We’ve all heard someone say, “I don’t need to go to church to worship God.” Or, “I worship God alone, because all organized religion is wrong anyway.” Others will say, “Our entire life is worship, so it doesn’t matter if I go to church or not.” Is there any truth in these statements?

For you to offer these folks better answers, below are 7 Reasons why Public worship is better…

1. It’s Commanded. This should end the discussion, but in this day and age, the commands of our Lord are often ignored.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him MUST worship him in spirit and in truth.

Matthew 18:20 For where TWO or THREE are GATHERED TOGETHER in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

 

To do something “in the name of the Lord” is to do it by His command or with His permission. Doing whatever we want and attributing it to God is the sin of presumption [Deuteronomy 18:20, Acts 15:24].

2. It’s what the 1st Century Christians did. One of the ways we understand the commands of our Lord is through the examples of the Apostles and the first Christians as revealed in the New Testament. They gathered on each 1st day of the week.

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

1Corinthians 11:20-34 When ye come together therefore into one place… [1Cor 16:1-2]

3. The only time we are authorized to take the Lord’s Supper. Paul wrote to the Corinthian brethren about their perverting the Lord’s Supper. He reminded them of the command of the Lord on this matter.

1Corinthians 11:23-26 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

4. We are strengthened when we come together. Paul warned the brethren that many are weak and dying because of failure to worship properly.

1Corinthians 11:29-30 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

5. Not worshipping together is called “FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING.” If private worship is acceptable, then there could not be a forsaking of an assembly.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

6. We teach and admonish one another in public worship. One of the five acts of worship is to sing (A Capella) psalms, hymns and spiritual songs for the purpose of teaching each other. Your voice is needed.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

7. Private, in lieu of public worship is vain worship. Any time we replace the command of our Lord with our own, our efforts become worthless. Jesus warned us to always do His will.

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

When we’re sick, or circumstances beyond our control, prevent us from attending the local body of Christ, we have not sinned. It’s when we have opportunity and willfully choose to skip it, or replace it with a private worship that we have disobeyed the Lord.

One more thing…If we’ve failed to obey the gospel [2Thess 1:8-9] no amount of worship will help us. Worship is only acceptable when it’s done by the FAITHFUL and is AUTHORIZED. On the back panel of this bulletin answers the question, “What Must I Do to Be Saved?”

– Spencer