Wanted to take a moment to provide an introductory statement concerning Scott's note here.
Perhaps, you are like myself, a sheep without a home, because it becomes difficult to find a gathering that preaches Christ alone among the sea of churches that preach some permutation of works+grace which ultimately is not grace at all.
For the free gift of God cannot be earned, cannot be obtained via merit. On the contrary, it is decreed that some of us would be awakened to this gospel peculiar to the world of false religion. I find myself feeling like an island at time for the lack of sound teaching and fellowship in my geographic proximity but I pray that the LORD would ordain that I should find one that I can call home.
Moreover, I pray for the opportunity to visit Pastor Scott and friends again again. It was such a delight to be among those I know are my brother and sister in a world that hates the truth. May the note below be edifying to those that should read it.
Heb 10:23-26 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful who promised), 24 and let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,”
When I was in churches growing up, it was common to hear pastors use verse 25 (“forsake not the assembly” - church attendance) to beat people over the head with to make them feel guilty, and perhaps even doubt their salvation. If you don’t realize that gathering with believers is important you don’t have very much spiritual sense to you. The above text, even though it has been abused, serves as serious words that were penned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If you are already confused about the direction I’m going, read on.
The text speaks of committing willful sin after one has believed the gospel. This willful sin is SPECIFIC in sinning against the gospel in the context of the book of Hebrews. The whole book of Hebrews is a warning to NOT go back into the inferior Covenant, the Old Covenant. This means that if they were to go back (“draw back”, as some versions relate) it would be to leave the gospel, or, in other words, to become apostate. THAT was the phrase “sin willfully” was referring to.
This warning can apply to more than just those being tempted with leaving the New Covenant for what they might have thought was the greener grass of the Old Covenant. It’s that type of backward move that shows just how much people like to showcase their own works, will, and ways over the wisdom of God’s grace. If a person was to take the “sin willfully” and use it to make it ALL or ANY sin, they would turn salvation into a conditional system that would not even be grace. God’s people are preserved in order that they will persevere (keep, or continue on) by faith in the gospel of His free and sovereign grace, in Christ. If one leaves pure grace and opts out for going back into a conditional, or a grace PLUS works system, they have committed apostasy and prove out that they are in unbelief, deceived in their own, or personal righteousness.
So, those who might try to use verse 26 (“sin willfully”) to scare people to death about verse 25 (“forsake not the assembly” - church attendance) on church attendance are falling into the very same trap as those who condition salvation on the sinner. This would be proof that the one teaching that mess does not believe the gospel in the first place. Does this mean church attendance is not a big deal? Of course not!! God’s people desperately need real gospel fellowship with real believers, mainly because the whole world is against them and hates and persecutes them for the truth they believe. Assembling with other believers in a local body is vital in the life of the child of God to edify, strengthen, encourage, grow and minister to each and every one of God’s sheep. Of course assembling with the saints is a big deal. It’s one of the most important things a believer does in their life, and one important reason is so they do not go back to what they used to believe before they were brought to the knowledge of the truth through the means of the gospel of grace.
In a sermon, I heard a preacher once ask the question, whether or not going to church or not has anything to do, at all, with making one righteous. The answer he gave was a definite NO!! The person who brought this sermon to my attention, did so because of that statement. They were so busy cheering and celebrating over that statement that they didn’t hear the preacher’s next line. The next line he asked - “Why one of God’s sheep who had all their sins removed by Christ’s death would ever want to skip the assembly, where they have fellowship in the gospel with other blood-bought believers?” In other words, it would make no sense. If it were the case of a real believer, they would be hurting and starving themselves of vital, gospel fellowship. The assembly of the saints is an opportunity to publicly, express their love, not only to God, but also to each other (Heb 10:24).
So, church attendance is not a condition for salvation, or even assurance, but it is one of the most helpful, spiritual blessings that God has provided for His people to participate in during their short time on this earth. I NEVER want people to assemble with the saints just because I want them to. They should freely, cheerfully and willingly assemble with those rare, few people who believe the same gospel they do, and would rather assemble there than be anywhere else during that time. It’s a glorious time of public worship and fellowship in the gospel, lifting up their Lord and Savior as their offering of praise to Him, along side other unworthy participants such as themselves. It’s the closest thing to Heaven on earth in this lifetime.
