The Hook of the False Shepherds Hebrews 10:25 and 26 Forsaking the Assembly - Sinning Willfully After
The Crook of the False Shepherds Hebrews 10:25 Do Not Forsake the Assembly
Forthcoming study of the BOOK of HEBREWS, The Shock and Awe of Paul the Apostle
Evangelist Robert Breaker almost had it right when he declared Paul wrote Hebrews but falls off the cliff when he foolishly declared that Paul wrote it in 2 parts: 1 when he was first saved and writes as in the Kingdom Dispensation and the end after 65 AD before he was martyred because we clearly see scripture applicable to the age of GRACE. He also terribly interprets Hebrews 10:25.
The Shock and the Awe of the Book of Hebrews. Paul Epistle to The Pilgrims, the Sojourners of this earth who are the Church, the Called Out Children of God - the Ones who are the Called Out (from among them.) The Church
Oxford English Dictionary page 1280:
Literally: One from the other side (of the river) {I looked over the River Jordan. My own words.}ThePasserover - The Immigrant. ABRRAM The IMMIGRANT Abram The Hebrew. Genesis 14:13 KJB. Whose dependents will be innumerable.
Genesis 12:1 Get thee out of thy country from thy kindred.
Come out from among them.
The Church - The called out.
Abraham the Father of us all… Romans 4:16, Galatians 6:16, 4:16.
Why did Paul use Hebrews and not the 12 Tribes like James and like he did throughout his epistles.
We understand that in Hebrews Chapter 10 verses 1 through 25.
The Shock and the Awe of the Book of Hebrews. Paul Epistle to The Pilgrims, the Sojourners of this earth who are the Church, the Called Out Children of God - the Ones who are the Called Out (from among them.) The Church
Oxford English Dictionary page 1280:
Literally: One from the other side (of the river) {I looked over the River Jordan. My own words.}ThePasserover - The Immigrant. ABRRAM The IMMIGRANT Abram The Hebrew. Genesis 14:13 KJB. Whose dependents will be innumerable.
Genesis 12:1 Get thee out of thy country from thy kindred.
Come out from among them.
The Church - The called out.
Abraham the Father of us all… Romans 4:16, Galatians 6:16, 4:16.
Why did Paul use Hebrews and not the 12 Tribes like James and like he did throughout his epistles.
Brief introduction:
Jesus and I Hate the Deeds of the Nicolaitans (thethirdheaventraveler.com)
In the same manner that the pagan Trinity concept - theory wrongly taught as biblical doctrine
In the same manner that the pagan Trinity concept - theory wrongly taught as biblical doctrine
haunted me from childhood, the scripture the false shepherds have used is Hebrews 10:25 and in the following in verse 26.
Do not forsake the assembly. For IF we sin willfully.
NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLY:
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.
What Paul is saying in verses 23 through 25 is simply this: Warning: Do not DISPUTE our Blessed Hope of Redemption, (as some of you have done) the Gathering Together with the Saints in the RAPTURE. But encourage and proclaim to others in the Body and challenge the Body of Christ that that day (The Rapture) is soon approaching.
The Rapture in which we will be GATHERED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST. This is our promise, and this is our FAITH - Our Confident Expectation. Hold Fast to this.
Let's break it down.
Let's break it down.
Also see Notes below from Peter Ditzel on Hebrews 10:25 being the "sacred cow" of the clergy.
The first rule in good bible hermeneutics
1. CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT
2. EXEGESIS - Syntax, Grammar, Vocabulary Analysis
3. HARMONIZE Scripture with Scripture
We understand that in Hebrews Chapter 10 verses 1 through 25.
Begin with verse 23 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Paul is speaking about "personal adherence, practicing and holding fast to the profession of our faith (OUR SUPREME CONFIDENT EXPECTATION-ANTICIPATION of our PROMISED SOON COMING RAPTURE) because he says they see THE DAY APPROACHING.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
PROFESSION: Latin professare, from professus "avowed," literally "having declared publicly," past participle of Latin profiteri "declare openly, testify voluntarily, acknowledge, make public statement of,"
This is NOT corporate but rather an INDIVIDUAL responsibility to declare corporately.
expectation (n.)
1530s, "state or condition of waiting or awaiting with confident anticipation,"
of our FAITH - IN CONTEXT = In the CONFIDENT EXPECTATION
expectation (n.)
1530s, "state or condition of waiting or awaiting with confident anticipation,"
of what God has faithfully promised.
