Should I feel guilty about not going to church?
When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we immediately become part of Him. We are added to the church when we are saved as we read in Acts 2:47, “…And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (NKJV). We become members of the body of Christ as we read in Ephesians 5:30, “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”
When we are saved, we are inseparably linked to the Lord as being a part of HIS CHURCH and members of HIS BODY. Not only are we linked with the Lord, but we are also linked with every believer wherever they are in the world. Let’s consider these few verses that show us that we are part of each other.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:27, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
- Romans 12:5, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER.”
- Matthew 23:8, “…all ye are brethren.”
All believers are related to each other and are part of one another. Galatians 3:28 tells us that, “ye are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus.” Because of all this, we need each other. We need to be around each other. We need to minister to each other. We need to show the love of Christ to each other. We simply cannot do these things if we do not gather with fellow believers for ministry, worship, and thanksgiving.
Let’s consider the words of Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to 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.” To consider means to ‘think about.’ The Lord wants us to consider one another. He wants us to think about how we can help our fellow believers…our brothers and sisters in Christ. 1 John 5:16 instructs us, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” We cannot see the words and actions of our dear ones in Christ if we are never around them. In the early church, the believers realized the value of being together often. We read in Acts 2:46, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.”
The Lord urges us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. Even in Paul’s day, there were those who began to isolate themselves from their fellow believers. The word ‘forsaking’ in Hebrews 10:25 is defined as “to desert, to forsake, leave.” It shows we have no concern or desire for our Christian family when we stay away from them. In the Bible, the word ‘together’ is used 469 times. Surely, we can see the value and urgency of Christians being together.
Because of the Covid virus, in various places, many have begun to stream church services into their homes. We can be thankful for the technology that allowed many to hear the Word of God being expounded upon when it was too dangerous to be together. However, many have gotten used to watching services from home because it is easier to simply stay at home and watch. It is a blessing that some who are invalids or home bound can watch services from their homes. However, if we are able to be with fellow believers, we should make every effort to gather together. If we are able to be together, but we choose not to, then we are guilty of “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” We need to be with fellow believers, and they need to be with us. We should be careful to “…have the same care one for another.” (1 Corinthians 12:25). Should you feel guilty about not going to church? If you are healthy and able to meet with fellow believers, but you don’t…yes you should feel guilty. To refuse to gather with others grieves the Holy Spirit who is urging us to attend. We are told in Ephesians 4:30, “And GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (CC) (612.4)