John Blanchard writes:
‘And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near’ (Hebrews 10:24–25).
This is a most important statement … and we should pay careful attention to it. The key phrase here is obviously ‘not neglecting to meet together’, and the word ‘neglecting’ tells us how serious it is to be casual about church attendance.
It has the same root as in Paul’s accusation, ‘Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me’ (2 Timothy 4:10, emphasis added). Demas had been the apostle’s close friend and colleague, but had left him in the lurch; and Paul tells us why: he was ‘in love with this present world’.
Professing Christians who are not seriously committed to their local church have a ‘heart’ problem — other things are more important or attractive to them.
There are a number of reasons why Christians should cherish their church.