The writer of Hebrews gives several reasons why church attendance is important to God.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NCV)
24 Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds.
25 You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the day coming.
The phrase (in verse 25), “You should not stay away from the church meetings” refers to being faithful in fellowship in your local church. The purpose of verse 25 is to put verse 24 into practice. In other words, go to church so you can express the divine nature and walk in love. Church attendance shouldn’t be just about what I can get; it should also be about what I can give. There are three ways we can give mentioned in verse 24. First, let us think about each other. This could include praying for one another. Second, help each other to show love. This could include learning how to express the divine nature and then being an example of what walking in love looks like. Third, do good deeds. This could include sharing your time, talent, and treasure.
The local church is the body of Christ in a particular place; therefore, the reason we go to church is to worship Jesus and love one another. All of us together are Christ’s body, and each one of us is a separate and necessary part of it. We have all been baptized into Christ’s body, and we all have the same Holy Spirit. Jesus permeates His body with the divine nature, and now, as the body of Christ, we are called to express that divine nature by walking in love. This can be done in the context of the local church in the ways we have just mentioned – praying, loving, and sharing.
Finally, the word “Day” (at the end of Hebrews 10:25) refers to the second coming of Christ when the believer’s judgment will take place. This further reinforces that walking in love toward our fellow believers will be a key consideration at the Judgment Seat of Christ. From these verses (in the book of Hebrews) we can see that walking in love equates to being faithful in fellowship in your local church. Is church attendance important? A resounding, yes!