What Does it Mean to be “Born Again”?

Q. Doesn't the Bible endorse the "Organized Church" by saying, "Don't Foresake the Assembling of Believers?"

A. Doesn’t the Bible tell us NOT to “forsake the assembling of believers”? Doesn’t that mean that we should have worship services in Organized Churches? Didn’t God ordain the “Organized Church”?

“Let us hold fast the confession of the expectation without wavering: for He is faithful that promised.

“And let us consider one another to incite to love and ideal acts:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, as the manner of some is; but entreating one another: and so much the more, as you are observing the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25

To whom was the book of Hebrews written?

“The letter was addressed primarily to Israelite converts to Christianity who no longer followed the Pharisees who were the leaders in the synagogues – the “Organized Church” of the day. These Israelites were familiar with the Old Testament and were being tempted to revert to Phariseeism and/or to pervert the true gospel by the infiltration of Phariseeism. (Galatians 2:14)

“Some have suggested that these professing Israelite Christians were thinking of merging with a sect, such as the Essenes at Qumran near the dead Sea, who lived an ascetic life. The accounts by Josephus and Philo show that the Essenes (Philo: Essaioi) led a strictly celibate and communal life — often compared by scholars to later Christian monastic living.

The Theme of the book of Hebrews

“The theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and as mediator of God’s grace. The prologue (1:1-4) presents Christ as God’s full and final revelation, far surpassing the limited preliminary revelation given in the Old Testament. The prophecies and promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament (New Covenant), of which Christ is the mediator. From the Old Testament itself, Christ is shown to be superior to the ancient prophets, to angels, to Moses and to Aaron and the priestly succession descended from him. Hebrews could be called “the book of better things” since the two Greek words for “better” and “superior” occur 15 times in the letter.

“Practical applications of this theme are given throughout the book. The readers are told that there can be no turning back to, or continuation in, the old system of Phariseeism, which has been superceded by the unique priesthood of Christ. God’s people now must look only to Him, whose atoning death, resurrection and ascension have opened the way into the true, heavenly sanctuary of God’s presence. Resisting temptations to give up the struggle, believers must persevere in the spiritual contest to which they have committed themselves. Otherwise they may meet with judgment as did the rebellious generation of Israelites in the desert.” Introduction to the book of Hebrews, New International Version of the Bible, pg 1857,1858.

Apparently some of the Israelite (Hebrew) Christians were in danger of joining a sect that believed in a celibate, monastic life of repeated fasting – a plan of salvation by works - something the Bible condemns.

“Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits, and doctrines of devils:

“Speaking lies in hypocrisy: having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

“Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from eating foods (NOT “meats”) that God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1-3

The author of the book of Hebrews warns against this ascetic, monastic life by saying:

“Let us hold fast the confession of the expectation without wavering: for He is faithful that promised.

“And let us consider one another to incite to love and ideal acts:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, as the manner of some is; but entreating one another: and so much the more, as you are observing the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, as the manner of some is (such as the Essenes and their ascetic, monastic, life of “salvation by works”) but entreating one another. . .”

In this passage, the author of the book of Hebrews is NOT endorsing a system of “Organized churches” as the “assembling of believers” as that would be like the Pharisees were doing in the synagogues, a system that Jesus strongly rebuked which undoubtedly culminated in His being put to death by these same leaders of the “Organized church” – the Pharisees. Instead, the author of Hebrews is denouncing the idea of living a celibate, monastic, life far away from the masses of humanity who need to learn of the perfect Life of Jesus and God’s marvelous grace and salvation. They were – and we are – to be “lights” in a dark world.

The Israelite Christians and those who had converted from paganism (the nations) were meeting in homes and in groups along the riverbanks, worshiping on the Seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) – the Lord’s Day. The pagans, on the other hand, worshiped their gods in gorgeous temples of stone with magnificent adornments, even though the Bible says:

“Howbeit the most High dwells NOT in temples made with hands. . .” Acts 7:48

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells NOT in temples made with hands.” Acts 17:24

God does NOT dwell in temples (churches) made with hands. Our body is the temple of God’s spirit. He dwells in us.

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (God’s breath of holiness) which is IN YOU, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19,20

When Jesus was on earth, He made no attempt to set up an Organized church. Even when He was soon to be crucified, he strongly rejected His disciples’ desire to be part of a hierarchy (“Who will sit on your left and your right?” they asked Jesus). Jesus said,

“The Unbelievers (Gentiles) lord it over each other, but it shall NOT be that ay among you (the Believers).” (Mark 10:42,43)

Again, the pagans (the heathen – the unbelievers) had a strong hierarchy, but Jesus instructed His followers to reject that system because when “man” lords it over man, his “power” always corrupts him.

Shutting oneself off in a monastery makes one useless to God in addition to the secret sin of self-righteousness, in which one concentrates only on his own life and his own salvation, rather than being concerned for, and working for, the salvation of others.

When the author of Hebrews warned against “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” he was not endorsing an “Organized Church” but instead he was warning the Israelite Christians NOT to sequester themselves away from life and civilization by pursuing a monastic, ascetic, self-centered existence.

See www.goodnewsaboutgod.com for more information on the “Organized Church.”

What does it mean "Not Forsake the Assembly of Believers"?