Coming Together in Christian Fellowship
“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.” -Hebrews 10:25
Here the Bible tells us that we are not to forsake the assembling of God’s people together: as would be the case in a church. In Hebrews, the book is filled with solemn and somber warnings against apostasy and falling away from the faith; and so we get a helpful bit of advice to help keep us on the right path, and the basic message is this: go to church!
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. . .” -Hebrews 10:23-25a
It was as if Paul was writing to the Hebrews, “we’re all in this together, and this great struggle of Christian life is too difficult to go it alone: you need help from your spiritual family to strengthen you through tough times, and likewise they need you to encourage them and set a godly example.”
Yet just as it was in the early church, even so too today there are still those that claim to be followers of God, but refuse to gather with other Christians. Whether it is out of pride and self-sufficiency, or out of fear, or perhaps a certain grievance that has been committed against them in the past: whatever the reason, if we are not gathering together with other believers in fellowship, then we are not living in obedience to God’s word.
The apostle John says that those that are truly born again will love their brothers, and it would make sense that those who love their new spiritual family would desire to be with them. And yet, John also comments that those that are of the devil are those people who only love the world, and serve their own selfish lusts. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
If we are truly born again, then we ought to let go of our selfishness and pride, and come into fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ on a regular basis.
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” -1 John 3:14
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