Andrew's Blog

Why Should I Go To Church?

Whether you have been brought up going to church or not, there is this stigmatize around the act of going to church or a "religious" place of worship. It is as if by going to church, you are a better person for it and if you don't there is something wrong or not pious with you.

Even if there is no badgering from other people, there is that feeling of guilt when you miss a Sunday Service (or the Easter and Christmas service) because you could not get up or had other plans for the weekend preventing your from attending.

Do we feel guilty because we are not meeting God during the week and by missing out on the Sunday service we are ignoring God or is it because we are ignoring God's people? In either case, there is a relational issue involved.

It is natural for people to think that the more time you spend with them, the more likely you want to be their friend, just like when you were new in school and wanted to make friends with your new school mates, and vice versa if you do not spend time with them.

What has the Bible said about all of this? I could think of two people who did not or could not go to church or the synagogue as we know it, Joseph (Genesis 37-50, Old Testament) and Daniel (Daniel, Old Testament). Why would they not feel guilty about not going to church?

Joseph
As the youngest son of Jacob, Joseph was his favorite to the distaste of some of his other brothers who sold him to slave traders and then was sold to the Egyptians. The story proceeds to deceive how Joseph did well as a servant to Potiphar. What caused him to be so successful? It was because God was with Joseph and because God made him successful in all that he did.

Can we interpret this to mean that if God is with us, he will make us successful in all that we do? My response to this is "Yes". I believe that He will make us successful in all that we do, but that He will do so as it suits His purpose. Do not forget that the Bible is about God bringing salvation to the world and that all He does is for that purpose. Joseph is part of this bigger plan and the question we need to ask is "Where do I fit in God's Plan?". To think that God wants us to be prosperous in this world so that we can have a comfortable life filled with things and wealth is worldly thinking that has been "christianized". God does not want you to be comfortable. He wants you to be godly, holy and just. If this means to live from day to day, to live in poverty, or to live with wealth, then so be it. Never does the Bible support the idea that by being a Christian means that you will be materially successful or that God will give you success for that purpose.

Not everything stays perfect forever and Joseph soon finds himself in jail as a result of refusing the advances of Potiphar's wife. Even here, we see that again because God is with Joseph, he is successful in all that he does. This continues right up until he is in charge of Egypt at the age of 30! What then does it mean when the bible says that God is with Joseph? How does he have such a relationship with Him?

I believe that it was back then as it is now. The world changes, but God does not. Looking at how Jesus related with His Father in heaven I believe is an insight on how we are to have a relationship with God the Father and how Joseph obtained that closeness to God. He prayed and he acted in ways that pleased God. He did nothing that would make God unhappy. There is no secret to success just a change in its definition to mean walking an upright life in God's eyes.


Daniel
Hundreds of years have passed since Joseph's time to Daniel's and they are not looking so good. The nation of Israel has been exiled to Babylon and amongst the captives is Daniel and his friends. The beginning of the book of Daniel goes straight into stating that Daniel and his friends refused to defile themselves with the food provided and that God caused an official to find favor with them and allow them to eat undefiled food. As a result they end up healthier and better nourished and go on to be ten times better in their knowledge and abilities than all the magicians and enchanters in the Babylonian kingdom. After interpreting the King's dreams, Daniel is appointed ruler over the Babylonian province and continues to serve at the highest ranks of the country.

Daniel prays three times a day and gives thanks to God as he faces Jerusalem. We can speculate as to why he faces Jerusalem, but I believe that it is an indication of what he believes about God's plan for His people. God's promises are all about God ruling over His people living in His place. This is not possible with Israel divided, conquered and scattered around places in the Middle East, but I think that this is what he is praying for - Israel united in the land of Israel and submitting to the rule of God. So he hopes and prays for the future and probably for him to be a part of that.

Conclusion
What can we conclude after this brief discussion? I believe that we need to first ask the question of: 1) What is God's plan? What do I believe about His plan and my involvement in achieving it? 2) What is my relationship with Him like and how can I live my life pleasing to Him? How are we relating to Him? What are we learning about Him? 3) Next is how can we get encouragement in our Christian walk and learn more about God? The only way is to meet regularly with others, not just for our sake, but for others too. We may very well be able to survive on our own and walk closely with the Lord, but what about others? This is where we have a role to play in encouraging others to grow in their faith or to begin their walk with Him.

Why go to church? Simply because it is part of God's plan to have a place where His people can meet, learn more about Him, praise Him, grow in faith and to serve others. It is not a place to find out how to be prosperous, to feel better about yourself, but is a place to become more godly, holy and just.