Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Superior Hope | Heb 11:40 | Ancient | 127098 | ||
In relation to Sunday worship, I would like to add my two cents as well, Lord willing that I should be of profit to someone else. The scriptures tell us in Romans, "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind." It is also written in Colossians, "Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a holy day or a new moon or a Sabbath day--things which are a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ." Paul tells us in Romans that there is no command we have that is not summed up by the statement, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Going to church, while certainly a fine thing, is not a commandment. Hebrews 10:25 is often considered a commandment: "not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some ..." I find, however, that the preceeding verse adheres to Paul's teaching, and puts the statement into perspective: "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." The early church, as recorded in the writings of Pliny the Younger, met on the first day of the week before dawn. The earliest church, according to Acts 2:46, met every day in the temple, not just on Sunday. When all is said and done, going to church is little more than a "work of the flesh" and is of no profit for righteousness. As it is written in Galatians, "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." To summarize what I am saying: We are not commanded to go to church. Let every man be fully pursuaded in his own mind. The one that does not esteem one day above another, God will make him stand, and we should not judge another's servant, for no man should be your judged regarding Sabbaths, or other related holy days. Those that choose to go to church, you do a fine thing. Those that choose not to go to church, it would be better if you did, but it is not required. If you are weak, you could use the instruction. If you are strong, you could instruct others. So either way it is a good thing, and we don't want to forsake the assembling of ourselves because it is our opportunity to provoke one another to love. What day you go is not relevent. It's the spirit behind it; that you are going because you want to, wish to help others, wish to be an active member of a congregation, etc. Love and blessings, Ancient |
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2 | Superior Hope | Heb 11:40 | Hank | 127196 | ||
Ancient: Well, this old Arkansas man lives and lives and never learns! Or so it seems. Here I am, having dutifully attended corporate worship with the saints for 55 years, just now finding out that it was optional. Woe be unto me had I "forsaken the assembly" for 55 years! What would my witness be today? What opportunities to teach others and learn from other saints I would have forfeited! How great my burden when I lost a son had I not been surrounded and cared for by brothers and sisters in the Lord. How greatly the mission fields would have suffered had not I and a host of other Chrstians of the church not attended and dropped our money in the collection plate every Lord's Day! How scarce the opportunity to invite others to attend the worship services had I not myself attended. ..... Did God who so meticulously gave instructions for the building of His house in the Old Covenant so drastically change His mind regarding corporate worship in the New -- so much so that He deems it optional? ...... The Greek word for the idea that attending corporate worship is "a work of the flesh" -- the Greek word for THAT idea is, I believe, "baloney." --Hank | ||||||
3 | Superior Hope | Heb 11:40 | Ancient | 127207 | ||
Hank, you have been good to me, so don't take anything personal that I might say. I've answered a number of posts today, and most recently got insulted by two different people over trivial matters. I'm in a temper, but know that it is not directed at you. I am going to reiterate for what seems like the hundredth time: "I am an advocate for going to church. I think it is a good thing. I think that the weak can be strengthened, exhorted, upheld, educated, and find comfort and fellowship. I think that the strong can be the ones to strengthen, exhort, uphold, educate, and give the comfort and fellowship." Did everyone hear me this time? I've posted this statement in every post related to this topic, starting with the first one. My issue is in calling it a command. Righteousness is to do the right thing. The right thing to me may not be the right thing to do for you. If you need church, and I don't, then so be it. (Please refer back to my statement). The doctrine of Christ is: Believe in Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead, and love one another as He gave us commandment. The law of Christ is: Love one another, and believe in me. Failing to love is true transgression of the Law of Christ. If I choose not to go to church, I am not hurting anyone. I find no reason to conclude that "go to church" is a commandment. Are we not the church? Are we not the building itself, we the members of the body of Christ? [Ephesians 2:19-22 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.] Further, what is an assembling? Did Jesus not say that where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them? [Matthew 18:20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.] At what point does a coming together of two or three suddenly become inadequate? I have a Bible study at my house on Thursday nights. There are some young Christians that come. I am quite delighted in their progress. They have not yet found a church they feel comfortable in (and many, I'm certain, have encountered this as well), but in our gathering of five or six, they are more provoked to love and good deeds than I've seen out of most Christians coming straight out of church. When I go to church, it's because I want to, but I find the place of meeting and the size of the congregation completely irrelevant. The idea is, don't go it alone. If you come together, whether by two or by two hundred, you can provoke one another. This is a fact. I have seen it with my own eyes in practical application. As for it being a work of the flesh, let me ask you: Who has done right? The man that goes to church every week, appears righteous to all those around him, then goes to work on Monday and cheats his customers? Or the man that misses church, thinks on God all day every day, loves his neighbor as himself, and in all ways actively practices righteousness? I can tell you plainly that these two people are real people, and this is the way they behave. Who has done right in the eyes of God? Going to church, for some people, is a crutch. They think going to church makes them righteous, but in all other ways outside those walls, they act like Godless, loveless heathens. Christ is our righteousness, not going to church. You either practice the doctrine of Christ, or you do not practice the doctrine of Christ. Going to church has nothing to do with that. The worst Christians I've ever met are the ones that attend weekly. The most sincere Christians I've ever met are the ones that never go at all. To close, I'll say one more time: I am an advocate of going to church. It is a good thing, and all should take advantage of the fellowship, instruction, and exhortation. Ancient |
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