Our Attitude Toward Faithful Attendance

 “Our Attitude Toward Faithful Attendance”

Jarrod M. Jacobs

If we were to visit a local congregation in any part of these United States, I believe we would see, generally, people who are unfaithful in attending the services of the local church. We could look at the number of people in attendance and see a steady drop from Sunday morning to Sunday night and their mid-week Bible study. We know that this is a problem at Spencer as well. Why do Christians suppose that one service is “more important” than another? This is not the case because all of our assemblies are important in the eyes of God. Let us turn to God’s word and see what is often associated with a lack of attendance. Could we be guilty of any of these things?

 

Unfaithful Attendance Is Associated With A Lack Of Zeal.

            To have zeal is “to be jealous, also signifies to seek or desire eagerly, in the sense of taking a warm interest in, i.e., to be the object of warm interest on the part of others” (Vine’s, p. 1272). God’s people are to be zealous (Titus 2:14). Among other qualities, Christ commanded the church at Laodicea to be zealous (Rev. 3:19). The root word for “zeal” in the Greek is found in the English word “fervent” also.  This word is used in describing Apollos (Acts 18:25). The word “fervent” means “to be hot, to boil” (Vine’s, p. 431). You show me a man or woman who is unfaithful in their attendance, and I’ll show you a man or woman who has lost that fire for the Lord they once had! This loss of zeal can have serious spiritual consequences!

 

Unfaithful Attendance Shows A Disrespect For God’s Word.

            The Bible clearly commands people to assemble together. This divine instruction is not a suggestion but a fundamental part of our faith. We see this in Hebrews 10:25, where the Holy Spirit penned, “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.” The writer warned that the manner of some was not to assemble, and it was wrong! Whenever we decide that we can obey certain commands and leave others alone, we are no longer a servant (Rom. 12:1-2) but have taken the place of God. He hurts his soul when one disobeys God’s word and refuses to assemble with the saints. This is not my opinion; just read what immediately follows Hebrews 10:25. “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Heb. 10:26-27). The phrase, “Not forsaking the assembling …” is the same as saying, “thou shalt not forsake”! Forsaking is then connected with sinning willfully (v. 26). It is hard to misunderstand these words. The consequences of unfaithful attendance are serious and can lead to spiritual death. Do you want to be a part of this number who sin willfully?

 

Unfaithful Attendance Has Other Sins Associated With It.

            What sins does one commit when he refuses to assemble with the saints? Some may have never realized that there was any sin involved in unfaithful attendance. Rest assured, there is! Please notice four sins that are the product of unfaithful attendance.

A person sins when he violates the command to assemble (Heb. 10:25).

A person violates the command to teach and admonish “one another” in song when he refuses to assemble with the saints (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).

Refusing to assemble is a sin because we fail to edify others when we are absent (Rom. 14:19; I Thess. 5:11). How can we build one another up (edify) when we are not present to do it? Thus, our absence proves to be a discouragement rather than an encouragement.

A person is not taught by God’s word when he refuses to attend (II Tim. 2:2; Heb. 5:12).

            These sins affect not only the soul of the person who is absent but also other people’s souls because he misses the training in God’s Word, which could equip him to teach others. Let us not forget that one who refuses to assemble with the saints is refusing to be in the presence of Jesus Himself (Rev. 2:1).

   Jesus gave His body and His life’s blood for the church (Jn. 19:33-34; Acts 20:28). Could we honestly say that Jesus would treat such a valuable relationship as nothing more than a social club? Would Jesus condone what many Christians do today who refuse to assemble with the saints every time they have the opportunity?

Naaman

 “Naaman The Leper”

Jarrod M. Jacobs

II Kings 5:1-14 records the healing of Naaman of Syria. In this text, we learn that Naaman was an honorable man. In verses 2-4, we see that even his slave girl was concerned about his leprosy. She wanted this honorable man healed. The young girl understood how powerful God is and stated that if Naaman was in Samaria, he could be healed. She was not afraid of speaking of the power of Jehovah to these heathen people. Friends, let us realize that young people today can understand God’s power and add incredible zeal to the Lord’s work if we let them. Do not underestimate our young people!

