Should people who do not love God go to church? is it still a requirem - Bible Questions and Answers - Prayer Tents

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40. Should people who do not love God go to church? is it still a requirement for them as the third commandment? Would have it been better for the hypocrites as we are told in the scripture to never have attended the religious services as their hearts were far from God, so attending would justify their hypocrisy?
Asked by: Female, 19-25, Oceania, Christian on October 27, 2021 11:12:37 am

Answer

Hello,

Thank you for the wonderful question.

The question caught me aback because people who do not love God do not go to church. Christians are people who love God and they are the church.

The third commandment that you speak of says to keep the sabbath day holy. Keeping that day holy is not attending a church service. It is rather a state of the heart accompanied by action to keep that day especially separated to God. This separation includes letting go of the worries and heaviness carried throughout the week and turning to God, letting Him have control.

Attending church services can also be an act of holiness, where the Christian sets apart that day to be among other believers and come to God together. However, the attendance to a service itself does not satisfy the requirements of the heart that God seeks.

To answer your latter question, yes. There are many so-called Christians who justify their salvation and closeness with God because they attend weekly services. Their attendance does not justify them, but rather it is faith in Jesus that do (John 3.16). If they do not have a relationship with God, or in your words, love God, then they have missed the whole point and their attendance would mean nothing.

God seeks the heart. And I hope that even for long-time Christians (perhaps like you and me), we do not attend services as an outwardly act, but rather be transformed encounting Jesus every time we take part worshipping with other believers.



Answered by Dr. Sang Sur





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