"Why members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo diligently
attend congregational worship services? Are you forced by your Church
Administration to attend these services?"
WE ARE NOT forced by the
Church Administration but instead made us fully understand the meaning and
value of attending the congregational worship services as taught by the Holy
Scriptures. The Church Administration constantly taught to us the teachings of
the Bible regarding the meaning and importance of worshipping and serving God.
We fully understand that
worshipping and serving God is the reason of our being, the reason of our
existence, the reason why God created man. This is what we could read in Psalms
100:2-3:
“Serve
the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3Know that the
LORD, He is God; It is He who has made
us, and not we ourselves; We are His
people and the sheep of His pasture.” (Psalms 100:2-3 NKJV)
It is actually the duty of all men
(not only members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo) as created by God to worship and
serve his Creator. This is the reason why the Bible declared that God will take
vengeance on those who do not know Him:
“In
flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do
not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9These shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His
power.” (II Thessalonians 1:8-9 NKJV)
What the Bible is referring to
when it says “who do not know God” are not
only those who do not know who the true God is or those who reject God,
but also those that although they know Him but they did not glorify Him:
“Because,
although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans
1:21 NKJV)
God will also punish or will take
vengeance on those who also profess belief in God but they did not glorify Him.
One of the ways taught by the Bible to glorify God is to attend congregational worship
services as taught in Hebrews 10:25-27:
“Let
us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn
each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing
near. If anyone sins deliberately by rejecting the Savior after knowing the
truth of forgiveness, this sin is not covered by Christ's death; there is no
way to get rid of it. 27There will be nothing to look forward to but the
terrible punishment of God's awful anger, which will consume all his enemies.”
(Hebrews 10:25-27 LB)
Thus, we fully understand that
worshipping and serving God is man’s duty to God. We also fully understand that
worshipping God means glorifying and praising the Almighty Lord who created us
and the reason why we exist and why we continue to exist.
We also fully understand the value
of attending congregational worship services as taught by the Holy Scriptures,
and one is for the edification of our faith:
“How
is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has
a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things
be done for edification.” (I Corinthians 14:26 NKJV)
It is where the Lord Jesus Christ
is with us:
“For
where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of
them.” (Matthew 18:20 NKJV)
It is also where God will hear us
specially in the time of calamities and hardships:
“If
calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we
will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will
cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.” (II
Chronicles 20:9 NIV)
Thus, the members of the Iglesia
Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) diligently attend our congregational worship
services because we fully understand that this is our duty to God, and also fully
understand its meaning and value.
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© THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO 2013
No part of this publication may be produced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission from the publisher.
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