ROOTEDNESS IS MORE THAN CHURCH ATTENDANCE Key Scriptures James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Matthew 7:21 – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father.” Luke 6:46 – “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” A. Church Attendance Does Not Equal Obedience Going to church is important (Hebrews 10:25), but obedience is what proves spiritual maturity. God is not impressed by appearance but by the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Example: A believer may attend church weekly but still cheat at work or hold grudges. Such a person hears God’s Word but does not obey it, and this contradicts James 1:22. B. The Danger of Religious Activity Without Transformation The Pharisees were religious leaders, yet Jesus condemned them for hypocrisy. Scriptures: Matthew 23:27–28 – Outward righteousness without inward change. Isaiah 29:13 – “These people draw near to Me with their mouth… but their heart is far from Me.” Example: A church worker who leads prayers but lives in bitterness is spiritually shallow despite church involvement. C. Hearing Without Doing Produces Weak Christians Scriptures: James 1:23–25 – Hearing without obeying is self-deception. Matthew 7:26–27 – The foolish man built on sand. Example: A man hears a sermon on forgiveness yet refuses to forgive his brother. His bitterness reveals shallow roots. D. Life’s Crises Reveal True Spiritual Roots Scriptures: Isaiah 40:31 – Those who wait on the Lord shall renew strength. Psalm 112:7 – The righteous shall not fear bad news. Example: Two believers lose their jobs. One trusts God (Proverbs 3:5–6), the other abandons faith. The crisis exposed who was truly rooted. E. Evidence of Being Rooted Beyond Attendance Evidence Scripture Obedience John 14:23 Forgiveness Colossians 3:13 Humility Micah 6:8 Love John 13:35 Endurance James 1:12 Conclusion Church attendance is good, but obedience is proof of true faith. A believer is not rooted because they sit in church, but because they live out God’s Word daily.
