Why Church: The Gathering Factor

We’ve all heard about our need to gather for church. The writer of Hebrews tells us why.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

As the days grow shorter and Jesus’s return grows more imminent, we need to come together in fellowship with other believers, especially to exhort and encourage one another through love and good works.

One reason is the joy of mutual worship.

The Psalmist said, “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints.” (Psalm 149:1) And King David said, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” (Psalm 122:1)

Another reason is to hear God’s truth.

To Timothy, Paul said, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4)

When we are not fed a regular diet of sound preaching and teaching of God’s word, then we become more susceptible to the lies of Satan taking on the guise of God’s truth.

Also, in our times of gathering, the Holy Spirit comes, anoints us, and enables us to hear what the Lord wants, not only for His church but also for our lives.

Jesus said that after He departs from this earth, He would send the Holy Spirit. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” (John 16:13)

And to the church, which is the body of Christ, Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)

Let me end by saying this is what we look forward to every time we gather at a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching, and Bible-teaching church.