WHY SHOULD WE NOT FORSAKE THE ASSEMBLY OF THE

LORD’S CHURCH?

1. Because the Scriptures forbid it. “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.” (Heb. 10:25). God has always commanded that His people come together at regular intervals for worship and association. There were some of the Hebrew Christians who were not assembling and they were in danger of falling away. “For if we sin willfully 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.” (Hebrews 10:26, 27). We will become weak and fall from the faith if we forsake the assembly.

2. Because Christ will be there. Our fellowship should be with God and Christ (I John 1:4). The Lord said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). Churches of Christ gather in His name and so have the Lord with them. If I forsake such assemblies then I have failed to have fellowship with Christ.

3. Because God’s faithful children will be at the assembly. The Jerusalem Christians were “steadfast” in the items of worship (Acts 2:42). Also the disciples at Antioch “assembled” (Acts 11:26). At Troas it is said, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” (Acts 20:7). Where there were congregations they assembled regularly on the first day of the week and at other times to worship, study, and pray. If I forsake the assembly then I dissociate myself with God’s people.

4. Because we need to remember the Lord’s death. The church at Corinth came together to eat the Lord ’s Supper. Paul showed them that the bread was a memorial of his body and the fruit of the vine a memorial of his blood. He told them to be careful to discern the Lord’s body when they partook thereof (I Corinthians 11:20-30). Every faithful congregation spreads the Lord ’s Supper each Sunday and we should not forsake the assembly so we can partake thereof in memory of our Lord.

5. Because we need the instruction from the Word. The early church always had the “apostles doctrine” taught in the assembly. Acts 20:7 shows that Paul preached at the assembly of the church at Troas. We are told “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2). The word reproves us, rebukes us, corrects us, and gives us instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). To forsake the assembly is to forsake the instructions from the word so necessary for our spiritual welfare. Young Christians are told, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (I Pet. 2:1-3). All Christians are to “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18).

6. Because we need to be regular in our giving. Christians are specifically told, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” (I Corinthians 16:2). On the first day of the week the church comes together to remember the Lord’s death and on this same day they are to give as God has prospered them. This is the only way the Lord’s work is supported. Failing to assemble means we also fail to give and thus disobey God.

7. Because we need to encourage people to live right. Connected with the assembly we are told, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24). To “provoke” means to challenge or spur one another on to love and good works. Each Christian helps other Christians to be spurred on to live a better life and to do good things for others. If I forsake the assembly then I have not done my duty to encourage people to live right.

8. Because we need to worship God. God seeks for people to worship him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). If I forsake the assembly then I am not doing what God seeks for me to do.

9. Because we need to sing praises to the Lord. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16). Singing is part of the teaching program. If I forsake the assembly then I have not praised God nor taught and admonished others.

10. Because we need to pray. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). We are to pray without ceasing and in everything to give thanks (I Thessalonians 5:17,18). There are always a great number of people who ask to be prayed for and the assembly is a place where prayers go up to the Heavenly Father for all men. If I forsake the assembly then I have not been a part of these prayers which ought to be made.  

11. Because we can be a part of converting the lost. One part of the assembly is the teaching of the truth of God telling lost people what to do to be saved. (Mark. 16:16; Acts 2:38). Here sinners are encouraged to make a change in their lives. Lost people are exhorted to “save yourselves from this crooked generation (Acts 2:40). The invitation of Jesus is given to “come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Songs of encouragement are sung so the sinner will be invited by the whole congregation. If I am not there then I will not be a part of this teaching and exhortation of people to come to the Lord and be saved. I would be saying in substance that it didn’t matter to me if people are saved or not saved.

12. So we would not be stumbling blocks. Jesus said, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6). A person is saying to his family that the church and worship are not really necessary when he forsakes the assembly. A person is saying to the community that New Testament Christianity is not important when he forsakes the assembly of the New Testament church. He is also saying to the weak Christians in the church that it would be all right for them to forsake the assembly. “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” (Romans 14:13).

13. In order to be a support to the work of Christ and the Church I need to be in the assembly. Timothy was told, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (I Timothy 3:14, 15). All Christians are to give on the first day of the week as God has prospered them. (I Corinthians 16:1,2). The church is the pillar and ground of the truth by supporting gospel preachers to preach that truth so they can give themselves full time to the ministry. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” (Galatians 6:6). The churches of Christ sponsor missionaries to carry the gospel to most of the countries of the world. They are worthy of our contributions to help get this task done. The Lord expects my worship and my contribution to the church so the church can be helped to carry the gospel to the lost of the world.

14. To rear our children in the way of the Lord we certainly need to be faithful in attending the assemblies of the church. Fathers especially are told “provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4). We need all the help we can get to get this job done. The Bible studies and assemblies to worship are of tremendous help in teaching the scriptures to our children. All parents owe it to their children to be faithful to the assemblies and to encourage their children to be in the same.

15. We should not forsake the assembly so we can develop our talents for the Lord. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.” Now we do not have the miraculous gift of prophecy but we need to teach the gospel to the lost. We need to learn all the things about the scriptures we can in order to teach others the way of the Lord. Bible classes and assemblies are designed to show us what the scriptures say so we can show others. The young preacher Timothy was told, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:1). The Hebrew Christians were rebuked for not growing to become teachers of others. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14). In the great commission our Lord Jesus Christ said that the world needed teaching, then baptizing, then those baptized need to become a part of teaching others of the world of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). The assemblies equip us with ample knowledge of the word to teach others.

16. We need to assemble regularly to help our country. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34). Righteousness is keeping God’s commands (Psalms 119:172). We are commanded to assemble (Hebrews 10:25). Assembling pleases God, builds character, and makes better citizens of a country. Thus the nation is exalted by Christians faithful to assemble with the church.

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