why should we not forsake the assembly

I believe we have an obligation on Sunday not to forsake the assembly, but if elders took the position that other services were required it would be making a law where none exists. The government is telling us not to assemble together as believers (at least not in large groups). Now, you are going to tell me, when they just quit, or whatever. Why, then, would it be a leap to extend that same understanding to our current situation? However, I still wanted to write to address the issue because, coronavirus or not, I believe that verse is one that has been misunderstood and misapplied for a long time. If you’ll notice, though, this verse isn’t even a complete sentence, demanding us to read at least the rest of the sentence for context. Why should the women be forced to forsake an assembly because a man with the spiritual gifts of leadership — regardless of the length of time he’s been a Christian — is not … Second, let’s look at the deeper misunderstanding of Hebrews 10:25. Perhaps you can come up with other reasons that are scriptural, or just make good common sense why we should forsake the assembly. In my experience, those who believe such are greatly outnumbered by those who don’t. Stop looking over the fence to judge what other Christians are doing and focus on serving your own instead. That’s why we gather as the church this weekend. It may be that this is one of those cases where the backlash to the backlash outnumbers the actual backlash itself 99-to-1. Last week we started a series of posts in which we are re-examining well-known passages of Scripture. In verse 24, we are to “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” In other words, we need to be thinking about our church family and looking for ways we can push each other toward greater closeness and involvement. Why We Should Not Forsake the Assembling of Ourselves Together  CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO. And if you’re in that camp of critics, that goes for respecting God’s leaders in other congregations, too. Hebrews 10:25. His take on Hebrews 10;25 is that as Christians, we are cannot forsake our assembly because we are always assembled before God. Jack Wilkie is the editor of focuspress.org and author of “Church Reset: God’s Design for So Much More.” He also preaches for the Forney church of Christ in Forney, TX, where he, his wife, Allison, reside with their two children. This passage is often cited to rebuke those who "miss church," but is that really what the writer of Hebrews had in mind? He says the word ekklēsia is mistranslated as “church” in most English Bibles and is not something we go to but what we are. This isn’t to say that attendance (in regular circumstances) is unimportant. Once again these things can be done other places but it is just easier at home. In other words, the opposite of “forsaking the assembling of ourselves” is not “be there every Sunday” but rather considering your church family, stirring each other up, and encouraging each other. Hebrews 10:25 in all English translations. One year into Covid, I was horribly wrong, Do you understand yet? The “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves” phrase is then contrasted with a call to be “exhorting one another.” It is an assembly in Spirit and in Truth. You can find his full bio here. Having begun the Christian life, there is nothing more vital or important to the continuation of that spiritual existence, than that we be faithful to God. God’s word says we’re not to forsake meeting together with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can learn from what the Beroeans did after hearing the message. As Christians, we cannot forsake our assembly because we are always assembled before God. While there are plenty of varying opinions as to how desperate these times are, there’s no denying that the coronavirus spread must be taken seriously. First, let’s look specifically at the coronavirus-driven cancellations. (Remember the case of the Starbucks cups that didn’t say “Christmas?”). I can’t imagine anyone would claim they are. Is a healthy parent who stays home with their sick child forsaking the assembly? Are people who have a decimated immune system due to cancer treatment forsaking the assembly by staying home? We the believers are the assembly, we are the “called out” of Christ. Let us now consider several reason why we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together: 1. As Christians, we cannot forsake our assembly because we are always assembled before God. In the New Testament, the sign of a faithful Christian is the fruit they bear. As we should understand the importance of the assembly, there is something else we must also understand. Can you find your religious practices in the Bible? (The literal meaning of ekklēsia is the “called out ones,” but it was used by Greeks to refer to the people who were called out of the community to be members of the assembly.) Our salvation is not connected with going to church or being a member of a particular church. It is neither bound to an established structure nor a geographic locations. Is it possible that there are those who have perfect attendance but never see or talk to their Christian family outside of the building? Only the High Priest