Then before telling us what we are to declare openly with confident expectation of what God has faithfully promised, Paul inserts in verse 24:
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"
Consider and "urge and challenge" one another unto love and to good works (not works unto righteousness - Romans 4:6, Titus 3:5 KJV, but rather works unto our rewards and good testimony before man Titus 3:8, 14 KJV.
Of and FOR WHAT?
verse 25: "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.
Not FORSAKING
Translate: DO NOT DISPUTE
OUR SOON COMING REDEMPTION OF being Gathered Together With Christ
verse
assembly (n.)
c. 1300, "a gathering of persons, a group gathered for some purpose," from Old French asemblee, assemblee "assembly, gathering; union, marriage," noun use of fem. past participle of assembler "to assemble" (see assemble).
c. 1300, "a gathering of persons, a group gathered for some purpose," from Old French asemblee, assemblee "assembly, gathering; union, marriage," noun use of fem. past participle of assembler "to assemble" (see assemble).
If you take the time to actually study this scripture you can that Paul is talking about the individual believer's personal - individual relationship in coming into assembly with Jesus Christ in the context of THE GATHERING SNATCHING UP GATHERING UP of the Believers in the Rapture.
GATHERING TOGETHER UNTO HIM G1997 = ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER
HARMONIZE 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2 KJB.
2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Why did the King James Translators use Assemble instead of Gathering together?
(11c.), from Latin assimulare "to make like, liken, compare; copy, imitate; When we investigate deeper, we find this harmonizes perfectly with the now obselete definition for the word assembly used 500 years ago that literally means: A Union of two - coupling. See Oxford English Dictionary page 126. In this context we see coupling to union of two as in a marriage consummation. The Catching Up - Gathering together - Assembling Ourselves (for that day approaches) = Rapture of the Church.
We see the continuing with Hebrews 10:26..."as the manner of some is: but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. But some have disputed
willfully (adv.)
also wilfully, late Old English wilfullice "of one's own free will, voluntarily;" see willful + -ly (2). Mid-14c. as "deliberately, knowingly."
"obstinate, unreasonable," from will (n.) + -ful. From late 14c. as "eager" (to do something). Mid-14
Verse 26: 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient
Hebrews 10:25 is NOT talking about those who are already saved. This is not referring to a Christian who has made a mistake and sinned. This harmonizes perfectly with
Galatians 1:8-9
King James Version
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Sinning Willfully
sin: in the context of this scripture Paul is referring to walking away from the faith, deliberately knowing the truth.
Romans 1:28 sheds the best light on what is happening here.
People know intuitively by their spirit that there is a God but they have rejected the knowledge of this truth.
willfully:
willfully (adv.)
also wilfully, late Old English wilfullice "of one's own free will, voluntarily;" see willful + -ly (2). Mid-14c. as "deliberately, knowingly."
"obstinate, unreasonable," from will (n.) + -ful. From late 14c. as "eager" (to do something). Mid-14
Verse 26: 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
knowledge = G1922 Epignonsis: knowledge of the divine.
Compare Hebrews 10:26 with Romans 1:28
In the context of verse 26 we've already see Paul is both warning the fakes and reminding the saved Christian Jews who are struggling with the Law and the walk of faith being our sole justification.
Paul is addressing the entire audience. Some of these act like, talk like and pretend to be followers of Jesus Christ. They now must decide - without doubt - that they know in whom they believe and accept the astounding faith of standing before God as righteous through Jesus Christ.
When we compare scripture with scripture we understand clearly in
Romans Chapter 1.
Strong's #1922: epignosis
Romans 1:28 King James Bible:
knowledge of the truth, G1922 = Become fully acquainted with, perceive
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV and Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV and especially with Ephesians 1:13, 2 Corinthians 1:21,22.
But it does harmonize perfectly with Romans 1 King James Bible. Other scriptures are 1 John 2:19 King James Bible among others.
ANY ONE WHO DENIES ETERNALLY SECURITY DENY THE FINISHED WORK OF THE CROSS AND ARE IN FACT PREACHING ANOTHER GOSPEL. READ AND HEED:
BEWARE Galatians 1:8,9 King James Bible:
Galatians 1:8-9
King James Version
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Notes
See detailed study by Peter Ditzel titled Hebrews 10:25, "What are we NOT to forsake?"
