Going To Church

Many people have a mistaken understanding that attending church on Sunday is the same as keeping the Sabbath. Don't get me wrong I do believe that attending church regularly is a good thing. The Lord instructs us to attend our meetings often and to encourage one another. However going to church cannot be an idle event if we want it to be effective in our lives. 

Let me ask a question. What are churches for?  Does membership in the church grant our salvation?  

A churches primary function is to teach us the word of God. Think of it as like a kindergarten or elementary class. It's purpose is to teach us some basic principles so that we can reach the next step. So a church does not grant us salvation, but it what it can do is give us the building blocks to reach a point where we can.   A church is supposed to teach us how to come before God and establish a personal relationship with Him. 

So with this in mind what do we do with the rest of our Sundays both before and after we attend church?  Our religion cannot simply exist while we are at church. When we get ready to go to church do we try to prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually so that we can learn and be taught?  Do we try to prepare ourselves spiritually so that we can teach others?  While we are at church do we question what we hear, do we attempt to determine the spirit that is there?  If someone teaches false doctrine do we recognize it?  If someone teaches true doctrine do we recognize it?  Are even paying attention, or are we busy thinking about something else?

When we go home from church do we try to maintain that same spirit?  Do we then seek out and study the Scriptures for ourselves?  Do we converse one with another about what we have heard and learned?  Do we teach our families?  

Or do we do is the world does and flip on the television and watch the latest sports program or the latest drama?  As you see there is a great contrast between what the world does and what Satan wants us to do versus what we must do if we want to obtain salvation. 

The Sabbath is a day that should be spent in prayer. It should be a day where we put aside our every day and worldly desires and pleasures and focus entirely on trying to become more like our Savior. If we can learn to do this even just one day a week, pretty soon the fruits of it begin the spill into the rest of our lives. Keep the sabbath day holy, both at church or anywhere else we are.