could enter once a year to make atonement for himself and for the people and he could not do it without blood. God wants us to build relationships with each other so we can keep each other from drifting and can help each other grow in the good works He has planned for us. Verse twenty-five then addresses the not “forsaking,” meaning if someone has left the assembling all together, they cannot be helped neither can they help others. This was why Jesus so heavily emphasized the anti-Pharisaical proposition that we should serve God from the inside out rather than merely performing external acts with a cold heart (see Matthew 23). There is no perfect church, but we cannot disobey the Scriptures and forsake the assembly. Therefore we can understand that no one is forsaking the assembly when medical needs insist on our absence. ”No, WE are the Church, you don’t have to go anywhere to get to church!” they might say, but we cannot be an assembly of christians all alone and I’m afraid the work of certain ambitious AMCP leads to very lonely christians. Quite the opposite. ... All these are good words, but, how can one forsake an assembly? For if we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” We can clearly see from this passage that Paul warns us not to forsake the “assembling of ourselves together,” as the consequence of doing so could lead to our committing the unpardonable sin. Didn’t God ordain the “Organized Church”? For this reason, churches far and wide are having to consider how to comply with either laws (for large congregations in some areas) or recommendations (for groups of almost any size, anywhere in America). Yes, being there when the church assembles together is important. The Bible commands us to not forsake assembling together as believers ( Hebrews 10:25 ). When Sunday morning rolls around many Christians do all the necessary chores associated with making the "church assembly" on time. In fact, Sunday morning attendance really doesn’t even meet the bare minimum. The other facet of this conversation is the immediate context of Hebrews 10:25. There is a command to not forsake the assembly, but which one? Neither biblically nor logically does it hold that such congregations are violating Hebrews 10:25. Jesus and His body, and the Father and His family, are forever joined together. DO NOT FORSAKE THE GATHERING OF THE BRETHREN “ 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. What is meant by this is all Christians in a given area must be present at an \"official\" assembly at a time and place decided upon by the local elders or risk the wrath of God. A. Doesn’t the Bible tell us NOT to “forsake the assembling of believers”?Doesn’t that mean that we should have worship services in Organized Churches? If we have to do that without Sunday morning gatherings for a time, then let’s do so. If we get a person to attend regularly through guilt trips and threats of hell but they don’t love the Lord and don’t bear any fruit, we haven’t accomplished anything. Most often people begin to slack off in attendance and it means they are losing interest, growing weak, becoming worldly He gives us a list of things we can do to stay strong, and this one that we can’t do if we want to stay strong. As saved people living in this world we need good godly fellowship with saved people and this is one of the huge parts of going to church. This is not just Sunday morning church service although this is certainly the beginning of fellowship, us coming together. For the person saved in the church age you cannot lose your salvation, but you can get out of fellowship with God. While it is true that you can draw near to God anywhere as a saved person it is many times much easier to draw near to God at church. Out of gratitude for what He has done for us, and His faithfulness to us, we should be faithful to Him. The book of Hebrews revisits the idea of falling away a number of times, and in this specific section the writer is heavily emphasizing the need to stand strong in response to all Jesus has done for us. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. By having good friends and being a part of your church it can be just as much a spiritual blessing as it is a physical blessing. Such consideration has led many congregations to close their doors for the time being. The “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves” phrase is then contrasted with a call to be “exhorting one another.” This is the same terminology used in Hebrews 3:13, where the writer called his audience to “exhort one another daily” so that no one would be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Our salvation is dependent on the blood of Jesus and whether or not you have accepted him as your personal savior. (, Jesus Christ is what replaced it and that is why we have the opportunity to come boldly unto the throne of grace and get help in time of need (. 