Who would have thought that there would come a day when meeting together as a church with fellow Christian believers would be controversial? Who would have believed that in the United States of America, local and state governments would actually fine churches, or close them down, when they meet, in violation of the very clearly written First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States? “
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The Bible says in Hebrews 10:23-25 “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.”
We are to meet (or, assemble) together as a body in regular church services. And, we should be doing it MORE as we see the last of the Last Days approaching. Now, is not the time to meet less, it is the time to assemble more often! Zoom will never replace church. It does NOT say, “Meet on-line as you see the day approaching.”
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “I will build My church…” In 1 Corinthians 14:26, Paul said: “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” That is, the edifying, or building up, of the church. The context of this verse is that believers come together to meet as a church (verses 4, 23, and 28.) So this verse gives us a direct connection between coming together in an assembly and building up the church.
The New Testament speaks of believers coming together to meet, even in a time of persecution. Many had church meetings in their own houses due to this persecution. (Phil. 1:2, Acts 20:20, Romans 16:5, Col. 4:15, 1 Corinth. 6:19)
Acts 5:42 “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” We aren’t having daily services… yet; but under severe persecution, the early church did! If they needed regular church meetings, so do we! If they faced death, and imprisonment just to meet together, how much more should we stand for our right to do so?
Paul, when he was Saul, the chief persecutor of the early church, attacked church meetings, as in Acts 8:3, “As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.”
The early church had specific gathering places called “churches” as indicated in Acts 14:23, “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” They also specifically “gathered the church together,” as shown in Acts 14:27 “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”
In fact, the church is spoken of as a group in Acts 15:22, “Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:” They were called a “company,” and when persecuted they “went to their own company” (Acts 4:23) and in Acts 15:22 they “to send chosen men of their own company.” It was obvious that we are talking about an organized group of people meeting together.
There were churches that met in cities, such as: 1 Corinthians 1:2 “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” In fact, in the Book of Revelation, when Jesus addressed the churches, it was by city, or province, as in Revelation 2:1, “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write…” The word “angel” here in Greek is the word “angelos,” which Strong’s Concordance says can mean “angel” as a spiritual being, or messenger, or by implication as the pastor of the church. My point here is that Jesus addressed specific churches, in specific cities or provinces. They were identifiable.
These churches have pastor, deacons, or Helps Ministers, and other organization. In Romans 16:1, “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant (“diaconos“, or deacon) of the church which is at Cenchrea:” Phebe was a woman who stood in the office of deacon (or, deaconess) in the church in the city of Cenchrea. And yes, unlike Southern Baptist churches that I was raised in, they DID have female deaconesses in that day!
In fact, Paul goes on to say in Romans 16:3 “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: (“helper” here is “sunergos” (soon-er-goes) in Greek, meaning “co-laborers” or, “fellow ministers”)
Rom 16:4, 5 “Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.” (This husband and wife of team of Priscilla and Aquila, were pastors of a church that met in their house.)
Why should we meet together? What is the purpose? In Proverbs 27:17 it says that “Iron sharpens iron.” Meeting together hones and “sharpens” each other as believers. And, we need to be “sharp” in these days, as perhaps, never before!
When David was being pursued by Saul, in 1 Samuel 23:16 “And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.” Jonathan meet with David to strengthen him, to encourage him in the Lord.
We “sharpen” each other with the double-edged sword of the Word of God. (Rev. 1:16, Rev. 2:12, Eph. 6:17) Sharing God’s Word with fellow believers, by teaching the Word of God, builds one another up!
One commentary says: “Returning to the analogy, if a knife is blunt, it still continues to be a knife, although it is less effective, less useful in service. Let us therefore be encouraged to spend more time together, exhorting, encouraging, praying, admonishing, sharing God’s Word, praying over God’s Word and the needs of our local church, that we become sharper, more cutting in the ministry that the Lord has assigned to each of us.”
Meeting together for the church should be a time of refreshing, of building one another up, of preparing for service. That is why we meet!
Acts 2:42–47 “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
Even in examples in the Old Testament, when people gathered together, it was to build each other up in the Lord.
Malachi 3:16-18 “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”
Compare this scripture with Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” It is clear that meeting together is not only something to be desired, but encouraged, it is pleasant and beneficial to our spiritual development as Christians!
Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