What Are We Not To Forsake? Peter Ditzel
http://www.wordofhisgrace.org Collins
English Dictionary defines a "sacred cow" as "a person, institution, custom, etc, unreasonably held to be beyond criticism." Among many Christians, there are sacred cow Bible passages. Hebrews 10:25 is one of them. It states, "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." This verse is taken by virtually every church and every elder to mean that we should not stop attending church; that we should be in church every Sunday. Some even take the latter part of the verse to mean that, the closer we get in each week to Sunday, the more we should be exhorting one another to attend church. Many Bible scholars, who I must presume are afraid of upsetting the "sacred cow," simply will not give an unbiased exposition of this verse. I know what it is like. I saw the truth of Hebrews 10:25 well over twenty years ago. But I looked the other way. I convinced myself that I must be wrong, and that, since everyone else says so, then this verse—despite what the Greek clearly says—must be saying that we are not to forsake "going to church." And, particularly since there is no other Scripture that says we are to go to church, it is a fearful thing to give up the "sacred cow" of Hebrews 10:25. Nevertheless, all through those years, in the back of my mind, I knew full well that Hebrews 10:25 doesn't address going to church at all. This verse addresses something altogether different. I hope that my confession in this article will encourage others, who also know the truth of this verse, to also come clean. Verses 23 and 24 What I intend to do in this article is give an honest exposition of this verse, just as I would any other. I would encourage readers to read the whole of Hebrews 10 to get the context, but I will begin my exposition with verse 23: "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)." I won't belabor Copyright © 2011 wordofhisgrace.org Permission is granted to reproduce this article only if reproduced in full with no alterations and keeping the copyright statement and this permission statement intact. hebrews1025.pdf you with details, but I will point out here that the word "faith" in the King James Version should really be "hope." The Greek word is elpidos, and in every other place where it appears in the New Testament, it is translated as "hope." So, this is talking about not wavering concerning our hope that our faithful God has promised. What is this hope? Certainly, there are many things for which we may hope. But the Scriptures often refer to our hope as the resurrection from the dead and our glorification at the return of Jesus Christ. In Acts 23:6, Paul refers to "the hope and resurrection of the dead." Again, in Acts 24:15, Paul says that he has "hope toward God, which they themselves [the Pharisees] also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." This same hope is what he refers to in Acts 26:6 and 28:20. In Romans 5:2, Paul writes of the "hope of the glory of God." This is not referring to God's essential glory, but to something we hope for in the future. That is, this is a reference to our hope in the glory that God will bestow upon us (see also Ephesians 1:18). This is also what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:19-25: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. There are many other passages I could cite, but I will give just two more. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, Paul again refers to the resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ as our hope: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." In Titus 2:13, Paul says we should be, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Getting back to Hebrews 10, in verse 24, we read, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." In context, then, because of our hope of glorification in the resurrection at the return of Christ, we are to keep one another in mind to incite each other to love and good works. Episunagōgē Hebrews 10:25 says we are not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together." "Assembling together" is from one Greek word. Its lexical form is episunagōgē. This word is a noun and it is found in only one other place: "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). "Gathering together" is translated from episunagōgē. It is obvious in this passage that episunagōgē refers to our being gathered to Christ. There is a verb form of this word. It is episunagō. It is found in several verses. Let's look at them. Matthew 23:37: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (a parallel verse is Luke 13:34). "Gathered" and "gathereth" are both from episunagō. Jesus uses the way a hen completely gathers her chicks to describe the way He desired to gather Jerusalem's children (those who like children humbly wanted to come to Him—see here for more on this verse http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/mt2337qa.htm). Thus, episunagō is here used for a gathering to Christ. Matthew 24:30-31: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (the parallel verse is in Mark 13:26-27). "They shall gather together" is from episunagō. Again, this is an obvious reference to a gathering to Christ. Mark 1:33: "And all the city was gathered together at the door." "Gathered together" is translated from