Do Not Forsake the Assembling of Yourselves Together

[InTheLight]

The classic so-called proof text for "if you don't go to church you are sinning."

Upon reading this recently it occurred to me that it was not a command to go to church nor was it a condemnation of those that didn't go to church. It seems to me that it is presented as being a good practice to go to church. "Not forsaking" is different from "You must go to church", IMO.

Hebrews 10
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 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. [NJKV]

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. [NIV]

 

[Amy.G]

"Not forsaking" means do not forsake. I take that as a command.

 

[plain_n_simple]

Take a couple verses, mix with some opinion, stir gently while repeating and you have new doctrine. Church attendance is like school attendance for some. An award will be given at the pearly gates. Besides that, churches need that money coming in, so membership and attendance must be stressed. Make it a sin and you have the sheeps attention lol.

 

[InTheLight]

"Not forsaking" means do not forsake. I take that as a command.

The verse is saying, "Do not, not do this."

It seems like a suggestion to me.

Also, we are given clear instructions on many other practices and activities throughout scripture. If skipping church attendance was considered a sin I would think there multiple references to it and they would be more forceful.

 

[freeatlast]

The verse is saying, "Do not, not do this."

It seems like a suggestion to me.

Also, we are given clear instructions on many other practices and activities throughout scripture. If skipping church attendance was considered a sin I would think there multiple references to it and they would be more forceful.

I am afraid that For some the whole bible is one big suggestion.The passage is an exhortation and not a suggestion.
The word "forsaking" is the translation of egkataleipo which means "to let down, to abandon." "Assembling" is the translation of episunagoge. The word is a compound of ago "to go," Sun "with," and epi. Sun and ago come over into English in the word "synagogue," the meeting place of the Jews other than the temple at Jerusalem. Alford suggests two reasons for the addition of epi. It was used by the writer to take away the Judaistic sound of sunagoge. Or, it might point to the individual meeting places of the various assemblies. Some of the recipients of this letter were, under stress of persecution, absenting themselves from the Christian assemblies.
They are exhorted not to egkataleipo, that is, let down in their attendance upon these meetings, or abandon them. They are, on the other hand to exhort each other to continued attendance, and in view of the fact of the approach of the time when the Lord would come.
Translation: Not letting down on the assembling of ourselves together, even as the custom of certain is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day drawing near.
—Wuest's Word Studies

 

[Amy.G]

Take a couple verses, mix with some opinion, stir gently while repeating and you have new doctrine. Church attendance is like school attendance for some. An award will be given at the pearly gates. Besides that, churches need that money coming in, so membership and attendance must be stressed. Make it a sin and you have the sheeps attention lol.

Wow. Got something against the local church I see.

Forsake
verb (used with object), -sook, -sak·en, -sak·ing.
1.to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert: She has forsaken her country for an island in the South Pacific.
2.to give up or renounce (a habit, way of life, etc.).e


The OP is about "forsaking" church, not how many times a year one attends. It's not meant to be legalistic. If one forsakes assembling together then they have given up meeting with other Christians altogether.

The NT is full of instructions for the local church (the church at Corinth, Rome, Ephesus, Philippi, Jerusalem...... We are to build up one another, love one another, worship God corporately, learn the scriptures to be prepared to go out and preach the gospel. How can these things be done if we forsake assembling together? That is clearly against God's will for the body of Christ.


It cannot be a suggestion as forsaking assembling together would kill the church and God's purpose for it.

 

[plain_n_simple]

No I have nothing against the local church. It's just funny to me how some take scripture out of context to make it say what they want, and for several reasons too. Usually money.

 

[Amy.G]

No I have nothing against the local church. It's just funny to me how some take scripture out of context to make it say what they want, and for several reasons too. Usually money.

I have never gone to church for money.

 

[freeatlast]

No I have nothing against the local church. It's just funny to me how some take scripture out of context to make it say what they want, and for several reasons too. Usually money.

The passage is for the discouraged to remind them not to stop attending. We are all to attend and all give to the support of the Lord's work.

 

[plain_n_simple]

Calling it sin is twisting scripture for some reason or another.

 

[freeatlast]

Calling it sin is twisting scripture for some reason or another.

Well perhaps, but it would depend on why the person was not going as it could be sin for not attending. Romans 14. In other words if they can say in their heart with no question (no doubt) that God does not want them in church then it would not be sin.

 

[JesusFan]

The classic so-called proof text for "if you don't go to church you are sinning."

Upon reading this recently it occurred to me that it was not a command to go to church nor was it a condemnation of those that didn't go to church. It seems to me that it is presented as being a good practice to go to church. "Not forsaking" is different from "You must go to church", IMO.

Hebrews 10
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 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. [NJKV]

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. [NIV]

The bible is clear that we are not called by God to go the Lone ranger approach, as we NEED to have the fellowship with the saints, and that we need to have some corporate worship fellowship to learn from gifted teachers pastors, and to be used by God int he gift that He placed within us!

