I’ve tried to witness to people many times and share what God’s word says about what He requires of us only to be told, “me and God have an understanding, I’m ok.” I was shocked because if a person understands anything about God, they know that God is no respecter of persons. He loves us all the same. He didn’t send His Son to die for a few and just let the rest slide on their own merit. While He is a personal God, caring about each of us individually, He does not offer eternal life to some on one condition and offer it to others in another way.
This type of god would not be a just god. The definition of justice is to be morally fair and right state of everything. If someone is just, the rules are the same for everyone. Before we can understand His justice, we must understand sin. The person who thinks they are ok, and that God gives them a special pass on obedience has no clue what God requires. Anything that is contrary to God’s holy nature is offensive to Him. When we think we can bypass what He has set as a standard, we are deceived. Romans 3:23 makes our guilt very clear, and no one escapes. I John 3:4 teaches us that sin is lawlessness, and any sin is a breaking of God’s law. There is no one who has kept God’s law perfectly.
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
I John 3:4 “Whosoever committed sin transgressed also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
God is just and holy. All sin must be punished to fulfill God’s holiness. Our sin is a crime against a holy God, and justice demands a penalty of death and separation from God. We can either accept the payment that God provided, His Son’s death, or we can pay it ourselves by death in Hell. There are no special deals with God.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
If we chose to repent and accept the payment for our sins, God expects us to be obedient and follow His commands. Otherwise, we are like the child who says they are sorry just to escape punishment and keep everyone in harmony, but they have no intention of changing. Repentance is commanded. It is a turning away from our sin and turning to God.
Act 3:19a “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out”
Why people feel God understands their circumstances and allows them to disobey while others are expected to obey is beyond me. God always understands He understands our motives and our actions better than we do. He understands that we have chosen to do things our way rather than His. He knows the truth about our missing church, about our choices of entertainment, about our relationships with others. He understands we have chosen other things above Him.
Sometimes there are situations beyond our control where we can’t serve, such as illness, those He also understands. He understands if your heart is turned toward Him, with a whole heart desire to worship. He does not give you a pass if you are missing church, or opportunities to serve, because you have chosen things that interfere with those things He has commanded.
Let’s look at a few of those.
What does the Bible say about church attendance?
Hebrews 10:23-25 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 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.”
Most churches only meet three times a week, usually a total of five to six hours. What is that compared to the other 162 hours a week you have? Why would you choose a ballgame or even family above Jesus?
What about prayer? We are to pray without ceasing in I Thessalonians 5:17. We are to maintain an attitude or spirit of prayer. We can talk to God anywhere and anytime. We are to pray for the sick, the lost, our brethren, and even our enemies.
How about witnessing? The last command (yes, command) Jesus gave before He ascended into Heaven was to go teach and win those that are lost. He promised to give us the power to witness. We are to start at home and simultaneously reach around the world. We are to physically witness to those in our surroundings, and we are to witness to those in foreign lands by supporting missionaries.
Act 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
What about the study of His word? We are commanded to study. That’s God’s method to reveal the truth to us. It’s our way to get to know Him. It is a command.
II Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
While the Bible is full of God’s expectations for us, these are the big ones that will guide us through all the others. God does not give us a pass on any of them. In the modern world, there are many ways one can study; many opportunities to attend and be involved in a local church; tons of ways to witness; and prayer is always available wherever you are. God wants us to choose Him above everything else. Our words are cheap if our actions don’t back them up. Think about it the next time you have a choice to make: corporate worship or activities, prayer or talking and texting someone, study or entertainment. It’s your choice, but you will be held accountable for that choice.
