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Why be Loyal to Church

Hebrews 10:23-27 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, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Lots of people quote the phrase of: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is  and don't present the context.  They have lots of reasons why we should not skip church, and many of them are valid.  However, many of those reasons do not match the context and we should consider the reasons given by God before we search for additional reasons.  Therefore, we should consider the reasons given within our context.

  1. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.
    1. Have you made a profession of salvation? 1Corinthians 15:1-2 says: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  Notice that some people who make a profession have believed in vain.  Our reference says that these people do not stand  with the saved and do not personally (ye)  ye keep in memory what I preached unto you.  If you are not personally reading and studying your Bible you will not keep in memory (the doctrine that is) preached unto you.  Further, you will not be faithful in your personal reading and studying your Bible if you are not faithful in church attendance.
    2. Notice that our reference said if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you.  You can not keep in memory preaching that you never hear.
    3. Our reference also says: I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you.  That gospel  was more than just basic how to avoid Hell.  It also included how to mature spiritually after becoming a child of God.  This required many more messages which require being in church to heat them.
    4. Our reference in Hebrews said Let us hold fast the profession.  People who do not attend church start doubting their profession.  In addition, the Biblical concept of a profession  is something that you live.  If you claim one thing with your mouth and live another thing then you are a liar.  Our sin nature will cause us to not live our profession  unless we are constantly reinforcing our faith with the help of church.& Our reference in Hebrews also says: hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.  James 1:7-8 says: For let not (the man who wavers in his faith) think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  The world and the devil are constantly seeking to make you waver in your faith so that you lose your blessings from God.  Our original reference in Hebrews told us that we need to be Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is  if we want to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.
  2. The next reason given in Hebrews is: for he is faithful that promised.
    1. He promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  However, we have a free will and can leave Him.
    2. Please see the Promises section in the Significant Gospel Events Study for more promises which he is faithful  to keep if we meet the requirements to receive the promise.
  3. Next, we are told And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
    1. How much will you provoke  someone else to do what you do not do?  If you try to do so, will they not call you a hypocrite?
    2. How can you provoke unto love and to good works  someone that you never see?  How can you see them in godly fellowship if you are not faithful to church meetings?
    3. How much will you truly consider  someone that you never, or hardly ever, see?
    4. How can you expect God to bless you when you refuse to obey His commandments like this one?
    5. How can someone else provoke (you) unto love and to good works  if they never, or hardly ever, see you?
    6. The saying is 'out of sight is out of mind'.  How long can others consider  you and your needs when they never see you?
    7. If a boy says that he loves a girl and wants to marry her but never has time for her, is she going to believe him or consider him to be a liar? If a couple marry and then one of them leaves and only shows up when they want something, is it a true marriage relationship? Will not the one feel used and resentful and stop providing for the one who is never there? What do you expect Christ to do when our Bible says that the relationship between a man and his wife is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church and you can't bother to be faithful to His church?
  4. Our reference in Hebrews continues with but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  Without going into all of the details, this is speaking about our personal day of judgment for our 'works' at the judgment Seat of Christ  (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10).  If you are not in church then you will not do works  approved by Christ, which is required for everlasting rewards.  In addition, the Bible not only promises loss of rewards but also promises punishment and 1,000 years of tears for saved people who refuse to work for God's kingdom while they are alive.  Lots of people do works which are approved by religion or society, but God does not give everlasting rewards for those works.
  5. Our next phrase says: For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
    1. This is dealing with the doctrine of devils  which claims that people can live a life of sin and, maybe, do some religious act such as 'going to confession' for the sacrifice to get rid of the sin.  Our reference says that such false acts do not get rid of the sin (there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins).
    2. In addition, our reference says after that we have received the knowledge of the truth.  Anyone who is truly saved accepted Jesus Christ  as their personal Lord.  That means that they agreed to obey Him as.  Part of that obedience is so that he can change our innermost being to be like Him.  The more we are like Him the more we will enjoy Heaven.  However, people who believe doctrines of devils  believe they will enjoy Heaven while they act like devils after God kicked the devils out of heaven for their attitudes.
    3. This reference is also telling the saved that they are not cleansed  from their sin (1John 1:9) because there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.  These are the sins  which will cause the saved to be punished at the judgment Seat of Christ  (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10).
  6. Our next phrase says: But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation.
    1. This is warning us of the attitude God will have towards disobedient children  when they get to the judgment Seat of Christ.  Romans 1:18-19 says: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  Saved people who accept the doctrine of devils  are doing this will receive the wrath of God.
    2. Romans 2:8 gives us a similar warning.
    3. In addition, Ephesians 5:6 says: Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.  While I could go on, the reader / listener should understand with these references.
  7. Our last phrase says: which shall devour the adversaries.
    1. James 4:4 says: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
    2. The use of the word adversaries  lets us know that our sentence is speaking about people who fight against God.  The Bible says that our true adversary  is the devil.  Saved people who obey the doctrine of devils  make themselves a minister of Satan and an enemy of God even if they are a child of God.
    3. This last phrase promises sickness and an early death to the saved who ignore the warning of our sentence in Hebrews.
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