DID GOD “MAKE A MISTAKE” WHEN HE REQUIRED WEEKLY ASSEMBLIES OF THE SAINTS FOR WORSHIP?

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and 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.”                                        Hebrews 10:24,25

“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them…”        Acts 20:7

“And all that believed were together, and had all things common;”  Acts 2:44

“When ye come together therefore into one place, this is to eat the Lord’s supper.”  1 Cor. 11:20

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ , hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”                                         1 John 9-11

“..How long wilt you halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him…”     1 Kings 18:21

“…choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”               Joshua 24:15

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on your own understanding.”     Prov. 3:5

“And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive…”    Deut. 6:24

More than likely hundreds of more passages could be cited that teach the same thing. Either God knows what He’s doing or He does not. Either we trust and obey Him completely or else we do not.

The current phenomenon of disobeying the teaching of the New Testament relative to first day of the week worship is sickening to behold. Obeying God’s instructions concerning assembling together and worshipping are not optional. Nor will the faithful ever apologize for following God’s word (Lk. 6:46).

Far too many preachers and members seem to be implying blasphemy. Do Christians believe that God was “ignorant” concerning human health and the transference of illness when He designed the church and her practice of worship? This is a question that needs to be answered. Either God did know (which if course is the truth—He’s omniscient) and set up corporate (together) assemblies; Or He was too lacking in scientific knowledge to understand the danger in which He was placing people.

The human anatomy hasn’t changed. What makes us sick now made us sick then. Jesus—according to some today—should have ordered the CROWDS to disperse. He too must have been unaware that they could get sick and maybe even die from a disease they might contract (and they had no medicines like we do).

Christ of course knew that—but the world had/has a much bigger problem than physical death—it’s called sin (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). And while there is and always has been the possibility of getting sick and dying due to exposure to other people; it is a risk that is more than acceptable in order to go to heaven and to serve our fellow man. The great commission I guess should be rewritten— “Go unto all the world EXCEPT WHERE YOU MIGHT GET SICK.” 

There are over 80 communicable diseases in America today. There is NO CURE for 28 of them. Over 50,000 people die annually from pneumonia (several types of which are contagious); over 35,000 die every year in this country from the flu (which is what Covid 19 is). This too is contagious. To be consistent churches that are closing now to try not to get sick—would need to “suspend” services every Fall and stay closed until late Spring to protect people from the flu. Of course then mosquitoes arrive (West Nile Virus, Malaria, Dengue fever) —don’t forget the heat index and also the wind chill. This is insanity gone to seed and the supposed PEOPLE of GOD have lost their faith.

The world should see the PEACE that passes understanding not a PANIC that defies all logic—from God’s children. We are not living at the mercy of disease and destruction—but in the protecting hand of God. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or power: all things were created by him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consists” (Col. 1:16,17). Our loving Savior is in total control. Many preachers and elders need to “steady” themselves, and get back in the victorious word of God.  Put confidence back in the Almighty and not the “thinking” of men.    

There have always been diseases, there have always been things that kill us (Over 45,000 people die every year in America in auto crashes and over 2 million sustain life long physical problems from them). Yet, I’ve never seen congregations tell members if you have to drive to attend here… Stay home. You “might” die in a car wreck (statistically this is over 100 times more likely than Covid). Roughly 3 million people die in America every year—that’s over 8,000 a day. Our primary concern shouldn’t be prolonging physical life, which is destined to end and do so quickly for all men (Heb. 9:27; Jam. 4:13f)). But rather to obey God and practice full Christianity—which involves weekly assembling together and praising God and edifying each other.

Our Governor has specifically called church assemblies an “essential service.” Our brethren, by their deeds, have affirmed that it is not essential. They will go to the grocery store multiple times a week; the auto parts store to work on the lawn mower; the gas station and some to the liquor store but somehow going to worship God is irresponsible; unloving and unmerciful. I never thought I’d hear God’s people criticizing brethren for attending worship. But they are now—implying that those who attend are legalistic; harsh; unloving; unmerciful. 

It is not unloving to gather with the saints and worship and praise God. It is not unloving to teach and show those who are at risk (the young—we lose about 70 percent of our young people during their 20’s) how to serve God. Too often they let school and work interfere with worship their church duties. Now we have congregations showing them that they were correct—church attendance isn’t essential {to these brethren}. How many young people will drift away never to return? How many weak brethren who are barely hanging on to the truth are now being conditioned BY THE CHURCH to forsake God’s word if it may cost them something. Affirming that perfectly healthy Christians are justified before God to change the gospel by removing corporate worship on the outside chance someone might catch a 98% survivable illness.

Ponder this point as we close— TRUE OR FALSE? It will always be safer not to gather in crowds than to gather in crowds? Now friends, that’s true. That means— “IT WILL NEVER BE AS SAFE TO ATTEND GOD’S WORSHIP SERVICES AS IT WILL TO SKIP.” If our goal is physical safety, then these churches will never open the doors again. I pray to God they will turn back to Him and His Ways.  

“Woe unto them, that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”       Is. 5:20       

Michael Light