BreadHebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without waivering; (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. This letter written to Hebrews is, pretty much, an outline for living under faith versus living under the law. Many things were being done, or not done, in error. The above passage tells us, toward the end, that many weren't coming to church. This would be perfectly logical to a converted Jew, if there is no more sacrifice, if we can talk to God without an Earthly high preist why meet together. The Hebrews are told here that meeting is instrumental to their spiritual well-being.
The first, and most appearant, reason is that we are to "exhort one another" (exhort is an old english word meaning to encourage). So when we read this passage through we see that we are to assemble so we can encourage each other. Church is where we see the "proof" of Christ in our own lives and in the lives of others. When I was overseas in the military I didn't really have any church to go to. As a result, God seemed to feel less there, more in the back of my mind. I got the Church paper, read my Bible, hung out with Christian people, even listened to some preachers on the radio, but it wasn't the same. I was missing the encouragement that I get at church.
Next, we see that when we are at church, we are in the presence of Jesus. Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Even though he doesn't live there, church is God's house.I Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that though mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. Paul calls the church the pillar and ground of the truth. Sounds pretty important, dudnit?
Finally, Christ made the church. Matthew 16:18 And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Christ made the church for us, and it seems pretty important to him -"the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." If you think that you don't need to go to the Lord's house to serve him, you think Jesus doesn't know what he's doing. Call me crazy, but if you think that Jesus doesn't know what he's doing, I really doubt you'll be serving him very well.
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