Church attendance is not Discipleship.
Posted by appolus on August 25, 2024
Some poor deluded folks think that by attending a church they are being disciples. Very sad. I’ve known disciples who attend a church, I’ve known disciples who gather together in small groups, I’ve even known disciples who meet just “where two or three are gathered,” but I’ve known very few disciples. They are the few. They are the remnant. Just as the Lord said it would be. The vast majority I’ve known are church goers, which is a world apart from disciples……bro Frank.
Charles Simeon 1759-1836 wrote…………
Isaiah 29:13, “The Lord says: These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me!”
In our church services, we go through all the external bodily motions; but as to the prostration of the soul, we are for the most part oblivious and unconcerned. We think that we have done our duty to God, if we have gone through the appointed external rituals, though our heart has not accorded with the body in any part of the service. In truth, our services have been hypocritical throughout.
Had a stranger come into one of our church services, and overheard our glowing praises, and our solemn confessions, petitions, and thanksgivings–he would have supposed that we were the most humble, spiritual, and devout people in the universe!
But had he been privy to the real state of our hearts–then how little would he have seen:
of earnest ardor in our praises,
or of honest humiliation in our confessions,
or of sincere fervor in our petitions,
or of genuine gratitude in our thanksgivings!
He would see that the state of our hearts indicated that we felt nothing, and meant nothing–at the very time that we professed to mean so much and feel so much!
For the most part, he would have seen that the whole of our service was only a solemn mockery; that instead of being genuine worshipers of our majestic and holy God–for the most part, we were but insincere hypocrites!
Let me ask, in the name of God Himself: What reason you can have to think that God would accept such services as these?
If, indeed, God were like ourselves, and could see only the outward appearance, then we might hope that, being deceived by us–He would be pleased with us.
But when we bear in mind, that the omniscient God knows . . .
our every secret thought,
our every secret desire,
our every secret motive,
and that He perfectly searches our heart, and knows our thoughts–then we must be sure that our very services are an abomination in His sight!
“Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me! They worship Me in vain.” Mark 7:6, 7
J.C. Ryle: In all our Christian duties, whether giving or praying, the great thing to be kept in mind, is that we have a heart-searching and all-knowing God! Everything like mere formal worship, is abominable and worthless in God’s sight. The one thing which His all-seeing eye looks at, is the nature of our motives, and the state of our hearts!
“Serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts!” 1 Chronicles 28:9
A Call To The Remnant 
Church attendance is not Discipleship. – Online Answers said
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madrekins said
Agreed Brother Frank. We should look long and hard at GODS Word. When we do we’d see what HIS true desire for us is. For us to be in communion with HIM. That can ONLY be done through obedience to HIM. Remember Israel standing at Mt Sinai and rejecting to hear GODS Voice? Well, every time we step inside a church building without seeking GOD’S Word on our own we are doing the same as Israel. Rejecting HIS Voice for that of a shepherd. Maybe even a false one. A True Shepherd will disciple people to seek the Voice of the Father through the example set by the Son. Remember Jesus saying “I Only do what the Father tells me” (John 14:31).
John 4:23&24 Speaks of the True Worshippers. That is NOT to say a non- believer is the opposite. It’s saying that there are false Worshippers.
I’m not a “church goer”. The LORD took me to (1John 2:27) to show me that I did not need a man to teach me. But, that HE would teach me all I need to know. I need only be obedient to HIS Voice. Well, I’ve diligently been seeking HIM in HIS Word and HE is rewarding me so much. Revealing such amazing things from HIS Word. Not to mention as I share the Word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11) people around me are drawing to the WORD and being conformed to HIS Image as well. It’s Amazing to watch HIM work. We were created in HIS Image. In scripture a name means your character. So when we take the name of the LORD GOD in vain we are NOT representing HIS Great Image. Just as YAH stated in Ezekiel 36:19-23 saying when HE sent Israel into captivity they profaned HIS Holy Name.
We MUST set the example Jesus set for others to see. To crucify our flesh, our desires, our selfishness to the cross that we too will be obedient to the Father and GOD be Glorified in and through us.
As for my fellowship with other like minded believers. Well YAH takes care of that too for me. I fellowship regularly at a local Christian Coffee Shop with several believers. Our fellowship is sharing what GOD is teaching us in HIS Word and praying together. The LORD also led me to meet Brother Frank and his friend Tom at a Panera one day as they were have a Bible Study. If we allow the LORD HE does the work for us. But, we tend to think we need to have our hands in control of everything because we CANNOT Trust HIM. Oh, how sad that is.
My husband made up a little Acronym. It is “PTR”. Pray, Trust & Read. How hard it is for people to Trust. Even when GOD proved Himself over and over again.
May the LORD Bless you Brother Frank as you set before us Jesus example.
appolus said
Amen sister! I could not agree more with what you have expressed here. Last Wednesday, as a group of us studied the word, two ladies in the corner were listening. Towards the end, one came over and blessed us, and gave a Scripture to us that the Lord had laid on her heart. It was such a blessing. We meet at the same place a few times a week, but Wednesday at 9.30 is our specific Bible study. Would love to meet you and your husband again sister…….bro Frank.
madrekins said
Praise the LORD! Love it. I’ll be in touch.
Anonymous said
Ty for that refreshing word to us “The Bride” Oh that the Bride would once again realize that we are not “church members “ but all son’s” of the Kingdom and “citizens of Heaven “ who are not governed by the system of “church “ but by the laws of our King the Lord Jesus Christ and His Kingdom AND His Righteousness alone. May the Bride awaken to this truth and receive its King and Lord with open arms and return to the rule and Government of Heaven! Peace
appolus said
May she indeed awaken! …..bro Frank