Page 6 - Is Church an Option?

the coming of Christ and remain steadfast, despite the difficulties on the King’s highway. One of the strong motivations for faithfulness is the glorious return of Christ. The Christian is one who has fixed his hope on Christ (1 Tim.4:10). We are looking for Christ to return (Heb.9:28), and by holding fast to the truth in hope of His return, we have been saved and will be saved (Rom.8:24-25). This hope has a purifying effect on us (1 John 3:1-3). If our faith is real, it will persevere, which means it will not quit on God or the visible church.
Why should you be in church? Because of the approaching Day of Judgment. Most likely, the writer had two days in view. Scholars call this the law of double reference. One day is the approaching day of judgment of Jerusalem, spoken of by Christ Himself (Matt.13:1ff; Luke 19:41-44). The other day is the day that Christians will appear before the Lord to be recompensed for what we have done in obedience to Him (2 Cor.5:10). Here the writer directly connects your presence in God’s house with that encounter at the Bema Seat.
The readers of this letter were being tempted to forsake their confession of Jesus Christ by going back to the Old Covenant worship. They were tempted to leave the church and return to the Temple; leave the Gospel and return to the Law; leave Jesus and return to Moses. The writer calls them to “hold fast.” He does not exhort them to hold on to their salvation, because their security was in Christ and not in themselves (7:25). Rather, he invites them to hold fast the confession of our hope -- and our hope is in His return. He holds us; therefore, we are to hold onto the hope (the confident expectation of receiving something good) because of His faithfulness. Knowing that He is faithful should motivate you to be faithful to Him and His church.
Why should you be in church? Because you want to be. One of the marks of being born again is the inward desire given by the Holy Spirit to obey God and walk in His ways (Ezek.36:25-27). This means that the true believer loves what God loves and hates what God hates -- and God loves His church. He died to save her (Eph.5:25-27) and He lives to keep her (Rom.5:10; Heb.7:25). The church is the only people that God has promised to build (Matt.16:18), to bless (Eph.1:3), and to be with until the end of the age (Matt.28:18-20).
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