1. Sometimes we witness Christians who quit suddenly with no warning signs of weakness. And He has commissioned us to make disciples of all nations. But this is relatively rare. We are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ (, Note the reference to the veil in the verses for this point. Do Not Forsake The Assembly The Authorized, or King James Translation, of Hebrews 10:25 reads: "Not forsaking the They want your kids. It might not be in the way you’re hoping or expecting, but He will provide a way for you to obey Him. We are talking about people who would love nothing more than to be together worshiping Him. That’s why this verse doesn’t apply to our current situation. Next. More than our Sunday morning gatherings, it is this above-assembly which we are warned not to forsake. Of course not. Behind the veil was the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat where God would commune with Israel. However, there is nothing in this passage (nor the rest of the New Testament) which teaches this. Logically, just think of how often we use this same line of reasoning. It is not the end in itself. We should look forward to attending the assembly of the church, for it is there that we are edified and comforted--assuming that the elders and church leaders are acting according to scripture. God’s Word overrules government mandate, therefore, churches should … As long as we live in this flesh we will have days that we do not want to go to church. 1701 Rand Morgan Rd.Corpus Christi, TX 78410(361) 241-6100, Sunday School – 10AMSunday Preaching – 11AMSunday Evening – 6PMWednesday Evening – 7PMWednesday Bible Club – 7PM, © 2011-2021 Bible Believers Baptist Church, All Rights Reserved, Why We Should Not Forsake the Assembling of Ourselves Together. One of the easiest ways to get out of fellowship with God is to get out of the habit of going to church. In the Old Testament Tabernacle the veil was to divide the Holy Place from the Most Holy place. Desperate times call for desperate measures, the saying goes. Pray for them, trust their judgment, and respect their leadership. As believers in Yahusha Messiah, we cannot forsake our assembly because we are always assembled before God. You cannot love the Lord and despise the assembly. In the passage for this sermon we will make a spiritual application from the verses that lead up to the phrase “forsake not the assembling of ourselves together” for reason that we should make it to church every chance that we possibly can. We are not merely “going to church.” We are participating in the greatest mystery and most wonderful wonder that any individual or group of human beings can ever experience: oneness with the body and bride of Christ who together become one with Christ in God. Choosing not to assemble with the saints in Worship and Bible Study demonstrates a … This assembly is a spiritual gathering of God’s elect that is neither in Jerusalem nor in the mountain tops. Reasons we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together: 3)  It is where we consider one another (Verse 24). We are the assembly, the “called out” of Christ. On the other hand, there are those who are there “every time the doors are open” who bear no fruit whatsoever. This is not always the case. Face the facts the flesh does not like the things of God especially when it could be doing something else instead. Update: read my one-year reflection and retraction of this article here. The point of this article is to educate as always, secondly it is to bring you to the awareness of an encounter I had recently. Let us not use them as an excuse to bind tradition as the commandments of God, and let us not accept the misquotation, "forsake not the assembly". We ARE the assembly… This week we will look at Hebrews 10:25, "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some..." (NKJV). But in order for us to have better we have to follow His precepts, and one very important precept is not to forsake the assembling, or we might say the gathering of ourselves together. If so, have such people truly grasped the point of Hebrews 10:24-25? With all the benefits found in regular church attendance why would anyone want to forsake the assembling of themselves together. Because we tend to cite book-chapter-verse to prove points, it’s very easy to separate a verse from its context. Our eternal security is not connected with going to church either. They did not immediately accept what Paul said as truth; still, they listened respectfully. Why We Should Not Forsake the Assembling of Ourselves Together Our salvation is not connected with going to church or being a member of a particular church. Hebrews 10:25 was not written with such people in mind. If you want to obey His word and you ask Him to make a way for you to do that, He will answer that prayer. This must be cleansed off of us and the word of God is the best way to do it (. Church Reset: God’s Design for So Much More, Coronavirus: Using a bad situation to God’s glory. Are our shut-ins forsaking the assembly because their medical status is such that they aren’t able to make it each week? But whether or not your church building’s doors are open this Sunday, I encourage you to ponder the true meaning of Hebrews 10:24-25. It’s because we have a backward, businesslike view of the church that many see attendance “every time the doors are open” as the sign of faithfulness. In church we should have the right atmosphere with good Godly music and the preaching of the word of God for the spirit to move in our hearts and help us to draw near unto God. In other words, we need to be thinking about our church family and looking for ways we can push each other toward greater closeness and involvement. Read full chapter. But carry those habits with you. These verses set the bar way higher than just “you need to be there on Sunday.” Hebrews 10:25 is not just a call for people to stop skipping church. In the Old Testament there was the Lavar before the tabernacle that the priest would wash himself with before entering into the tabernacle this is a type of the save person keeping himself clean by the word of God. Perhaps it would help to see how the passage is rendered in other translations. New American Standard Bible not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. We know that when we assemble together, we should focus on learning the needs of others, encouraging them to love as God loves, and inciting eternal actions. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together - The Revised English Bible renders this verse: "We should not stay away from our meetings, as some do, but rather encourage one another, all the more because we see the day of the Lord drawing near." No, church leaders are not being faithless if they choose to limit or cancel Sunday gatherings for a time. I truly believe we abandon our assemblies when it’s not a high priority on our list. But after salvation we walk through this filthy world and sometimes we get the dust of the world on us. God wants you to obey His word. You see the background, why we need to provoke, why we need to come together. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Once we get back to normal, let’s make sure we don’t fall into the mistake of thinking we’ve “not forsaken the assembly” just by our attendance. Each one must work out his own salvation as we are going to answer to the Lord for how we do, or fail to do. Church is the location and/or the event that happens on Sunday, so their participation in “church” is centered on attendance. We aren’t talking about people who are drifting from the Lord. Now as for salvation we already said that we are washed by the blood. Hebrews 9. 25 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. Is it possible that there are those with a perfect attendance record who have done no more to encourage the brethren than a “How are you?” in passing in the hallway? “Let us hold fast the confession of the expectation without wavering: for He is faithful that promised. also will do it" (I Thessalonians 5:24). In response to this, some have made the claim that churches that cancel are violating the Bible’s command in Hebrews 10:25 to not forsake the assembly. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Today a person can get saved outside the church just as well as inside the church, but as we will see in the rest of these points there are great spiritual benefits to attending church. The article was an exhortation for brethren to not forsake the assembly of the local church and showed why the assembly is important. The assembly should not be the extent of our interaction with our brethren. NASB 1995 Make sure you’re not only … He will not fail you, but He will keep His promise, fulfill His vow, and complete His work. We are the assembly, the “called out” of Christ. There are christians out there who do their utmost to get people IN to Church, but AMCP try to get people OUT of the Church whether this is their aim or not. But that faithful attendance is a natural byproduct of a truly converted heart. The verse says “hold fast the profession of our faith without waving (for he is faithful that promised)”. weak and is about to quit the church is when he begins to forsake the assembly. When we find the advice in the Word of GOD that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, then when we find the people that have GOD’s spirit, when we find the people who give evidence of living close to the LORD, then, whether you find the measure of profit in associating with them you expect or not, you should meet with them, because GOD has said so. The truth is that the ekklēsia (mistranslated as “church” in most English Bibles) is not something we go to; it is what we ARE. But we should make every effort to attend church services because of the spiritual benefit that they bring us in this sermon we will look at some of those benefits. If I have the ability to use that education for something other than teaching my children, I should use it, especially if it allows us to hold services at the normal time, so we can welcome guests and provide a time of renewal and fellowship. DO NOT FORSAKE THE ASSEMBLY To understand and profit from this lesson, it is essential that you read carefully Hebrews 10:23-32. (The literal meaning of ekklēsia is the “called out ones,” but it was used by Greeks to refer to the people who were called out of the community to be members of the assembly.) Tradition says that it is a sin to miss any service of the local church except for sickness or circumstances beyond our control. Biblically, the word “forsaking” has a meaning akin to the idea of desertion, somebody abandoning their church family. Obviously a fruit bearing Christian is going to want to worship God, gather with their church family, and partake of the Lord’s supper each Sunday unless extreme circumstances prevent them. It is easier to hold fast your profession of faith with regular church attendance.