            The slave girl’s words were told to Naaman (II Kings 5:4). He was then mistakenly sent to the King of Israel to be healed (v. 6). Look at the King’s response: “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me” (v. 7). Oh, that men today would be as honest as this King! Naaman went to the wrong one for healing. The King did not try to fool Naaman and pass himself off as a god or a “healer.” He was upset that someone thought he could heal. Thus, when Naaman went to the King, he did not heal him.

            Once Elisha heard of Naaman, he sent a message to the King of Israel and said, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” (II Kings 5:8). How was Naaman going to know there was a prophet in Israel? He would know by Elisha healing him! We need to remember that we are known by our actions, good or bad (Prov. 20:11)! Do people in Spencer and Owen County know there are Christians around based on your actions?

            Elisha told Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and he would be clean (II Kings 5:9-10). After hearing this, Naaman was very angry and left Elisha’s house in a rage (v. 11-12). Yet, God’s command, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times” (v. 10), did not change when Naaman got angry. He left Elisha’s house, still infected with leprosy.

            In his anger, Naaman said, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper” (II Kings 5:11). Naaman made a terrible mistake by stubbornly assuming how God would heal him. Regardless of what we think about God’s commands, we must obey them (Isa. 55:8-9). Remember, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). What might have “seemed” right to Naaman had no bearing on reality. God told him what to do, and it did Naaman no good to get mad about it.

            Naaman also tried to make a substitution for God’s command. “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” (II Kings 5:12). Naaman could find substitutions for God’s word, but what does that matter? His job was to accept what the Lord said rather than change it! When he was mad, when he voiced his assumptions, and when he tried to make substitutions, God’s command was still, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times.”

            After Naaman’s servants showed him he was acting foolishly and convinced him to obey (II Kings 5:13), “He went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (v. 14). Only when Naaman submitted to God’s will was he cleansed. It is no different today. Only when we submit to God’s commands can we have salvation. “...for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

            As we learn God’s word, whether through preaching and teaching or simply reading our Bible at home, let us not get angry with what we learn. Let us never assume we have a better way than God’s way or try to substitute God’s word for our own. Let us be satisfied to hear God’s word, believe it, and obey it! By humbly submitting to God, we can look forward to a home in Heaven one day (I Pet. 5:5-6; I Cor. 15:58).

"I Am Debtor"

 “I Am Debtor”

Jarrod M. Jacobs

 When Paul penned his letter to the Romans; he said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:14-16). What does he mean, “I am debtor?” W.E. Vine says that Paul used this word metaphorically to say he was under an obligation to preach the gospel to the Romans (p. 279). Can we today be under an obligation for spiritual work as Paul was? Let us go to the Bible for the answer.

We Are Debtors To Mortify The Deeds Of The Body.

            Romans 8 sheds light on how we are debtors. At the beginning of this chapter, Paul shows the Christians in Rome (and us) the difference between carnal things and spiritual (v. 6-8). As Paul continues, he shows that if we are the people we should be, we will mortify the deeds of the body (v. 13). When this happens, we will live spiritually. Paul’s letter leaves no doubt that if we wish to be joint heirs with Christ (v. 17), we are debtors to mortify the deeds of the body and live for Christ. These commands to the Romans are not unlike the commands Paul gives to the Colossians. Colossians 3:5-9 reads, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry... In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” We are debtors to put off the “old man” if we wish to please God.  

We Are A Debtor To All Of The Law If We Try To Keep One Part Of It.

            As Paul was fighting the false doctrine of the Judaizers in Galatia, he told those Christians, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:1-4). This is a lesson many of our friends in the denominational world need to learn. As many will try to justify their actions in the Old Testament teachings, they must remember that they are a debtor to all the Law when they try to observe one part. This is also a lesson those of us in the church need to learn. We forget that Paul was writing to brethren in this letter. Paul told them and tells us today, without hesitation, that we can and will fall from grace if we become indebted to the Law of Moses.

We Are A Debtor To God Himself.

            I am afraid that we forget this truth. God sent His Son to die for us when we had done nothing to deserve it (Rom. 5:8). We still do not deserve the grace God bestowed on us in sending His Son to die on our behalf. Nevertheless, God did it. Christ came willingly to suffer the shame of the cross (Heb. 12:1-2). We are debtors indeed! We could never repay this great sacrifice, but we can give our lives to God. Paul tells us we are to be a “living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1). Knowing all that God has done for us, let us be faithful in obeying Him. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I Jn. 5:3).