Is going to church with the wrong motive right or wrong? The answer should be pretty simple. Here goes, it all depends.
Maybe we should ask, it all depends on what? What are your reasons for attending church?
Let us meet together inside the Temple of God and bolt the doors shut. Your enemies are coming to kill you tonight. Nehemiah 6:10
In my teenage years I attended a Tuesday night Praise and Prayer services. It was definitely for the wrong reason. What was my motive? I wanted to see a girl.
That motive changed however because it was at one of those meetings that I received Christ as my Savior. So the wrong motive there led to the right motive.
In one church, a witch attended their Sunday morning services. Her intention involved casting a curse on that church. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, she became liberated from witchcraft and started serving the Lord. Another wrong motive turned right.
In the case of Nehemiah in this chapter, he was asked to do something contrary to God’s command. Nehemiah considered running from his enemies and hiding in the temple a sin against God. In his case, entering the house of the Lord with the wrong motive was wrong.
I have seen movies where people have secluded themselves in a church calling it sanctuary. I guess it makes for good television. We don’t receive sanctuary from a building though, we receive it in the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the most part, going to church for the wrong motives can be made right. There are however times when people have entered to kill, steal and destroy.
Fortunately, there is forgiveness for folks who enter with these types of motives if they repent of their actions.
The Right Reasons for Attending Church
The right reasons for attending church consist of the following
- Worship God,
- Fellowship with other Christians, and
- To grow to become an effective disciple of Jesus.
Much of our work as Christians is done outside of the church building. Our Christianity should be an obvious part of our daily life.
When we are at work, with friends and family, and everyone else we come in contact with.
I trust that you enter a church building regularly with the proper motives. Those motives are to worship God, fellowship with other Christians, and grow to become an effective disciple of Jesus.
We Are The Church
Of course, a building is only a building. We Christians are the ones who are the church. In Hebrews 10 we are instructed to meet together for some great reasons.
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
Lord, help us to keep our motives pure inside and outside of the church. Also, keep us safe especially when we are gathered together in church to worship you.
I have another post from the book of Nehemiah. It’s one you might be interested in called How To Stand Firm on Godly Principles
You would enjoy reading the cornerstone post on discipleship called How To Be An Effective Devoted Disciple Of Jesus.
The book of Nehemiah is well worth the read. You can check out chapter 6 here.
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Before I came back to the church in 2015, I was having major problems with friends, partying, etc. When I came back, I had two motives… that God could help me with my friends and that God would give me new friends in the church. For a bit, I was lasered in on them. Then, one day, I was at the alter and got saved again (the first time was forced and in 2009). This is now why I come to church. Not for meaningless prayer, but to get closer to Jesus and have fellowship with other Christians, whose beliefs were Jesus-centered. It’s been rough and I’ve had some interesting ups and downs, but I know where I stand today-and that is with Jesus.