Why Attend Bible Classes?
This is a question which deserves our attention. It is evident that some, while they do not oppose Bible classes as being unscriptural, do not consider attendance to them to be important. We say this because we are convinced that there are many of God's children who could attend the Bible classes but who do not, attend them. If these were asked why they do not attend, though they might not ask the question, "Why attend Bible classes?" they might not have satisfied themselves with the proper answer to the question. It is primarily for the benefit of these that we deal with the question, "Why attend Bible classes?"
The Purpose Of Bible Classes
The Bible classes, which are a part of the work of the church, are not, or should not be, carried on just to have something going. While activity in the church is desirable, activity which is solely for the sake of being active is worthless. There is not one single activity, which is taught by the Lord, which does not have a purpose other than just being active. If Bible classes are not arranged and maintained for the purpose of teaching and learning the Bible, the church has no business arranging them. This gives us the real and only reason for their arrangement. They are a medium or method, used by the church, through which to carry out the command of the Lord to teach His word. They are arranged in order that those who attend may learn the word of the Lord.
Advantages Of Attending
Let us consider the matter first from the standpoint of the advantages to the one attending. If there were no advantages to be gained by attending, certainly there would be little point in doing so. But there is great advantage to attending Bible classes where the Bible is taught. (If something other than the Bible is taught, it is not a Bible class). One has the advantage of learning the Bible. If one thinks he knows the Bible so well that he cannot be taught anything, he "thinks more highly of himself than he ought to think." If one thinks he can learn enough in private study that it makes it superficial to attend, he is guilty of arraying harmonious things against each other. Actually, the more one studies privately, the more benefit he will receive from attending Bible classes.
But one may reason that he can live the Christian life without attending Bible classes. Would the same person so reason about secular education? We grant that one may exist in the world without a secular education.. There are those who do exist without the ability even to read or write. There are also those who are seeking to exist spiritually while remaining virtually in spiritual illiteracy. No one can, and most will not even try, to deny the advantages of attending Bible classes.
Obligations Of Attending
There are certain things which make it the obligation of a child of God to attend Bible Classes'.
It is an obligation because the Bible classes are the work of the church. It is our purpose in this article to establish the scripturalness of Bible classes. This we stand ready to do, either publicly or privately, at any time. But we are addressing ourselves in this article to those who agree that Bible classes are scriptural. The Bible classes are the work of the church. They are arranged and maintained by the church to comply with the command of the Lord to teach His word. It is the obligation of every child of God to support (by their attendance in this case) every scriptural endeavor made by the church in carrying out the commandments of the Lord.
Attending Bible classes is an obligation one has to himself. Since one is improved spiritually by reason of learning more of the Bible in Bible classes, he is unfair to himself when he deprives himself of that learning by not attending.
A child of God has an obligation to those who teach in the Bible classes. There is nothing which is more discouraging to one who has been placed in a class as a teacher, than for those who are supposed to attend his class to fail to do so. Those in the age group of a class, when they refuse to attend that class, leave the impression that they think the teacher should be interested in them and encourage them in every way, but that they are under no obligation to encourage the teacher by their attendance. While it is well for people to encourage a teacher by complimenting his work, the best encouragement a teacher can receive is for those who are supposed to attend his class to be in attendance.
Most important of all, one has an obligation to the Lord to attend. The Bible classes are arranged for the purpose of teaching his word. The Bible class work is his work. It is the work of the church because he has authorized the church to do his work. But one who does not attend Bible classes, lacks just that much of doing the work of the Lord which the Lord has taught him to do.
Conclusion
There is but one conclusion which can be reached in the light of the facts which have been presented. One who CAN attend Bible classes and DOES NOT attend, stands utterly defenseless and without a shred of justification for such negligence.