episunagō. Jesus was in a house healing the sick when all the city gathered at the door of the house. Although only a relatively small manifestation of such a gathering, this is again a gathering to Christ. Luke 12:1: "In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." "When there were gathered together" is from the word episunagō. This verse speaks of a multitude of people gathered together to Christ. In every place where we find the verb episunagō, it is used to refer to a gathering of some sort to Christ. And in the only other place where the noun form episunagōgē is used, it is used for that great gathering to Christ on the day of His return and our resurrection. Thus, when we see episunagōgē used in Hebrews 10:25, we must begin to suspect that perhaps it does not refer to going to church on Sunday (or any other day of the week) but to something greater. Does this fit the context? Let's see. The Day Approaching Again, the entire verse reads: "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." Notice that, instead of forsaking, we are to be exhorting (the word can also mean beseeching or comforting) one another, and all the more as we see the day drawing near. What day? Just a little further in the chapter, we read this: "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (verses 35-37). "He that shall come" is certainly a reference to Jesus Christ. We are to have patience (verse 36) in waiting for that day, the day of Christ's return. But apparently some did not have patience and forsook the hope of our gathering to Christ at His return. The evidence from both the context and the words used is weighty. It clearly leads us to the conclusion that Hebrews 10:25 is saying that we are not to forsake the hope of our gathering to Christ at his return, as some had done, but instead we are to exhort one another concerning this hope, and we are to do this all the more as we see the day of His return approaching. Verses 26-27 then give the hypothetical case if we were to forsake the truth of this hope: "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." In other words, to forsake our glorious gathering to Christ is to forsake the very thing our salvation points to. It would be a forsaking of the truth and a willful sin. Anyone doing this would suffer the condemnation and fate of the adversaries. But remember, this is a hypothetical case. Verse 39 says, "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." God causes true Christians to persevere so that they cannot forsake their hope. (For more information about the perseverance of the saints, download our free booklet, Once Saved, Always Saved? from this page http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/wohg_010.htm Further Thoughts Hebrews 10:25 has been used to try to convince people that they must not forsake going to church. In fact, it is the only Scripture in the New Testament that could remotely have been used in such a way. But it is wrong to use it this way. The Greek and the context simply do not support it, and when we understand the true meaning of Hebrews 10:25, the entire idea of "going to church" as something we must do entirely falls apart. The truth is that the ekklēsia (the word mistranslated as "church" in most English Bibles) is not something we go to; it is what we are. As Christians, we cannot forsake our assembly because we are always assembled before God. We are the assembly, the "called out" of Christ. (The literal meaning of ekklēsia is the "called out ones," but it was used by Greeks to refer to the people who were called out of the community to be members of the assembly.) Certainly, the Bible also speaks of the ekklēsia in a local sense as being in a city, according to (kata) houses or families, and as coming together (sunerchomai— literally, "come together"). But it is never spoken of as something apart from us that we go to, nor is our coming together locally ever spoken of as a duty. I will address this aspect further in another article. In summary, Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake the promise and blessed hope (verse 23 and Titus 2:13) of our gathering to Jesus Christ at His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:1), which is the custom of some. Anciently, the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection (see Matthew 22:23). Today, many who call themselves Christians, such as liberal theologians and full- or hyper-preterists, do not believe in a literal and future return of Jesus Christ and resurrection from the dead. Others who once had the name Christian also forsake their hope. Saying "my lord delayeth his coming" (Matthew 24:48) and "the resurrection is past already" (2 Timothy 2:18) are both errors. Hebrews 10:25 tells us that instead of forsaking the promise and hope, we are to be encouraging one another, and so much the more as we see the day of His return approaching. End Quote. Disclaimer: The word of his grace.org are Calvinists. Although there are many sound doctrinal issues with Calvinism the major problematic issue with them is their fundamental belief that all creation has basically no choice in their salvation which is true, but they go to the extreme in believing to the point of man’s free will. Please don’t get hung up with the doctrine of Calvinism but rather check each point with scripture. Be a good Berean.
