The Importance of Church Going

I recently came across the Youtube video of a user who calls himself BroJustin. Justin (I presume that's his name) is not a big fan of churches. In fact, at the end of his video he states: "I believe church-going is demonic" (link to video - obviously not recommended).

Considering his video I was struck by a few things. Justin raises a few good points about abuses of church going and then primarily appeals to the segment of discontented folks before unleashing the "church-going is demonic" bomb.

What are Justin's good points? There are folks out there who are more interested in whether a person goes to church than in what that person actually believes. These folks seem to think that the only folks who are unsaved are atheists and the small (I think) number of anti-church folks like Justin. Such a priority is out of whack. Going to a bad church could leave someone spiritually worse off than staying at home. The externality of going to church is a good thing, but it is merely an external thing.

What's another good point? Justin raises the problem of unsaved people who feel comfortable in church. There are many churches where this is a real problem. While we do want the unsaved to hear the gospel, the doctrines of God are unpleasant to the unregenerate man.

But these problems with some (perhaps even many or most) churches and church-goers do not negate the fact that church-going is a good thing that is expected of Christians.

What is the Biblical proof?

1) We see it taken for granted in the epistle of James:

James 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

2) We see it exhorted as a duty not to be forsaken in the epistle to the Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:25 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.

3) We see it practiced (on the Lord's Day) from the very beginning of the church:

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

4) We see that it was a Jewish practice that Paul continued and that we continue:

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

These four proofs should be enough. Christians are to continue the Jewish practice of weekly meeting (assembly) for worship, although we meet on the first day of the week in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ, that great act of redemption that gives us rest from the bondage of sin and the completion of the new creation.

-TurretinFan