If one of my toes suddenly decided to jump off my foot and go hang out by itself - my entire body would suffer for it. I could end up getting some kind of life threatening infection. It would almost certainly affect my balance and my ability to walk/run. But, just as importantly, the toe would wither and die. It couldn't survive apart from the rest of the body.

Hebrews 10:23-25 says:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who
promised is faithful; and letus consider how to stimulate one another to love
and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of
some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing
near. (NASB)

The Bible tells us it was part of Jesus' custom to go to synagogue (Luke 4:16). All four Gospels are filled with references to Jesus being in/teaching in the synagogues. Were there not big fat hypocrites in the synagogues? Hello! Pharisees! Do you think the leaders of the synagogues appreciated that Jesus showed up? No, I think most of them would have prefered he didn't come - that he stay at home and study on his own. In Matthew 12:24, they claim he did the things he did by the power of demons. In John 7:20, they said he was demon possessed. If I got treated like that at church, I might be inclined to stay home. But, that's not what Jesus did. Jesus - the Son of God - went to Church. He filled his function as part of The Body. If it's good enough for the Son of God, then it's good enough for me - and you!

Back to Hebrews 10:23-25 - it says

:.... let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good
deeds......... but encouraging one another........

If you're just out there hanging out by yourself who is encouraging you? Who are you stimulating to love and do good deeds? That is part of the functions of the body. It's something that can't happen, if you're just floating around by yourself. Another part of the function of the body is accountability. The Bible does set out standards of church discipline - which most churches don't actually do anymore - but, still....

Wilberforce said,

".....Those who have created a system of their own tend to water down
what is required in the practice of their faith. They also tend to create
standards of behavior that fit their own lifestyles; standards they know
they can meet without the need of supernatural assistance..."

I think this is a lot more likely to happen with a Lone Ranger Christian than with someone who is part of a body - no matter how imperfect that body is. Now, we all know people who have been hurt in church. We have probably all been hurt in church. I've said before that I think ... no I KNOW .... that I suffered significant spiritual damage at the Church of God. I still suffer from it, and probably will suffer from it at least to an extent until I die. But, I've probably also caused hurt to others. We will not be made perfect until the resurrection. This is where forgiveness comes in - which is also a commandment.