“not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25 ESV).
Hebrews 10:25 is important to remember when considering the justifications offered by those who wish to abstain from church attendance. For example, some claim there are “too many hypocrites in church.” But there is a flaw within that objection when we stop to consider it.
For instance, we can find hypocrisy in every avenue of human life. Do we avoid going to school, taking part in athletic activities, or going to work simply because hypocrisy exists within those institutions? Of course, this does not justify hypocritical behavior (especially among those who claim to be Christians), but it does illustrate the double-standard that exists behind that objection.
Another excuse for avoiding church is this: “I don’t want to get up early for church- I’d rather sleep late.” This objection is highly appealing, especially when we consider the fact that many would prefer to sleep in on a weekend morning . Nevertheless, there is a reason why most churches hold their primary services on Sunday mornings.
A Sunday morning church service demonstrates respect for God by setting aside the first part of the first day of the week to worship Him and learn from His Word. God’s people have followed this arrangement for centuries, and it finds Biblical support in passages such as Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2. So rather than viewing church attendance as an inconvenience, we should see it as a means of honoring God by putting Him first on the first day of the week.
While today’s age of online access may also encourage us to watch church services remotely from home, we should note that this passage references “…the assembling of ourselves together” (KJV). This refers to a physical assembly in the original context of this passage. Since one cannot physically assemble with others in an online environment, this means that we should make an effort to attend church in person when possible.
Finally, some may find church services to be dull and uninteresting. While some churches may not feature the most gifted ministers, it is the message and not the messenger that is most important. As Paul the Apostle wrote to the members of the Corinthian church…
“…my preaching was very plain, not with a lot of oratory and human wisdom, but the Holy Spirit’s power was in my words, proving to those who heard them that the message was from God. I did this because I wanted your faith to stand firmly upon God, not on man’s great ideas” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5 TLB).