You don’t know the true reasons why I don’t attend!
Question:
Well, I got the opportunity to read your article online about missing church. Seemed so self-righteous. God knows one's heart and no man can judge another without true facts. You don't walk in any one's shoes to know in ordhttps://lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVarticles/DeliberatelyMissingChurch.htmer to judge one correctly, that's first and foremost. Secondly, I miss church once in a while, because of funds and distance, sometimes the weather, like today when there is a blizzard.
I grew up in a church that was so focused on petty things, making God out to be a petty God. If you don't come to church you're a backslider and this and that. They are ready to judge you as such. I had times where I missed church and members would call and ask if I backslid. I would hang up the phone on them for they are not in Christ. They go to church every Sunday and they are the most ignorant and arrogant people I have ever met. They are so stuck on traditions and religious rites that they miss the whole point of being a Christian. It's not all about going to a building. God looks at how you live your life outside of church more than what you do in church. I tell you I know I have seen it many times where you have members who go to church every Sunday cause they can, they live five minutes away and such, so it's convenient. And they go out in the world and commit all the sins known to man. And when they fall away, they fall fast and hard as opposed to those who are honest to God and themselves about their missed church attendance. Then they come to church and act as if they are the holiest of holies and are doing God a big favor by just being in a building. They are the true backsliders, for their heart is not there as the Scriptures say, they worship with their mouths but their hearts are far from God.
I love the Lord with all my heart. When I am not in church services, I pray and read my Bible. I feel no conviction for my heart is still with Christ and I am faithful to Him whether at a church or not. I am the church wherever I am. The only time there is guilt is when I think of men and women such as you, who want to cause people to feel guilty and bad as if they are not doing their duties as Christians. This is only brought on by religious leaders, not of the Spirit. So I know who I serve and that is not man.
Answer:
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:23-25).
I don't think you could have illustrated one of brother Lovelace's points better. "It appears that some, though, would assign “blame” to those who actually are attending ..." [Telling Members They are Sinning in Deliberately Missing Church].
Since I know people don't call and ask if you are backsliding when there is a blizzard preventing traveling, I am led to the conclusion that in objecting to people's genuine concern for your safety and spiritual health, you feel the need to disparage your brethren. "Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" (James 4:11-12). And in your stern judgment of others, you condemn people for making judgments about you. "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things" (Romans 2:1). Sadly, when people do call to find out what happened, you hang up on them and leave them guessing the worse; instead of telling them what happened and giving them a chance to offer aid.
The truth of the matter is that you are not a church by yourself. There are things you cannot do individually that God requires of all Christians. See "Does a person have to attend church?" for more details. I hope you will rethink these matters.
