Why Do People Stop Going To Church On Sunday's?

I was watching a person give a good word on why we must attend a local church. He used Hebrews 10:25.

Most Bible teachers will use a familiar passage of Scripture to show the importance of church attendance.

No one on earth can force you to do anything.

God is God and He’ll use whatever means He choses to get the message across but man can’t compel you to do anything.

Remember. Only God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. Not any pastor.

A good teacher of the Bible would teach the context of the passage instead of interjecting their own thoughts and ideas of what this passage actually means.

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NKJV)

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

Have you asked yourself a question as to why the Hebrew Christians forsook the assembling of themselves?

The Hebrew Christians were vacillating between angel worship and the worship of Moses.

Apparently, this is false teaching of the followers of Judaism which the Lord had done away with when Christ died on the cross (see Matthew 27:50-51 and Romans chapters 10 and 11).

As Paul teaches, being a former Pharisee, "...for we are not under the law but under grace."

These false teachers were teaching that angels and Moses is superior to the Lord Jesus.

It's common for other religions to dethrone Christ which is a dead giveaway that they're false teachers.

When the true believers in Christ rejected their teaching, they were persecuted.

The Hebrew Christians were being persecuted for their steadfast faith in Christ alone by grace and not by works to establish their own righteousness (see Ephesians 2:8-10 and Philippians chapter 3).

That's why the writer of Hebrews told them that "the just shall live by faith."

Worshipping angels (see Hebrews chapters 1 through 5) is idolatry. Exalting Moses above the Lord Jesus is idolatry.

The persecution was so severe that many believers defected from Christ. While we don't know the author of the book, it's clear that this author had received extensive teaching and instruction on the Jewish faith.

Some of the Hebrew Christians defected from Christ. Now when you defect from Christ, you forfeit your salvation (see Hebrews chapter 6).

The Judiazers werer vicious in their persecution. They were so vicious that the believers stopped associating with the believers that fellowshipped.

Hebrews 10:32-38 (NKJV)

"But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations,

and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

“For yet a little while,

And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.

Now the just shall live by faith;

But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him.”

In the verses preceding these verses, the writer warned that the punishment from God is far worse than the punishment of the persecutors.

The true believers were told that those that remained in the fellowship would suffer greatly for leaving Judaism.

Ridiculed. Made a spectacle. The plundering of their goods.

These persecutors were ruthless and heartless.

Much like in Muslim countries in the Middle East and Africa. If a Muslim family found out that you're a believer in Christ and have rejected Islam, you were exiled, ostracized, oppressed, assaulted and or killed.

These true believers would continue to fellowship even after suffering persecution.

Many true believers in Africa and the Middle East would be beheaded, shot, assaulted, and chased away from their families.

Now getting back to the Hebrew Christians, that's the whole context of the book of Hebrews.

Many Hebrew Christians defected from Christ and they went back to Judaism. Never to fellowship with true believers ever again.

Today, in America, there's 330,000 Protestant Christian churches.

While there’s persecution of Christians in America, we should be prepared for any increased persecution.

You could turn on the Internet, cable, satellite, and TV, and find preaching of the Word of God. However, what's out there today is the kind of teaching that's more about self help than the gospel of Jesus Christ. They fill the building with world class music and hype up your emotions to make it appear that God is in the building.

Then they teach false doctrine and rob you of your finances. There's nothing wrong with giving when you know that the place where your money goes is for the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul warned Timothy about these last days and what professed believers are looking for.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJV)

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..."

Some professed believers believe that they could live in sin and be a Christian.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)

(see Luke 13:24)

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

Mark 8:34-37 (NKJV)

(see Matt. 16:24–27; Luke 9:23–26)

"When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Luke 9:61-62 (NKJV)

"And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”

But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Professed believers are departing the true church of Jesus Christ because of the truth about sin, grace, judgment, righteousness, and gospel salvation.

Paul warned Timothy....

2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NKJV)

Preach the Word

"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.

Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

Professed believers have a desire for and want to hear stories that sound spiritual but offer no Biblical teaching on sin, grace, judgment, righteousness, and the gospel of our salvation. They turn away their ears on any teaching about living the crucified life if you desire to follow after Christ (see Colossians 3:5-17).

Frustrated when the conviction of the Holy Spirit enters (see John 16:13-14 and Romans 6:1-4), they depart to find teachers that they love to hear that will tell them about healing and prosperity.

They want to hear that Christ died to make you rich, prosperous, and healthy.

And if you're living in sin, that's ok (see 1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-17).

Just come to church.

They don't tell you to come to Christ in repentance (see Matthew 11:28-30, 2 Corinthians 7:10 and 1 John 5:3).

They never tell you to repent (turn from sin) and obey the teaching of Jesus to abstain from sin with the help of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 and 1 Thessalonians 5:22).

So many of them aren't persecuted. Many of them are convicted. While it's true that believers need encouragement, we also should be prepared to be chastised because "Whom the Father loves, He chastens. (see Hebrews chapter 12)"

When we need correction, the Lord will bring the correction.

Correction doesn't happen all of the time.

When you're doing what you're supposed to do, the Lord will not chastise you when you're doing right.

So now that you know what's behind the book of Hebrews, it's still essential to fellowship with other believers. We see that throughout the church age, believers would come together for fellowship.

Anyone that teaches you that you could fellowship on live stream and count it as being in church isn't being honest.

Internet live stream is a supplemental option for people that's shut in, sick in the hospital, incarcerated in prison, or traveling or let's say that there's no other option and people don't want to go to a physical building. Or a church closes and they don't want to fellowship anywhere else?

What do you do?

Internet live stream isn't to be the primary method of meeting together. It's secondary when all other means aren't available.

With over 330,000 local protestant churches, you can find a fellowship of believers that you can agree with.

If you choose to find a local church, do your homework and research.

Choose wisely and carefully. Never commit to a fellowship in haste or with pressure.

You can always leave and find another place of worship to worship the Father in spirit (life) and in truth (see John 4:24).

If there's no gospel of Christ and no conviction of sin where they hold you accountable according to Hebrews 13:15-17 and Peter 5:1-4, keep searching.

Search for a local house of worship that love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength according to Matthew 22:34-40 and John 14:19-24).

Search for male only pastors and elders that's qualified according to 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Paul lists no qualifications for women to be in ministry.

Search for believers that love one another according to John 13:34-35.

Find believers that will encourage you to persevere and live in holiness to please the Lord according to Romans 8:6-8, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 7:1, and Hebrews 12:14.

Find a fellowship that teaches and live in the doctrine of Christ regularly according to 2 Timothy 3:16, 4:1-4, Hebrews 6:1-3 and 2 John 1:9-11.

Keep searching for a local church to be a part of with these qualities in mind.