Men have always
been prone to want to classify their sins as "little sins" or "big
sins" according to man's standard. If society looks with contempt
upon a certain sin, men are prone to classify it as a "big sin."
On the other hand if society has accepted a certain sin, men (and
sometimes members of the church) are likely to classify it as a
"little sin", if they regard it as sin at all.
Many members of
the church today are like some who were in the church at Corinth,
concerning whom Paul said, "But they measuring themselves by
themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not
wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but
according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to
us, a measure to reach even unto you." (2 Cor. 10:12-13).
Among the sins
of many professed Christians is the neglect to attend the various
services of the church. They are wont to classify this as a "little"
sin, if they regard it as a sin at all. In fact, many do not think
it is a sin for them to miss many services of the Lord's church! It
is not an uncommon thing for some members of the church to take off
on the Lord's day and go visiting, hunting, fishing, traveling, or
attend some athletic contest, and miss all the services of the
Lord's day, and go on as though nothing had happened. They reason
"it is not wrong to miss a Lord's day worship once in awhile." Our
question is, "Is it a sin to deliberately, miss just one
service?"
Why concern
ourselves with such a question? Many brush such questions as our
subject a side as though there were no teaching in God's word about
it. There are many reasons why we should be concerned about this.
Let us consider some of them.
1. We are
admonished by approved apostolic example to assemble ourselves
together in worship and service to God. Notice these scriptures:
"And they continued daily with one accord in the temple...(Acts
2:46). "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they
ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:42).
"If therefore the whole church be come together in one place...'!
(1 Cor.14:23). For if there come unto your assembly a
man..." (Jas.2:2). These passages teach that the early
church assembled, and this 5erves as a pattern for Christians
today.
2. They
Assembled sometimes daily, (Acts 2:46; 5:42). They assembled
regularly on the first day of the week to "break bread", or "eat
the Lord's Supper," in "remembrance" of Christ who died for us all.
(Acts 20:7; l Cor 11 20-25) . There is a blessing for the
Christian in eating the "Lord's Supper" that cannot be received in
any other way, at any other time, or at any other place. This is
why a Christian should not miss a service of this kind.
3. We are
admonished not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together, as
the manner of some is," (Heb.10:25). The expression
Assembling" suggest that the demands of the passage is not met by
any "one assembly'', but that we must assemble as
regularly as the church meets.
4. When we miss
a service of. the church, we miss meeting with our Lord. Jesus
said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18;20). Most
people would not think of failing to keep an appointment with a
fellow-man but think nothing about breaking an appointment with
our Lord, by failing to assemble with His people for worship and
praise. Not only do they miss "meeting" with our Lord, but the
reason our Lord is in the midst of those who are "gathered together
in my name"; is to bless them, and to strengthen them. What a loss
one suffers when he deliberately fails to assemble with God's
people!
5. When
Christians deliberately miss a service of God's people, they are
a bad example to others. "be thou an example of the believers,
in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in
purity." (l Tim 4:12) "In all things showing thyself a
pattern of good works" (Tit. 2:7). Our Lord intended that
everyone of His children should be a model or pattern after which
other disciples should mold their lives, in fidelity and loyalty to
Christ.
6. When
Christians deliberately miss a service of the Lord's church, they
are neglecting the salvation of their souls. "How shall we escape if
we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be
spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard
him;" (Heb. 2:3). The various services of the church are
essential to the development of our souls for the salvation of God.
To sum up what
one does when he deliberately misses a service, note the following:
(l) He ignores
and tramples under foot all the apostolic examples to assemble
regularly.
(2) He misses
the blessing that comes through the eating of the Lord's Supper,
intended to give him spiritual strength.
(3) He tramples
under foot the command to not forsake the "assembling of ourselves
together."
(4) He ignores
his appointment with the Lord.
(5) He sets a
bad example before other disciples.
(6) He is
neglecting the "great salvation" provided by our Lord.
Now, how many
times can one do all these things even in one act, and not commit
sin? If he does not sin when he misses one service
and does all these things, then how many times does he have to miss
before it is sin? The fact is, when one deliberately misses one
service of the Lord's church, he has transgressed God's divine law,
"for sin is the transgression of the law." (l John 3:4). "Let us
hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his
commandment for this is the whole duty of man. " (Ecc 12:13 ) .
