Why is it important to “not give up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25)?

Answer

The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation but in fellowship with other believers. For this reason, Hebrews 10:24–25 instructs us to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” If we aim to grow spiritually and endure for the long term, we require our brothers and sisters in Christ for support.

The writer of Hebrews noticed that many of his readers who professed to be Christians were abandoning their trust in the Lord «Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. », (Hebrews 10:35). Persecution and hardship might have caused some to stop meeting together. The solution was to resume gathering together.

Regular, real-life, day-to-day fellowship with other Christians is a crucial aspect of Christian growth and endurance. If we, like the writer of Hebrews, live with the anticipation that the day of Christ’s return is near, we will understand the significance of encouraging one another in our faith journey. But if we cease meeting together, how can we anticipate providing and receiving encouragement?

The depth of community among first-century believers offers a valuable example for Christians today. These early believers were committed to meeting daily in their homes for instruction, fellowship, worship, meals, partaking in the Lord’s Supper, and praying together «And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. », (Acts 2:42). “Every day they continued to gather together in the temple courts. They broke bread.Dwelling in their homes, they ate together with glad and sincere hearts. “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,” (Acts 2:46).

In addition to gathering in smaller home groups, the book of Acts confirms that the early believers came together for larger corporate meetings. “And all that believed were together, and had all things common,” (Acts 2:44). Their commitment to one another was so profound that they pooled their resources and shared what they had with those in need (Acts 2:44-45).

A spirit of mutual consideration and cooperation permeated the early church: “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. . . . There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need” (Acts 4:32-35; NLT). Coming together to care for one another was the prevailing attitude among believers in these early gatherings (1 Peter 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:9).

Christians ought not to give up meeting together because we form one family—God’s family, or the “household of faith” (Ephesians 2:19; 1 Timothy 3:15; Galatians 6:10). As members of God’s household, believers are to show love for one another, hospitality, tenderness, compassion, and humility.

(Hebrews 13:1-2: Philippians 2:1-3).

To the believers in Philippi, Paul stated, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” «Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. », (Philippians 2:4, ESV). God calls Christians to look out for their brothers and sisters in Christ. It is not just for our good, but for the strengthening and building up of the whole body of Christ that Scripture tells us, “Do not give up meeting together.”

God has given the members of His body spiritual gifts “for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). These gifts are to be used for the edification of the church “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). We can only reach our full potential as believers when we allow God to mature us through fellowship within His body, with Christ as the head (Ephesians 4:14-15).

Paul compared the church to the human body, explaining, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’” «And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. », (1 Corinthians 12:21). Every member of the body of Christ—God’s family—is essential and valuable. Through Christ, God puts believers t

Together “like living stones” to be “built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood” with Jesus as the foundation stone (1 Peter 2:5-6).

Only through authentic relationships with other believers can we live out the faith we profess and become all that God has destined us to be—when we do not give up meeting together with other Christians.