Churches and COVID-19 Part 2

I am currently enrolled in a course seeking another degree. The name of one of the texts is “Anointed Expository Preaching” by Stephen F. Olford with David L. Olford. I read this on Wednesday:

The Congregation of the Saints

“And they continued steadfastly in the ...fellowship” (v. 42). The word fellowship is a precious one. It is used again and again for participation in living, loving, giving, and serving in the church. However,  in this immediate context it’s reference is primarily to that of the assembling of God’s people. Without the congregation of the saints there is no purpose in the exposition of the Scriptures. This is why the writer to the Hebrews exhorts believers of all time to forsake not “the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as [we] see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). There is something God does in our lives when we gather together that cannot be achieved in any other way. This is why the electronic church is no substitute for the congregation of the saints. (Emphasis BLJ)

BLJ: When the government forbids churches to assemble, I personally believe that violates the US Constitution. When the government allows the churches to reopen, but church leadership prevents their congregations from gathering together, something is seriously wrong. I believe church leaders that vote against reopening should get a copy of “Foxes Book of Martyrs” and see how Christians acted when they faced death. I’m glad my former denomination made it required reading before ordination. God did not put any exceptions around Hebrews 10:25. 

Why would a church refuse to re-open? I suspect it is for safety concerns. There are many believers that perhaps don’t have great faith, but a mustard seed is all that is needed to face a sickness with a 99% survival rate. God says in His Word that we are to assemble. If you disagree, give me a verse. Remember every verse has one interpretation, with many applications, so make sure the verse is interpreted correctly.

I leave you with two final thoughts:
1. Sunday morning is a sacred time when the church gathers together to pray, worship and hear the Word. When you stay home, how sacred is your morning? Perhaps you have become accustomed to a lack of the sacred. I haven’t and I pray I never will.
2. A study revealed that 53000 people leave a church every week and never come back. Why would you want to help increase this number by remaining closed?

Be Biblical. Have faith in God. And, don’t forget to assemble together.