What would keep one from attending a place of worship that when we allow God to direct us to it would only help us and edify others?
I agree we as Christians don't always do as we should, but I guess since I used to not go to Church and now do, I realize that it was all because of my selfishness and rejection of Gods Word that I didnt do it. I also realized even then but moreso now how much I was just hurting myself, for no real reason either, all I can figure overall is that it is because Satan would rather I do anything else with my time on Sundays and Wednesday than go Worship God and be around others who love and care for me. To be at a place where I can get True Gospel Preaching, a place to hold me accountable, a place in the Church to do Gods Will, a place where I can grow in Faith and understanding. I truly believe that it is ultimately selfishness and Satan that keeps those with the ability to, from attending Church. There is no legitimate reason on Earth not to go, and there definitely isnt a Biblical Reason either.
I have a friend I met on this site some years back and he has been struggling with his faith and the one thing I keep trying to encourage him to do is go to Church and for whatever reason he always gives me an excuse as to why he wont go, and it breaks my heart. I know what its like to be an introvert, I am one myself. I know what its like to suffer anxiety, Ive had it so bad I would miss weeks at a time in my job. I know what its like to be depressed, I have been in depressions so deeply I wouldnt leave my room for weeks at a time, if only to work cuz I was forced to or lose everything. I cut myself off from my wife and child, and do nothing because of how depressed and anxious I was. I understand fully what it is like to be in these positions, but you know what helped me get over all of that?
Going to Church, repenting to God for not following and trusting in Him, taking a step in Faith and went to some random Church because that is exactly what the Lord says to do regardless of my feelings or desires. For me it took one day of me stepping out in Faith before God showed up on the scene and miraculously lead me to the Church I am now at. And since that day I repented, and ended up in this Church I have not had depression or anxiety at all, I may still be an introvert but now I have a place in the Church and feel at home so I love to be around my Church family.
What do you or anyone else who doesnt feel the need to attend Church make of this?
1 Cor 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
I would love to hear others interpretations of these passages, but to me they mean that we all have been given a job, a duty, a purpose in Christ and that we are all to be in one body working together for the Will of God to bring Him Glory and edify one another. What good do eyes do the body if they are gouged out and roll away because they just dont want to see anymore? What good do the hands do the body if they are detached and sit at home twiddling their thumb? The body suffers when the eyes refuse to do their job, when the hand refuse to do their job, when feet refuse to walk and balance.
I feel the same thing is happening with the Church, the Body of Christ today, it is suffering because so many True Born Again believers are refusing for whatever reason to do the job Christ has given them, have refuse to go be with the Body and to find out where they are to be placed in the House of God. We are lively stones, God has a place for each of us if we simply repent of our worries and reasons not to go and step out in Faith.
Now obviously this is directed towards able bodied people, some people physically cant make it to a Church, but I know me personally, I cant stand by any excuse for me not to attend my Church. In fact I have a brother in my congregation who recently had his leg amputated yet he is there pretty much every Sunday since recovering from the surgery!! What excuse do I have not to go? None...
You are entitled to your beliefs brother, but personally I dont care anymore what the general consensus is, Church is a necessary thing for believers, like I said I didnt go for years cuz of one reason or another and in the end all that did was hurt me and stunt my growth in Christ. And unless you are physically unable to get to a Church, the same will apply to you and anyone else, all it is doing is hurting you and I can guarantee that Satan and your flesh will tell you anything at all, and justify in any manner possible, any reason for you not to go to Church and get involved. My flesh and Satan did for me, why? Because they knew it would begin to cause me to reject them, to die out to them and their desires for my life, which is nothing more than death and destruction. I have grown more in this past year with this True Bible Preaching Church than I have in the past 17 years either irregularly attending a weak Church or not going to Church at all..
My words are only for encouragement simply because I can see the black and white difference between not going and going and I know for a fact Satan wants you not to go, to think its ok if you dont go, because he knows the minute you actually attend a True Church that his work to bring you down and out of Gods will, will be exceedingly more difficult. If the general consensus is that its ok if you dont go to Church then the general consensus is wrong. Is it Salvation Dependent of course not, but if you want a walk that is Biblical and a testimony that is Powerful in Christ you arent gonna get it by sitting at home and not being with other Christians helping, learning and growing...
Hope you change your mind about the seriousness of this brother, and that you pray intensely concerning it, asking God to guide you to the right place, and I say that to everyone not just Damien.
God bless yall!!!!