Based upon the Word of God, human nature, and from personal experience, I conclude that many people who attend church services are merely RELIGIOUS. The Lord said to a group of religious folk, Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written (Isaiah 29:13), this people draweth nigh unto me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. I believe most people are religious for gain, duty, habit, social contacts and a number of other reasons.

     True believers attend church services, because they are in love with and desire to worship and become better acquainted with a PERSON–THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! The true believer (one who knows, worships, loves, trusts and follows Jesus Christ) comes to the house of God with a real desire to worship (praise and thank) his God and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a PERSON who draws him/her to the worship services, and that is just what he does – WORSHIP. The religious need to be entertained during the service and impressed by spiritual surroundings; but believers need only to hear God’s Word preached, pray and sing His praises. In fact, the simpler the service and the more preaching (of Christ), the better the believer likes it; for it is Christ he has come to hear about and worship.

     Before we can worship in peace of conscience and liberty of heart, we must know, on the authority of God’s Word, and by the power of God’s Spirit, that the entire question of sin has been forever settled by the blood of a divine sin-offering.