http://www.wordofhisgrace.org Collins
English Dictionary defines a "sacred cow" as "a person, institution, custom, etc, unreasonably held to be beyond criticism." Among many Christians, there are sacred cow Bible passages. Hebrews 10:25 is one of them. It states, "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." This verse is taken by virtually every church and every elder to mean that we should not stop attending church; that we should be in church every Sunday. Some even take the latter part of the verse to mean that, the closer we get in each week to Sunday, the more we should be exhorting one another to attend church. Many Bible scholars, who I must presume are afraid of upsetting the "sacred cow," simply will not give an unbiased exposition of this verse. I know what it is like. I saw the truth of Hebrews 10:25 well over twenty years ago. But I looked the other way. I convinced myself that I must be wrong, and that, since everyone else says so, then this verse—despite what the Greek clearly says—must be saying that we are not to forsake "going to church." And, particularly since there is no other Scripture that says we are to go to church, it is a fearful thing to give up the "sacred cow" of Hebrews 10:25. Nevertheless, all through those years, in the back of my mind, I knew full well that Hebrews 10:25 doesn't address going to church at all. This verse addresses something altogether different. I hope that my confession in this article will encourage others, who also know the truth of this verse, to also come clean. Verses 23 and 24 What I intend to do in this article is give an honest exposition of this verse, just as I would any other. I would encourage readers to read the whole of Hebrews 10 to get the context, but I will begin my exposition with verse 23: "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)." I won't belabor Copyright © 2011 wordofhisgrace.org Permission is granted to reproduce this article only if reproduced in full with no alterations and keeping the copyright statement and this permission statement intact. hebrews1025.pdf you with details, but I will point out here that the word "faith" in the King James Version should really be "hope." The Greek word is elpidos, and in every other place where it appears in the New Testament, it is translated as "hope." So, this is talking about not wavering concerning our hope that our faithful God has promised. What is this hope? Certainly, there are many things for which we may hope. But the Scriptures often refer to our hope as the resurrection from the dead and our glorification at the return of Jesus Christ. In Acts 23:6, Paul refers to "the hope and resurrection of the dead." Again, in Acts 24:15, Paul says that he has "hope toward God, which they themselves [the Pharisees] also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." This same hope is what he refers to in Acts 26:6 and 28:20. In Romans 5:2, Paul writes of the "hope of the glory of God." This is not referring to God's essential glory, but to something we hope for in the future. That is, this is a reference to our hope in the glory that God will bestow upon us (see also Ephesians 1:18). This is also what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:19-25: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. There are many other passages I could cite, but I will give just two more. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, Paul again refers to the resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ as our hope: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." In Titus 2:13, Paul says we should be, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Getting back to Hebrews 10, in verse 24, we read, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." In context, then, because of our hope of glorification in the resurrection at the return of Christ, we are to keep one another in mind to incite each other to love and good works. Episunagōgē Hebrews 10:25 says we are not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together." "Assembling together" is from one Greek word. Its lexical form is episunagōgē. This word is a noun and it is found in only one other place: "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). "Gathering together" is translated from episunagōgē. It is obvious in this passage that episunagōgē refers to our being gathered to Christ. There is a verb form of this word. It is episunagō. It is found in several verses. Let's look at them. Matthew 23:37: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (a parallel verse is Luke 13:34). "Gathered" and "gathereth" are both from episunagō. Jesus uses the way a hen completely gathers her chicks to describe the way He desired to gather Jerusalem's children (those who like children humbly wanted to come to Him—see here for more on this verse http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/mt2337qa.htm). Thus, episunagō is here used for a gathering to Christ. Matthew 24:30-31: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (the parallel verse is in Mark 13:26-27). "They shall gather together" is from episunagō. Again, this is an obvious reference to a gathering to Christ. Mark 1:33: "And all the city was gathered together at the door." "Gathered together" is translated from episunagō. Jesus was in a house healing the sick when all the city gathered at the door of the house. Although only a relatively small manifestation of such a gathering, this is again a gathering to Christ. Luke 12:1: "In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." "When there were gathered together" is from the word episunagō. This verse speaks of a multitude of people gathered together to Christ. In every place where we find the verb episunagō, it is used to refer to a gathering of some sort to Christ. And in the only other place where the noun form episunagōgē is used, it is used for that great gathering to Christ on the day of His return and our resurrection. Thus, when we see episunagōgē used in Hebrews 10:25, we must begin to suspect that perhaps it does not refer to going to church on Sunday (or any other day of the week) but to something greater. Does this fit the context? Let's see. The Day Approaching Again, the entire verse reads: "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." Notice that, instead of forsaking, we are to be exhorting (the word can also mean beseeching or comforting) one another, and all the more as we see the day drawing near. What day? Just a little further in the chapter, we read this: "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (verses 35-37). "He that shall come" is certainly a reference to Jesus Christ. We are