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Faithfully
Assembling With The Saints
Every Christian must come to understand the responsibility of faithfully assembling
with the saints. Attending all the services of the church is of grave importance
to the Christian. This responsibility cannot be taken lightly.
Indifference keeps many from faithfully assembling with the saints. Some want
to give as little service to God as they can get by with. This divided allegiance
has caused them to feel that attending worship service is optional instead of
mandatory. Our prayer is that all will become conscious of their obligations
in serving Christ. Many need to repent, pray to God for forgiveness and also
dedicate themselves to faithfulness in attending the worship service and in
all other service to God.
Nothing can exceed the joy and happiness to be shared in fellowship with the
saints in the service of the church. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves
with our brethren whenever they meet.
Those who truly desire heaven as an eternal home share a great concern relative
to regular attendance at all services of the church. It would be difficult to
imagine Christians having any other attitude than that expressed by David from
long ago concerning his worship. "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let
us go into the house of the Lord.'" (Psalms 122:1.)
Jesus is our example (I Peter 2:21). Would Jesus attend Bible classes on Sunday
morning or Wednesday night? Faithfully assembling with the saints is important
for the following reasons:
Assemble with the saints because of your love for God. Does one prove love for
God by sleeping through Bible study time on Sunday? Or visiting on Sunday and
not being in Bible study or worship? Or when on vacation forsaking Bible study
or worship time? Those who willfully forsake the assembly are saying to God,
"God I really do not love you." "I do not care about you."
"You are not first in my life."
Assemble with the saints because God de¬sires and commands your attendance.
God, Christ and the Holy Spirit desire and command our faithful attendance at
the assembly of the saints. "Let us consider one another in order to stir
up love and good works, 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 ap¬proaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received
the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but
a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will
devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy
on the testimony of two or three wit¬nesses. Of how much worse punishment,
do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot,
counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing,
and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine,
I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His
people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
(Hebrews 10:24-31) Those who willfully and deliberately forsake the assembling
are insulting God!
Assemble with the saints because of your desire to put the kingdom first. "But
seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall
be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) Those who claim to be putting God first
in life but are willfully absent from the assemblies are only deceiving themselves.
Where will a person who is seeking the kingdom first be when the saints are
assembled?
Assemble with the saints because all faithful brethren desire your presence.
Willfully failing to assemble with the saints is a discouragement to elders,
preachers, teachers and all faithful brethren. "And let us consider one
another in order to stir up love and good works." (Hebrews 10:24) Elders
must watch for our souls and give account to God. (Hebrews 13:17) Their work
is made more difficult by those who sin willfully by forsaking the assembly.
Assemble with the saints because of your desire to have a good influence on
others. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor,
how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and
trampled underfoot by men." (Matthew 5:13) Parents speak volumes to their
children when they deliberately forsake the assembly. Husbands or wives speak
volumes to their mates when they deliberately forsake the assembly. Those who
faithfully attend all the assemblies of the saints are using their influence
for God. Those who deliberately forsake the assemblies are an influence for
Satan.
Assemble with the saints because of your desire to build up the church instead
of weaken it. The faithful love what Christ loves’. He loves the church
and wants it to be strong. "Therefore, just as the church is subject to
Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love
your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her."
(Ephesians 5:24-25) Many members do not love the church enough to be faithful.
They will not even faithfully attend the services of the church. Their indifference
and neglect of the services of the church weaken the church. Think how this
must disappoint Jesus.
Assemble with the saints because of your desire to become a stronger Christian.
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." (II Peter 3:18) Can you
imagine a person who truly wants to grow spiritually not attending all the services
of the church? Those who willfully forsake the assembly are without hope in
eternity. (Hebrews 10:24-31)
Assemble with the saints because of your desire to go to heaven. Those who don't
pray, don't work and don't attend are committing spiritual suicide. The crown
of life awaits those who surrender their all to the Master. "...Be faithful
until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)
A dedication that will not get you to all the services of the church is certainly
not a dedication that will get you to heaven.
Nothing less than a living sacrifice will do. "I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a liv¬ing
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
(Romans 12:1-2) Strive to develop a faithfulness that will get you to all the
services of the church. Those who do this will be taking one major step toward
Heaven!
Author Unknown
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