How do you make people understand the importance of attending services?
Question:
Good day,
Many people are just doing good without going to church or recognizing God, how do you make people understand the importance or take Christianity seriously if they don't see any need?
Answer:
The authority of the Bible rests upon the fact that its teachings come from God. "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17). All Scripture includes Hebrews 10:25.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries" (Hebrews 10:23-27).
There are two things we are told we should do:
- Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering and
- Consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
The reason we hold without wavering is that God is faithful about keeping His promises. Paul then tells us how we can accomplish these two things: by not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. It is in the gathering of Christians that we gain encouragement and instruction. How essential is this? Hebrews 10:26 begins with "for." This is a conclusion derived from the prior points. Without holding on and without the stimulation of fellow Christians we may end up willfully sinning and ultimately end up in hell. Paul believes that attending the gatherings of the saints is critical to the well-being of every Christian.
However, when you say "make" you add something you and I can't do. People have to come to their own conclusion. We can encourage but we can't force people to do what is right, even when the right thing to do is obvious. Small things like attendance are what separates the faithful from the unfaithful. "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much" (Luke 16:10).