to have patience (verse 36) in waiting for that day, the day of Christ's return. But apparently some did not have patience and forsook the hope of our gathering to Christ at His return. The evidence from both the context and the words used is weighty. It clearly leads us to the conclusion that Hebrews 10:25 is saying that we are not to forsake the hope of our gathering to Christ at his return, as some had done, but instead we are to exhort one another concerning this hope, and we are to do this all the more as we see the day of His return approaching. Verses 26-27 then give the hypothetical case if we were to forsake the truth of this hope: "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." In other words, to forsake our glorious gathering to Christ is to forsake the very thing our salvation points to. It would be a forsaking of the truth and a willful sin. Anyone doing this would suffer the condemnation and fate of the adversaries. But remember, this is a hypothetical case. Verse 39 says, "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." God causes true Christians to persevere so that they cannot forsake their hope. (For more information about the perseverance of the saints, download our free booklet, Once Saved, Always Saved? from this page http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/wohg_010.htm Further Thoughts Hebrews 10:25 has been used to try to convince people that they must not forsake going to church. In fact, it is the only Scripture in the New Testament that could remotely have been used in such a way. But it is wrong to use it this way. The Greek and the context simply do not support it, and when we understand the true meaning of Hebrews 10:25, the entire idea of "going to church" as something we must do entirely falls apart. The truth is that the ekklēsia (the word mistranslated as "church" in most English Bibles) is not something we go to; it is what we are. As Christians, we cannot forsake our assembly because we are always assembled before God. We are the assembly, the "called out" of Christ. (The literal meaning of ekklēsia is the "called out ones," but it was used by Greeks to refer to the people who were called out of the community to be members of the assembly.) Certainly, the Bible also speaks of the ekklēsia in a local sense as being in a city, according to (kata) houses or families, and as coming together (sunerchomai— literally, "come together"). But it is never spoken of as something apart from us that we go to, nor is our coming together locally ever spoken of as a duty. I will address this aspect further in another article. In summary, Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake the promise and blessed hope (verse 23 and Titus 2:13) of our gathering to Jesus Christ at His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:1), which is the custom of some. Anciently, the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection (see Matthew 22:23). Today, many who call themselves Christians, such as liberal theologians and full- or hyper-preterists, do not believe in a literal and future return of Jesus Christ and resurrection from the dead. Others who once had the name Christian also forsake their hope. Saying "my lord delayeth his coming" (Matthew 24:48) and "the resurrection is past already" (2 Timothy 2:18) are both errors. Hebrews 10:25 tells us that instead of forsaking the promise and hope, we are to be encouraging one another, and so much the more as we see the day of His return approaching. End Quote. Disclaimer: The word of his grace.org are Calvinists. Although there are many sound doctrinal issues with Calvinism the major problematic issue with them is their fundamental belief that all creation has basically no choice in their salvation which is true, but they go to the extreme in believing to the point of man’s free will. Please don’t get hung up with the doctrine of Calvinism but rather check each point with scripture. Be a good Berean.
Commentary on Hebrews 10:26 Sinning Willfully:
In our immediate context of Hebrews 10:26, we see that many in the Hebrew-Christian community were still looking to the Old Testament sacrificial system (Hebrews 10:1-4) with its burnt offerings (Hebrews 10:6, 8), Temple work (Hebrews 10:19, 20), priesthood (Hebrews 10:21), and the Law of Moses (Hebrews 10:28). Obviously, many in the Hebrew-Christian community were still looking back to the Old Testament system and not depending on the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. As stated in the opening paragraph, the writer is not addressing individuals but a larger group of people with a mix of believers and non-believers. Some who had received the knowledge of the truth of the complete sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ had not yet fully trusted in it and were dabbling with returning to the Old Testament sacrificial system.
We cannot assert that Hebrews 10:26 is written only to those who are saved. After all, how could they be saved if they are looking back to the old sacrificial system? But, without knowing exactly who is and is not trusting in Christ, the writer of Hebrews would generically address everyone and give the proper warning that if you go on sinning willfully (i.e., abandon the truth found in Christ and his sacrifice), then there will be no sacrifice for sins because Jesus’ sacrifice is the only one that can take away sin (Hebrews 10:4, 12-18). That is why in verse 18 it says, “Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.” He is telling us that when someone is forgiven, there’s no longer a need for another offering as in the Old Testament type offerings. To reject Christ’s sacrifice is to go on sinning willfully by remaining in the Old Testament sacrificial system. For those who do that, there is no longer sacrifice remaining for sin because for them Christ is not a sacrifice.
Therefore, when the writer said in Hebrews 10:26, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,” he is talking about those who had received the knowledge of the truth but were rejecting it–not that they were saved and lost their salvation. To receive the knowledge of the truth does not mean they are saved. It means they received the knowledge of the truth of who Jesus was and what he did as well as the truth that “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4), and that God does not take pleasure in “whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins” (Hebrews 10:6). The writer wants them to trust in the only sacrifice for sins, which is Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and not return to the old sacrificial system.
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