Forsaking not the Assembly___Hebrews 10:25

          

by Lane Rogers__________and Friends

The comprehensive use of the language of worship in the New Testament certainly includes (indeed especially so according to Everett Ferguson) the meeting together of Christians for religious purposes. I am obliged to furnish or speak on the assembly and the many commands relating to the assembly if asked. However, I only want to stress the importance of the assembly and the behavior of those who consistently miss the assembly.

If we accept a wider idea of ‘worship’ which I believe is taught in the NT, then attending the assembly becomes part of our ministry to each other. In community there is strength. Individual weaknesses are overcome through the encouragement of others. People need one another. The meetings of the church provide the opportunity for learning of needs, planning to meet them, and acting together. Forsaking the assembly is not a sin against an institution, but against the brothers and sisters to whom we owe mutual edification and fellowship (Heb. 10:25). Having said that, is very easy and common to misuse Hebrews 10:25. Enkataleipontes is a rare word and before we become carried away, let us make sure we are using it in the correct context. The letter of Hebrews was written to Jews who were abandoning the assembly. These were not people who were missing a few times once in a while. They were leaving. Furthermore, notice the word above. It is a cognate, one word made out of several words. If we look in the center of the word we see lip and this is a form of the word luo which is to destroy or divorce. Missing the assembly a few times is not divorcing or abandoning. It is a misuse of this passage then on two fronts (one the context and two the grammar) to beat the brethern over the head for missing the assembly a few times ever so often.

Having said that, the assembly of Christians is part of their total service to God. Even if one puts emphasis on the biblical passages where worship is defined as service to others, the assembly as the time of meeting together for mutual encouragement is in fact worship and service to each other.

The church in assembly not only provides encouragement to its members but also approaches God (Heb. 10:19-25). This does not just refer to Sunday morning. It is very generic and means what it says. That is, when God’s people come together we are an assembly. In the Psalms, the assembly of God’s people was the place for praise to Him and the place where His awesome presence was felt. Heb. 2:12 quotes from Psalms 22:22, “I will tell your name to my brothers and sisters in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” The next verse continues, “You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify Him, all you offspring of Israel!” (Ps. 22:23). Hebrews 12:23-28 similarly connects the “assembly of the first born who are enrolled in heaven” with offering "to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe.”

In the OT, the general phrase “to call upon the name of the Lord” was used to refer to worship of God in confession and prayer. This phrase is used to characterize Christians in 1^st Cor. 1:2, "those who in every place call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul by these words reminds the ekklesia of God at Corinth that they are not alone.¹

The phrase "in every place” (in Christian usage based on Mal. 1:11) seems to have had a special reference “to every meeting place.”

Moreover, the proclamation (calling on the Lord) and worship had a common content—God’s acts of grace. The proclamation and confession of God’s wonderful deeds (1^st Peter 2:9; Heb. 10:23; 13:15) looks back to his historical acts of grace in Christ and forward to the accomplishment of his will when Christ comes again. This recital both praises God for His salvation and declares to human beings that salvation.

The assembly therefore, is related to the work of the church which is proclaiming God’s Word, strengthening believers, and ministering to their needs. The assembly exemplifies worship as the whole Christian life.