Do you think that it is sinful for a believer not to be fully engaged in
a local church? Have you ever failed to attend church? Is it necessary to
attend the church? With the many failures of the church, many believers feel
justified not going to church. Many would rationalize by giving all sorts of
excuses. They would say that they were ‘required to work’ by their bosses (not
by the Saviour and Creator!) or, “I have not found ‘a good church’”. Or, “I
would leave the church enraged and bitter, because of what is preached”, or,
“the church is made of ‘cliques’ or groups so I feel out of place”, and now
most recently, “I attend my church on TV or Internet”! While we may appreciate
these and many other reasons, we should consider this question very seriously.
As I write many churches are closing down in Europe because people do not
attend church.
The Wikipedia tells us that several research studies in the USA and
Europe found that church attendance practices of parents, especially fathers
can be highly influential in forming church attendance practices of their
children. It is true that if you do not regularly attend church and demand that
your children must go, they may soon drop out as they grow older because they
will take cue from your bad example. Therefore, this is so important for
yourself and family. But what does the Bible say?
1.
Devotion to means of
grace
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And all who believed were
together and had all things in common… And day by day, attending the temple
together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad
and generous hearts, (Acts
2:42,44,46)
After Peter’s convicting sermon on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit-filled
church is constituted with the 120+3000 members! Their distinctive identity is
their commitment to the meeting of brethren to enjoy the means of grace
provided. So they devoted themselves to these means – they were available,
eagerly listening and learning from the doctrine of the Apostles, who were
delivering to them what they also received from the Lord. They immersed and
soaked themselves to the Scriptural teachings from the apostles. This was the
first distinguishing characteristic.
The second mark is the subject of this article – fellowship. They also
devoted themselves to the breaking of bread, a token given by the Lord to
believers to remember His death and resurrection until He comes. In this
regard, it is a foretaste of the marriage supper of the Lamb, isn’t it? They
also devoted themselves to prayer.
How was their
devotion revealed?
They had like
precious faith (2:43). This faith was the foremost, for it was because
of their belief in Christ that they met. They were only united with one another
having been united by Christ. So it is recorded that all who believed were together.
They were
together. There cannot be fellowship when apart. The meeting of believers is the
most important as we see from the very first congregation. Their meeting was
not by remote but they actually met and felt each other’s warmth.
They had all
things in common. Their relationship, springing from the same heart, faith and proximity,
extended to ownership so that they did not have a problem sharing or
fellowshiping in their belonging. This way there was no one who lacked the needs
of life. They were well-provided. While we appreciate that there was history of persecution around this time, so that there was such a great need to share, yet a total rejection of this vital practice breeds materialism, a rot so prevalent in the church today!
How was their attendance? It was day
by day attendance, meaning it was not erratic – it was organized and
consistent. They met formally for worship in the temple, and this extended to
their homes. They were generous to one another, since God had been generous to
them in giving them His Son. Those who were recipients of this generosity were
grateful and glad to their benefactors as well as to the Lord.
The implications of this passage: The spiritual growth of a Christian and the numerical expansion of the church is
dependent on the provision of the means of grace to the church by the
leadership. Pastors must aim at making available apostolic (Biblical) doctrine
to the church. They should be very deliberate in breeding, encouraging and
nurturing meaningful fellowship among the membership of the church.
The members must endeavour to cultivate a genuine desire for community
with other Christians within the church. A heart for self-sufficiency must be
taken to be a weed that has to be pulled out. Having all things in common,
means that, very practically, some will not live like kings while others live
as paupers, yet subscribing to the same faith, being in the same family and
saved by the save Lord and Saviour.
Fellowship meals ought to form an integral part of the life of a church.
In this passage, we see the emphasis of breaking
bread (v.42, 46), and that they received
their food (v.46). In our family we join together for meals, don’t we? In
the same manner as the spiritual family of God, we should meet together not
only to break the spiritual bread of life, which is the Word of God, but also
the physical food. Where there is failure to recognize that meals enhance fellowship,
you will soon discover Christians will feel neglected. They will seek out to
fellowship with others of biological or tribal descent and there will be lack
of attendance in the church!
Fellowship being one of the means of grace, is called Koinonia in Greek. Meaning, the sharing
together, the communion, the fellowship in God and one another and the
partnership for the course of Christ. This is a powerful tool for the church.
It is also used of the Lord as an evangelistic tool because the passage ends
with the fact that the early church found favour with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who
were being saved (v.47). Could it be farfetched to say that when you fail
to attend church, you are communicating to the unbelievers that salvation is
not important? On the contrary, when they see your commitment and devotion to
the Lord and His Church, they are encouraged to think that salvation is the
most important thing that can happen to them? This is something for you to consider
very seriously.
2.
Encouragement to
fellowship
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
We must not assume that because of the benefits of the devotion to
fellowship, therefore church attendance will always be automatic and a
delightful thing to do. The human heart is sick and desperately wicked. It is naturally
inclined to abhor that which brings spiritual good. And the Lord understands
this and so we have the exhortation from Hebrews 10:24-25.
It is our Christian duty to stir, or encourage others to this devotion
to good works. The tendency to Christian duties is neglect. Neglect, like rust
upon iron does not need an invitation letter. Neglect springs up from the heart
and it is not long before we see this rust corroding a vibrant spiritual life,
and could lead to backsliding, or even worse apostasy! Diligence and carefulness
is expected of every Christian and you know this. Yet with all self-watch, if
there is no encouragement from other brethren, you will discover that your
default mode is self-deception. Christians are to be not only diligent on
self-watch but also prudent in watching over others. Mutually we are to observe
other brethren’s character, spiritual gifts, experience and virtues leading to
good works. This can happen where there is meaningful close fellowship.
This means that when you fail to be in fellowship with brothers and
sisters who are so committed to your spiritual good, you do yourself a great
disservice. You notice that neglect, though appearing as something idle, yet it
is a deliberate effort towards a direction that a person desires. Other Bible
translations call it ‘forsaking’
(ASV), ‘giving up’ (GNB), or
abandoning (LEB). For this
reason, this is not something that falls on you by chance, it comes upon by
your own effort, or lack of it!
When you miss the fellowship once, whether on a Lord’s Day, or prayer
meetings, or any gathering of saints, you need to be very wary. Once will turn
to be twice and develop into habit. When
such habits are perpetuated, they end up disastrous to the faith. Such habits
are infectious, if those around you do not admonish those perpetuating it.
To be without
fellowship is dangerous. It must be pointed to any Christian who finds
himself walking in a solitary path, that sooner than he expects, the devil who
is a roaming roaring lion will devour him and will not be able to strive with
it by himself. Heed the counsel of the Lord, two are better than one… woe to him who is alone, when he falls and has
not one to lift him up! A threefold cord (of two believers and the Saviour)
cannot be broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens
another (Proverbs 27:17).
It is particularly important that we stick with one another and be
united because that great Day, of the coming of the Lord is drawing near. He is
coming to unite us in eternal fellowship with Himself and His Father as well as
with one another.
I plead with you now to seek a biblical church and be a member of it. Use all the means of grace provided for your good. If you are not baptized, then request for baptism.
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