{"id":23900,"date":"2010-06-29T20:03:00","date_gmt":"2010-06-30T01:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=23900"},"modified":"2020-07-16T20:06:20","modified_gmt":"2020-07-17T01:06:20","slug":"does-not-forsake-the-assembling-of-ourselves-together-mean-reading-the-bible-and-learning-about-god-and-his-kingdom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-not-forsake-the-assembling-of-ourselves-together-mean-reading-the-bible-and-learning-about-god-and-his-kingdom\/","title":{"rendered":"Does “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together” mean reading the Bible and learning about God and His Kingdom?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Hebrews 10:23-27 said to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Does this mean going to church, or does it mean not forsaking reading the Bible and learning about God and His Kingdom?<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And 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 approaching<\/em>” (Hebrews 10:23-25).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is a wonder how far people will go to avoid what is clearly stated. The command is to Christians to help their fellow Christians hang on to the end by encouraging to not become complacent or lazy. To do so, we must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. That makes sense. It is hard to encourage or receive encouragement when I’m not with other Christians.<\/p>\n

The Greek word translated “assembling” is\u00a0episunagoge<\/em>, which means a group gathering together. It is used in II Thessalonians 2:1 to describe all the saints gathering to meet Jesus. I can’t think of any Christian who plans to sit at home reading and learning about God. Everyone understands we are going to gather with fellow Christians. In the same way, Hebrews 10:25 is talking of the gatherings of Christians. Phrases all through this verse indicate group action: “consider one another,” “assembling of ourselves together,” and “exhorting one another.”<\/p>\n

Add to this that the word “church” translates the Greek word\u00a0ekklesia<\/em>, which also means an assembly and it is clear that the writer of Hebrews was encouraging Christians to attend church to benefits themselves and others.<\/p>\n

Since the kingdom is the church (Hebrews 12:23,28; Matthew 16:17-18), to stay at how “learning” about the kingdom when opportunities exist to be a part of the kingdom is more than a bit foolish.<\/p>\n

Finally, all the actions are considering other people, assembling with other people, and exhorting other people. The writer did not mention reading and studying which can be done in groups, but which you seem to see as independent, individual actions.<\/p>\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

My friend listens to Harold Camping who says all kinds of stuff that I don\u2019t feel in my spirit. Have you heard of him and heard that he said the world will end on May 21, 2011? My friend believes this and a few other things that he says about not going to church because the pastors are being ruled by Satan now. He said the church age is over and the end is May 21, 2011. Is he a kook or what?<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

Mr. Camping joins a long line of false teachers who have tried to predict the end of the world. “In 1992, Camping published a book titled\u00a01994?<\/em>, in which he proclaimed that Christ’s return might be on September 6, 1994″ [Harold Camping, Wikipedia<\/a>]. He missed that one, so now he is saying May 21, 2011. “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him<\/em>” (Deuteronomy 18:22).<\/p>\n

Clearly he teaches contrary to the Bible in regards to attending services with other Christians. There are uncountable numbers of false teachers in the denominational world (Matthew 7:13-14). Mr. Camping happens to be one of them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: Hebrews 10:23-27 said to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Does this mean going to church, or does it mean not forsaking reading the Bible and learning about God and His Kingdom? Answer: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[356],"class_list":["post-23900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-attendance"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":39769,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-the-day-in-hebrews-1025-sunday-or-the-day-jesus-returns\/","url_meta":{"origin":23900,"position":0},"title":"Is the \u201cday\u201d in Hebrews 10:25 Sunday or the day Jesus returns?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 23, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is the \"day\" in Hebrews 10:25 Sunday or the day Jesus returns? Answer: \"And 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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69245,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-christians-assemble\/","url_meta":{"origin":23900,"position":1},"title":"Why Do Christians Assemble?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 10, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Wayne S. Walker Question: \"Why do members of the church of Christ assemble together, and why do they assemble at various times?\" Answer: Members of the church of Christ assemble together because this is what is taught in the New Testament. And it is precisely what we find Christians\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1403,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-the-command-to-forsake-not-the-assembling-of-ourselves-together-apply-only-to-sunday-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":23900,"position":2},"title":"Does the command to “forsake not the assembling of ourselves together” apply only to Sunday worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 4, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In our Bible study at church, the statement was made that if elders schedule a meeting, then it would be a sin for one to 'forsake the assembly\" if one could have attended. I feel that a person should attend, for it is a benefit to study and learn\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29046,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-if-you-feel-that-a-particular-church-is-not-suitable-for-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":23900,"position":3},"title":"What if you feel that a particular church is not suitable for you?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What are the suggestions if one cannot afford monetarily to attend church, or feels that a particular church is not suitable for him? If he does private bible study, is this enough? Does he have to go through the baptism ceremony? If a Christian continues to study other religions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45810,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-you-make-people-understand-the-importance-of-attending-services\/","url_meta":{"origin":23900,"position":4},"title":"How do you make people understand the importance of attending services?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, Many people are just doing good without going to church or recognizing God, how do you make people understand the importance or take Christianity seriously if they don't see any need? Answer: The authority of the Bible rests upon the fact that its teachings come from God.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":35322,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-staying-home-because-of-an-illness-forsaking-the-assemblies\/","url_meta":{"origin":23900,"position":5},"title":"Is staying home because of an illness “forsaking the assemblies?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I read a section of your website that had to do with \"not forsaking the assembling.\" Could you give me your thoughts considering the following: Because I have been very low physically (adrenal fatigue State II and related diagnosis of hypoglycemia and extreme hormone imbalance) I have not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23900"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23900\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}