Not forsaking the assembling

“...a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

As long as I have been in the ministry (and even before that, I suppose), I have known people who claimed to be Christians who also claimed they did not need to go to church. Such folks fall into different categories. Some are nominal Christians who have zero interest in church. Some have been hurt or offended at some church and have dropped out and stay home. Some have figured out they can “do church” by listening to the radio, watching TV – or perhaps “attend” their own church’s live online service. Some are so radical that they cannot tolerate any who do not agree with them, and apparently cannot go to church until they find the perfect church (i.e., that agree with them on all points). There are doubtless other categories, but these are the four that come to mind first for me.

A few weeks ago, someone I know had some work done at his house. The man doing the work professes to be a Christian but says he does not need to go to church. My friend talked to him a bit, especially pointing him to the Hebrews 10:25 passage about “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” He did not make any headway. He later asked me about, especially concerning what Scripture might be used to convince folks that they should go to church. The Bible does teach the gathering of baptized believers. Rather clearly. Sometimes the problem is not so much showing someone what the Bible says. The actual problem is that the non-church-going Christian will not accept the authority of the Bible as their sole rule of faith and practice in this matter and submit to it.

Another related problem might be a common American/Western idea of “going to church.” It is just somewhere you go and something you do on a regular or semi-regular basis, rather than a commitment to the Lord and his people. Related to this is a consumer mentality, in that one “goes to church” for what he or she can get out of it, rather than considering there might be something to put into it. Taken together, with this mentality, when church going no longer seems pleasing or beneficial, the church-goer just stops going and does something else that is pleasing and beneficial.

The best scriptural case for “going to church” is made with the “threefold cord” of command, precept, and example.

Command.

Hebrews 10:25 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.

The Bible teaches Christians to gather. In the context of commands to draw near God (v. 22), to hold fast the profession of our faith (v. 23), and to consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works (v. 24), the writer to the Hebrews commands the Lord’s people to assemble (stated as a command to not forsake the assembling they are presently fulfilling in conjunction with the other commands given).

Assembling with fellow believers “because God said so” really ought to be good enough for the servant of God. Nevertheless, assembling is not merely for the sake of assembling. Assembling integrates with other commands to the Christian. We fulfill them as we gather together: we combine in corporate worship (1 Corinthians 14:25; John 4:24), hear the preaching of the word (2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:3), edify/build up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), baptize (Acts 2:41), eat the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34), exercise church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:4-5), sing to God & one another (Colossians 3:16), and pray together (James 5:16; Acts 4:31).

Other New Testament admonitions made in relation to “One Anothering” indicate near presence, the expectation of gathering together (bear one another’s burdens, exhort one another, greet one another, give an holy kiss, wash one another’s feet, the right hand of fellowship, the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, anointing with oil, admonish one another, comfort one another). Heath Woolman, Pastor of Fruit Cove Baptist Church in St. Johns, Florida, wrote, “Scripture also commands us to take part in the reciprocal imperatives of the Christian life (1 Cor. 12:25, Gal. 6:2, Col. 3:13, et.al.).” Writing in the context of technology driven “online church,” he observes that these imperatives “cannot be adequately expressed or obeyed through technology-mediation, ‘online churches,’ or ‘online church membership.’” I would add they cannot be fulfilled through the church of the fishing boat, becoming one with nature, or simply staying at home doing nothing. Christians obey their Lord.

Precept.

The New Testament concept and doctrine of the church is an assembly. The church is an ekklesia, a called-out assembly, a congregation of baptized believers. The very thing church means assembly and exudes the idea of gathering. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

The church of Corinth was an assembly, a local body of believers in the city of Corinth. Notice 1 Corinthians 12:25, “that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” They came together with psalms, teachings, tongues, etc. See 1 Corinthians 14:26, “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” Paul warned that they must bring it all into an orderly fashion, in consistency with the God of order. There were local bodies of believers assembling in the cities of Asia (Revelation 2:1-3:22), in Galatia (Galatians 1:2), in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:1), in Macedonia (2 Corinthians 8:1), and so on. Assembly is found within the very nature of these bodies.

One modern foe of assembling is the ascendancy of the idea of the “universal invisible church.” Many emphasize that they are members of that church, with little or no need to acknowledge the visible nature of the church. However, New Testament churches were local and visible, gathered assemblies that met together at certain times and in certain places. The ascendancy of the “invisible” church dethrones “the true church” (i.e., local visible churches). The church is an assembly; if she does not assemble, she is not a church. May we labor to recover this church truth, and in doing so realize again the importance of assembling ourselves together.

Example.

The New Testament is replete with examples of the baptized disciples gathering together. They were intricately involved in one another’s lives, joys, sufferings, ministry, and goals. Each time the Bible describes a church gathering, assembling, coming together, etc., it has provided an example of the believers practicing the command of God taught in the precepts of God. Notice a few examples from the book of Acts:

• Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
• Acts 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
• Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
• Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
• Acts 20:8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

Conclusion.

The disciples who “were called Christians first” were an assembling body of believers in Antioch Syria. They represent the New Testament “norm.” The “Lone Ranger” who does his own thing apart from the churches of Christ is not a New Testament type of Christian. He is not submitting to the authority of the word of God. Command, precept, and example combine to teach us believers should assemble together in local churches. This should be what some might flippantly call “a no-brainer.” God commands assembly. Obey. With joy.

May we with the sweet psalmist David once again excitedly say, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).