Being a born-again Christian, who believes in Jesus Christ, does not mean that I must give up my FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.
My relationship with Christ, causes me to worship, pray, go to church, fellowship with other believers, etc. Simply because I have the right to choose to do those things.
But, “religion” forces you to attend church; even when there is no desire in your heart to do so. And, most of the time, when forced to do something that your heart does not agree with, you gain very little. I’ve known people who were forced to attend church their whole life .. but, they were so resistant to the idea, they gained nothing.
The key is to lead people to Christ. Get them involved in a small Bible study group .. and allow them to grow in their faith .. then, you keep inviting them to certain events; but the true benefit comes to the believer when they choose - of their own free will - to attend church.
It’s interesting that people consider *keeping the Sabbath* as attending church.
Yet the Sabbath was a day of rest and while many people go to church on Sunday, do they keep it as a day of rest?
I don’t find any Scriptural support that going to church is *keeping the Sabbath*.
However, I do agree with you on that there’s a world of difference between doing something because you have to and because you want to.
Doing it out of duty or obligation, or because you are threatened with hell-fire and brimstone, is NOT what God intended for us. That is not the kind of relationship God wants as a loving, heavenly Father.
A simple read of the OT shows that.
The Jews kept the law on the outside, but God said their sacrifices were a stench to Him. He’s after the heart, not the outward actions.
Someone can do all the outward stuff perfectly and still be as far from God as the worst heathen.