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Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.

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deblynn:
Thank-you, notably Arcturus, for your insight on this subject.  This is an oft-used/misquoted scripture by many who really believe they are on the right path, and you/we are not. 
For years, I struggled with questions while in the organized church system, and if God can lead me and guide me into all truth, then I know He will continue to bring others out of bondage.  I suppose it's just a matter of taking time out of the element(or equation). Because it is a process, or journey that doesn't come to fruition overnight.  It can take years to remove the layers of brainwashing. (Don't be discouraged over your friend, Revilonivek. Human nature doesn't like to admit to being wrong, or brainwashed to begin with).
Many times, I have experienced a spiritual intimacy with the Lord that I never could while in the system.  I feel no guilt about not assembling with the local "church folk".  Some of them pity me, thinking I am misguided, anyway.  I just shake my head, because I know what I know, and the "guilt trip" is of no effect on me.
Thank you, BTF, for being here. 

Gina:
This is a great topic!  I was once drawn back into the church system by someone who used that "do not forsake the assembling of yourselves...." verse on me when I told her I didn't attend church.  But it was all good.  It actually led me here -- it was all orchestrated specifically for me by God.  God's the best.

That was great response, Arc.  The most comforting, reassuring part of that excerpt, I personally believe, is this:

"Amazing, isn’t it. Jesus "assembled [Gk: episunagoge]" with His Father BY HIMSELF, ALONE. We can do the same. Not just on Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, with a crowd, in a building, but on every day of the week, and we can do it while we are ALONE."

http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html

Deborah-Leigh:


Great wisdom deblynn :)

Ray often reminds us that the world will not change. Our mind about the world needs change, instead of us spending all our effort trying to change the world! LOL 

That's a great word to look at Gina....Alone... ;D   Like when you really want to pay undivided attention to a loved one, you close the door to the world in order to be alone, in private, undisturbed and intimately in communion, as was the example of Jesus, who prayed alone. 8)

Arc

Samson:

--- Quote from: Truth96130 on January 15, 2012, 04:52:48 AM ---I am a Christen. I pray every day, worship on the piano, study the bible and have a wonderful relationship with my heavenly father. I am a Christen Universalist. There are no Christian Universalist churches near me so I do not go to church. However I have seen some people say we are commanded to go to church and they use this verse Hebrews 10/25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together....
If this means we are under a command from God to meet with other people that believe the way we do then that brings up a lot of contradictions.
What if there is no one you know that is a christen Universalist?
If you meet in a church but you do not meet in the church down the road then you are forsaking the church down the road and you are breaking the command.
If every church is to far away to travel to each Sunday then your breaking the command. If you get sick and can not go to church then you are breaking the command. If you are a kid and your parents decide not to take you to church then the kids would be breaking the Command. If the power gos out and you get snowed in and can not go to church then you are breaking the command. You see if this verse means we are under a command from God to attend church then we run into some bad contradictions. Jesus did not attend church. If not going to church was a sin then Jesus sinned. Paul did not go to church (as far as I know) when he was in prison.
The only logical conclusions I can come to is that we are not under a commandment by God to go to church. Otherwise God maid a commandment that Jesus did not keep which would make Jesus a sinner. However Jesus was a perfect man. So if you can be perfect and not go to church then church is not necessary for perfection. Do any of you know of any material that Ray has on this subject? I believe this verse is simply stating that if we have a group of friends that are christens like us and we begin to meet together in some way that it is wise to continue to meet together and not a grudging obligation, otherwise we run into too many contradictions. Peace.

--- End quote ---


Hi Truth,

I remember this Topic Being discussed in the past, Deborah Posted probably the best response regarding Hebrews. 10:23-25 breaking down the Greek Compound "Episunogoge" (Assembling, Gathering) quoting that excerpt from J Preston Eby By Ray. That passage of Scripture was a regularly used passage that got drummed into My skull from My former JW days. Of course they were primarily justifying Congregational or Church gatherings, putting an emphasis on "Inciting one another to Love & Fine works."

During those former times, I often wondered about the Scripture where Jesus says: " Where Two or Three are gathered in My Name, My spirit is in their midst," figuring that this didn't require some large building consisting of Believers. Besides, in the First Century, they met in private homes for fellowship, no Man Made Church Buildings for Assembling back then. It wasn't until the Second Century that Ignatius of Antioch & Cyprian of Carthage began to develop a formal Church Type setting that eventually led to the expensive Tombs(Church Buildings) We see Today, appealing to the Carnal Eyes, the desire of eyes like Eve had, looking at the physically appealing Church Buildings like the physically appealing Forbidden Fruit that had much attraction.

Besides, when you belong to a Church Fellowship with many different Denominations to choose from, You don't get to choose the individual fellowship, because they do the choosing for you and decide who to Fellowship with. Not trying to sound Elitist here, because that's not intended, but now I get to choose Who I want to Spiritually Fellowship with, either at BT or elsewhere and that's not Free Will, but there are many causes that led to this Choice and Mental Disposition.

As mentioned By Deborah & Others, We don't want our fellowship & worship being motivated by FEAR, Fear Acts as a restraint and has nothing to do with the motivation through Love.

Although this Topic is a rehash, Iron sharpens Iron and it's one that Our Guests at bible Truths probably could review, it's probably a concern of theirs,  ;).

Samson awake at 6:00 AM, what for, slept hard, but not long.

Revilonivek:
Thank you Arturus! The eagle analogy were excellent!  IT even helped open my mind to more answers.

What's even more interesting,  after reading your eagle analogy, God wasn't even finished with the answer. He went even further, the same night, He led me to more answers...the scriptures about how we are to treat the least of his people because it is exactly what we are doing to Jesus. I didn't really understand fully who the least of his people were. In the scriptures, I can see that people see it as a physical application where we are to help the needy, the sick, the poor but the conversation between them and God at Judgement day. They swore they were helping the needy, the sick,  and the poor... The thing is.. HE wasn't talking about the physical application, HE was talking about a spiritual application. We are to feed them, give them drink, visit them in prison, heal the sick with the same truth Jesus shared with us. We are to do it to them too. The people who live in a carnal mindset are the ones in prison and we are to help them by visiting them, giving them drink and food. The same way Jesus helped us. He fed us, gave us water, he visited us in prison and had alot of patience. It is how he did it.. we are to do the same for them. It confirmed my nagging feeling.. I just care about my friend but I need to remind myself, ALL in due time. like Jesus was with us. HE knows our hearts.. we don't change overnight. It takes alot of patience and love.

No more trying to prove a point. They have been abused by the religion system that robbed them. We'll just offer water, drink and visitations and hope it will help heal the scars that the religion system has infected. We all need healing, right?

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