 

[12strings]

Calling it sin is twisting scripture for some reason or another.

Let's reason this out:

1. The Bible says not we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
2. Some Christians take this to mean God is instructing us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
3. These same Christians believe that disobeying God is a sin.
4. THEREFORE... these Christians are twisting scripture by declaring that disregarding and disobeying part of God's word is a sin... ????

 

[Mexdeaf]

Take a couple verses, mix with some opinion, stir gently while repeating and you have new doctrine.

LIKE!:thumbsup:

 

[HeDied4U]

My question would be does the "assembling of yourselves together" always mean going to church?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for church attendance and I realize the importance of it, but if my wife and I get together with a few friends and have a Bible study, isn't that assembling together?

I'm not trying to imply that that would be a substitute for regular church attendance, but sometimes there are times when my work schedule, or my wife's, makes it difficult to get to church on a regular basis, and by getting together with friends during the week, we feel that we have "assembled."

 

[Mexdeaf]

My question would be does the "assembling of yourselves together" always mean going to church?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for church attendance and I realize the importance of it, but if my wife and I get together with a few friends and have a Bible study, isn't that assembling together?

I'm not trying to imply that that would be a substitute for regular church attendance, but sometimes there are times when my work schedule, or my wife's, makes it difficult to get to church on a regular basis, and by getting together with friends during the week, we feel that we have "assembled."

LIKE!:thumbsup:

 

[mandym]

I am afraid that For some the whole bible is one big suggestion.

Bingo!:thumbsup:

 

[righteousdude2]

Sometimes....

....I need a break from the organized gathering of folks. I believe we can reap and grow from other ways of "gathering" ourselves together.

Like I said in the other post....the church is theologically more than a brick and motar/wood and nail edifice!

If we gather simply for the sake of gathering and not committing a sin, then are we gathering for "all" the right reasons?

Besides, the organized church has become more interested in its numbers and money. It is beginning to resemble the very temple that Jesus went into and literally ripped apart because it had become a commercialized group of entities, or moneychangers.

Honestly, how many churches have you seen that don't only have an offering plate/basket/bucket; a book store; a tape table (of sermons at a slight cost to cover expenses), etc.

I'm sorry, but (IMHO), as of late. The local church seems to have lost its direction and seems to resemble a group of moneychangers, and not a gathering of believers, studying and sharing His Word.

I truly yearn for the return of the small country church setting, where people are happy to see you, and when you miss a Sunday, come looking for you and want to help sincerely help and assist you when things go awry.

There is too much attention of growth and size, and too little on the persons who make up the true church, which in my eyes is the individuals who are linked through the blood of Jesus, and combine to make up the very, living body of Christ. Not a building, on such-in-such street! :tear:

I'm not against the church per se, just the institution it has become!

 

[Steadfast Fred]

I'm sorry, but I believe that one of the first steps toward apostasy is to stop assembling in the building we have come to know as the "Church."

I know they Bible teaches the individuals make up the Church, but I also know that Scripture tells us to lift up our hands in the Sanctuary.

Is it OK for Christians to meet in places other than the Sanctuary? Sure. The early Church met in homes daily. But the Word of God tells us that they early Church not only met in homes, but they also met in the Temple daily.

We should have the same zeal for the building that is called the Church today as David did, the same as Jesus Christ did, (the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up) the same as the early Church did.

Not forsaking the gathering of themselves together as the manner of some be, but exhorting one another; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.

The children of God should have a desire to meet in the Sanctuary. They, like David of old, should be glad when someone says "let us go into the house of the LORD".

 

[Mexdeaf]

I'm sorry, but I believe that one of the first steps toward apostasy is to stop assembling in the building we have come to know as the "Church."

I know they Bible teaches the individuals make up the Church, but I also know that Scripture tells us to lift up our hands in the Sanctuary.

Is it OK for Christians to meet in places other than the Sanctuary? Sure. The early Church met in homes daily. But the Word of God tells us that they early Church not only met in homes, but they also met in the Temple daily.

We should have the same zeal for the building that is called the Church today as David did, the same as Jesus Christ did, (the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up) the same as the early Church did.

Not forsaking the gathering of themselves together as the manner of some be, but exhorting one another; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.

The children of God should have a desire to meet in the Sanctuary. They, like David of old, should be glad when someone says "let us go into the house of the LORD".

I'd love to agree with you but the Church is not the building.

I believe that Jesus and several of the apostles had "church" on the shores of Galilee in John 21.

Please don't take this personally, but I believe that one of the first steps toward apostasy is when we start believing that assembling in the building we have come to know as the "Church" is the ONLY way to "have church". Thus our "Christian lives" are lived entirely in that cocoon. I am convinced that the New Testament illustrates exactly the opposite.