There is nothing more fundamental to the
Christian life than "the assembling of
ourselves together". Attendance to the Church
meetings were never intended to be capricious. As long as
there are people involved, even legitimate reasons on the
horizontal plane will arise to provoke a forsaking. The
Church however, is vertically rooted, an organism, not an institution.
It is the body of CHRIST and thus inseparable from its HEAD. Paul
addressed many serious issues regarding the Church. In his
epistles, these were issues for believers to deal with,
"when" they came together, not if.
a·pos·ta·sy
(
e-pòs¹te-sê)
noun The
Abandonment of one's religious faith:
is not just improbable as some heretics
might
suggest, but impossible as it pertains to the Biblical Christian
(cf. John 10:28-30).
The remaining verses in Hebrews 10 do not
contain a warning against apostasy, but a statement of
distinction between the true Church and those who play it.
"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. He that despised Moses' law died without
mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath
trodden under foot the SON of GOD, and hath counted the blood of
the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and
hath done despite unto the SPIRIT of grace? For we know
HIM that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto ME, I will
recompense, saith the LORD. And again, The LORD shall judge his
people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
the living GOD. But call to remembrance the former days,
in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of
afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by
reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became
companions of them that were so used. For ye had
compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of
your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a
better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore
your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will
of GOD, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little
while, and HE that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, MY
soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them
who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the
saving of the soul." The notion that one need not attend
Church to become a Christian is
entirely tenable. The notion that a Christian need not
attend Church is entirely absurd; foreign to the full extent of
Holy Writ!
Many a steepled venue have become 'Racket Clubs' and it is
therefore no marvel that folks approach it with a 'Racquet Club'
mentality. Truth be known across the board, Church
meetings may entertain more infidels than believers. I
suggest the spiritual temperature emanating from within the
stained glass bears out my hunch, and is substantiated by this
insight from CHRIST: "... HIS enemy
came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."
The author of Hebrews exhorts the wheat to pollinate
"so much the more", for the day
of the LORD is one day closer with each passing day ... and so
is the return to the days of Noah.
"They went out from us, but they were not
of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have
continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made
manifest that they were not all of us."