STE:Should I go to Church?  by Benjamin H. Spalink

   Sometimes people say and think, "I don't have to go to church to be
a good Christian." What they say amounts to this: The Bible doesn't ask
me to go to church, for surely, a good Christian wants to do what the
Bible asks of him.

   But is this true? We answer, "No, the Bible does very plainly ask
you to go to church." Let us go to our Bible together and find out
about it.

   First, turn to Eph. 4:11-13: "And he (that is, Christ) gave some
apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and
teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

   Question: If Christ gave pastors and teachers, for the purpose of
edifying his disciples, and causing them to grow in faith and in
knowledge, doesn't it follow that He wants us to use them?

   Let us turn next to Hebrews 10:24, 25. -- "And let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and unto good works: Not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another; and so much the more as ye see the day
approaching."

   Question: How can we be provoked to love and good works? The Bible
says here: "Through the assembling of ourselves together."

   Let us turn next to Romans 10:13-17. "For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in
whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom
they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and
how shall they preach except they be sent? as is written: How beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things! ... So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing
by the Word of God."

   Question: Is it not true that the Bible teaches here that Christ
sends preachers to awaken the faith and strengthen the faith in Jesus
Christ?

   Let us next turn to Matthew 16:18. "And I say also unto thee, that
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee
the keys of the kingdom of heaven."

   Questions: Does Christ want a church? "I will build." Does he like
His church? "My church." How does He build it? Through the disciples:
"I will give thee the keys." What are the keys? Preaching the Gospel
and exercising Christian discipline.

   Let us turn next to Matt. 18:17. "And if he shall neglect to hear
them, tell it to the church."

   Question: If Christ does not mean an organized church here, how can
you "tell it to the church?"

   Let us turn next to Matt. 18:20. "For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

   Question: Would you like to be with two or three or more, and have
Jesus in the midst of you? You would if you love Him. Go to church,
then.

   Let us next consider whether it was the custom of Christ to gather
with the assembly of saints. Luke 4:16--"And as Him custom was. He went
into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day."

   Let us next consider whether it was the custom of the early church
to gather with the assembly of the saints. Acts 20:7--"And upon the
first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread,
Paul preached unto them." Hebrews 10:24, 25 and other places also
proves this.

   Next read Matt. 26, Luke 22, and 1 Corinthians 11, and you will see
that Christ wants us to keep the Lord's supper in remembrance of Him.
If you stay away from the assembling of the saints, how can you?

   CONCLUSION: Christ wants the organized church to strengthen the
faith of His disciples, to equip them for their task on earth, and to
prepare them for heaven above. We all need this strengthening of our
faith and this provoking unto good works. All the more urgent is the
need of it, when we consider that the day of our Lord is approaching.
If you want to be a follower of Christ, you should belong to an
organized church. Never soothe your conscience by saying that the Bible
doesn't ask you to go to church. It does. If you don't want to follow
Him and prefer the pleasures of the world, say so. But don't say, "I
can be a Christian without going to Church."

   OBJECTIONS ANSWERED

   When Christ asked us to do something, there shouldn't be any
objections by us. We should obey straightway. But let us look at some
objections.

   Objection No. 1. If the organized churches are Christ's, why do they
not agree as to teaching? Why so many denominations?

   Answer: There are different denominations because man's mind is
darkened because of sin and cannot think correctly. One person will
read the Bible and emphasize too much one thing, and another person
will read the Bible and emphasize too much another thing. This makes
denominations. But this does not hold merely in regard to the Bible.
Men cannot think alike in regard to anything. The greatest minds in the
world, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, gave entirely different
answers to the same questions. Christ's kingdom is composed of true
believers of all denominations who hold to Christ crucified as the only
means to salvation. You should belong to that denomination which agrees
mostly with your interpretation of the Bible. Here we shall know only
in part, in heaven we shall know as we are known. Then that which is in
part will fall away, also denominations and also denominational errors.

   Objection No. 2. There are too many hypocrites in the church.

   Answer: Suppose there are, "What is that to thee? Follow thou Me."
(John 21:22) "So then every one of us shall give an account of himself
to God." (Romans 14:12.) There are tares among the wheat. Christ will
take care of both the Judases and the tares when He comes. But take
heed that when He burns the tares, you are not burned with them. Come
to church and show the hypocrites and unfaithful ones how to be a good
disciple.

   Objection No. 3. I often get company which detains me from going to
church on Sunday.

   Answer: Tell the company to go with you to church. And if they
won't, tell them you feel it your duty to go where Christ wants you to
be. This is confessing Him before men. And if they become offended and
won't come again, rejoice, for such company isn't the right kind of
company for a Christian anyway. But they may not be offended, and they
many stop to think. You say you are ashamed to stand up for your
principles like that? Don't you think that in that case He will be
ashamed of you in the day of days?

   Objection No. 4. I get up too late, and am too busy to get ready.

   Answer: Get up on time. It is the Lord's day. It is a day of rest
only from physical labor but a day of great activity for the Lord and
His kingdom. Do you think you could get ready if you wanted to go to a
party?

   Faith, Prayer & Tract League Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504-1390
