Articles
“THE WHEELBARROW IN THE GARAGE”
Traveling evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “Going to church don’t make anybody a
Christian, any more than taking a wheelbarrow into a garage makes it an automobile.” There is
plenty of truth here. The land is filled with church-going people who are less than they should
be. They claim to be Christians, but their lives don’t show it.
“Just” going to church will not make anyone a Christian, but neither does staying away
from church make anyone any better. There are hypocrites at church each Sunday morning, but
there are even bigger hypocrites staying home, pretending that what they are doing is more
important than meeting with the saints for worship. Even if some of the saints seem to be
“ain’ts,” why would anyone who claims to have any interest in the things of God not be in
Hebrews 10:23-25 reminds us of our responsibilities in worship. “Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised ;) And let us consider
one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see
the day approaching.” When we assemble together, we must consider one another by provoking
to love and good works, as well as exhorting one another. Power words like “provoking” and
“exhorting” indicates that this is serious business.
There's more to the story, though. The verses immediately following in Hebrews 10
warn, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without
mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be
thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the
covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of
grace?” (10:26-29). It is a serious thing to forsake the assembly of the saints! B. Johnson
