Not Forsaking the Assembly

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,

E-mail question: What about forsaking the assembly?

After doing this I found another version already posted: you can check me to see if I am lying.

This is a very quick jotting down of some ideas. I will get back to it soon. It is clear that Paul was speaking of the SYNAGOGUE or assembly. The Synagogue was a school of the Bible or as Thomas Campbell called it "A school of Christ." He also said that worship was READING and discussing the Word of God. This obeys Romans 15 which would allow people with diverse backgrounds to have UNITY in the sense of attending Bible School to be taught of God.

Church is named after Circe the "holy whore" of Paul's warning. This form of "worship" is the word "threskia" which is that invented by Orpheus and the Lesbian women. Whereas Homer had been READ or recited as the way to honor the poet, the new ritualistic worship added tunes and instruments and made it musical. Thus, spitting in the face of Homer. Note that the Most Holy Places are in heaven where we have contact only in the new PLACE of our own spirit as God meets us but only after He has given us A holy spirit.

The Corinthian church which did more harm than good was focused especially on singing out of their own spirit or speaking in a language the rest did not understand. At its heart it was a show and tell and they DID NOT meet for the Lord's Supper which remembers that HE died so that we do not have to PERFORM. They had a very unnatural attraction to certain teachers and did not listen to God.

For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. Isaiah 41:28

Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion. Isaiah 41:29

BEHOLD my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:1

He shall not cry (call an assembly), nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. Isaiah 42:2

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth (trust and quietness). Isaiah 42:3

Lift up is:

Nasa (h5375) naw-saw'; ..accept, advance, arise, (able to, [armour], suffer to) bear (-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, ... lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, .. stir up, / swear, take (away, up), * utterly, wear, yield

Jesus died to eleminate "spiritual anxiety created by religious ritual" and that ANXIETY is AEIRO for the purposes of kleptô as in kleptomaniac by the use of secular HYMNING and ODING and playing the KITHERA which made them PARASITES and CYNICS or DOGS--always.

Nasa or Lifting Up in the Greek is:

Aeirô to lift for the purpose of carrying, to bear away, carry, to raise, to bear away to undertake a long war, to be lifted up, excited. Similar word: PASSION to exalt, excite, exaggerate, to take up for ONESELF, receive a charge of cowardice.

Aeidô is the musical METHOD and Aeirô or heresy is the REASON to lift people up with excitement like WIND IN THE SAILS to carry them away captive or to kill them. By letting yourself be LIFTED UP with PLEASURING you are doing what Paul said that Christ WOULD NOT DO because it carried the concept of the dogs or Cynics getting virtual or literal PLEASURE out of abusing one another.

Aeido also means: I. to sing, Il., etc.:--then of any sound, to twang, of the bowstring, Od.; to whistle, of the wind, Mosch.; to ring, of a stone struck, Theocr.

Anaireô (v. haireô): --take up, anelontes apo chthonos having raised the victim from the ground, so as to cut its throat.. This had some connection to Amos 5 and 6 where the musical, perverted festivals were "feasts WITH and FOR dead ancestors."

2. take up and carry off, bear away, esp. prizes

"Singing served as a means of inducing ecstatic prophecy (speaking in tongues).

Thus the essential relationship between music and prophecy can be clearly seen.

This relationship also explains why the expression for "making music" and "prophesying" was often identical in the ancient tongues. origen contra celsum 8.67.

The Hebrew word Naba signifies not only "to prophesy" but also "to make music." (Quasten, Johannes, Music and Worship in Pagan and Christian Antiquity, p. 39)

Haireô or heresy has as its A meaning A take with the hand, grasp, seize, having taken up [the song],

II. take, get into one's power, hupnos passions. As in the ZOE MOVEMENT:

2. catch, take, zôon (Zoe), take in hunting, get into one's power, entrap, In a legal sense: kleptonta to convict of theft,

Jesus invites the TWOS AND THREES to "come learn of me" because you cannot SYNAGOGUE with several thousand having "worship" performed by those universally known as SORCERERS and therefore PARASITES.

If it is not WORD FOCUSED it is not an assembly and you don't break a LAW if you refuse to paganize. You should never give money to such people.

This self-sacrifice is what marks a Christian synagogue. If your's does not fit the Scriptures then they cannot bind a LAW to make you feel guilty. Much less do they have any authority to collect from the poor to feed the rich.

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Heb 9:22

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Heb 9: 23

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Heb 9: 24

You remember that God is not worshipped in HOUSES made with human hands nor by the WORKS of human hands. You don't go to intentionally DO worship in a ritual, legalistic sense. If you GIVE HEED to the death of Christ during the Lord's Supper then the giving heed IS worship. If some jerk wants to whistle, hum or clap his hands then you CANNOT worship because you are giving heed to the performer and HE wants your worship.

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; Heb 9: 25

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb 9: 26

All forms of "music" is based on the Levitical Warrior musicians. They made a loud crashing sound as the thousands of innocent lambs were slaughtered to make it possible for the priest to enter the 'house made with human hands. If there was no sacrificial system in Jerusalem then there was NO RATIONALE for music or sacrificial noise making which, like the nations they demanded to imitate, was a form of exorcism.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb 9: 27

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Heb 9: 28

FOR the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Heb 10:1

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. Heb 10:2

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. Heb 10:3

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Heb 10:4

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: Heb 10:5

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Heb 10:6

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. Heb 10:7

Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Heb 10:8

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. Heb 10:9

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 10:10

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: Heb 10:11

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; Heb 10:12

From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. Heb 10:13

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Heb 10:14

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, Heb 10:15

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord;

I will put my laws into their hearts, and
in their minds will I write them; Heb 10:16

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Heb 10:17

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Heb 10:18

The Court represented the massive slaughter of innocent animals: this was a result of rejecting God's Book of the Covenant of Grace by the musical idolatry at Mount Sinai. Further institutionalizing the sacrificial was a result of "firing" God and demanded a king like the nations so that they could worship like the nations.

No one can go further in the spiritual kingdom until they have accepted the once for all sacrifice of Christ and been washed in baptism. Then they can enter into the Holy Place. The symbols of the Holy Place prefigure the church or body of Christ which He said was an ekklesia or synagogue or school of the Bible.

Worship takes place one priest at a time as they approach the Most Holy Place at the incense altar which represents our prayers to God as we go into the presence of God. The Most Holy Place was like the HEAD of the BODY: There the Spirit God dwelled and the WORD of God was beneith the mercy seat. We approach the Mind or Spirit of God in worship only to the extent that, in Paul's words, we give heed to Christ's Words or, as he told Timothy, 'give attendance to the public reading of the Word.' The listeners dialog or commune and are indoctrinated and even rebuked.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb 10:19

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; Heb 10:20

The Jews said that they wouldn't hear the Words of God at Mount Sinai. Therefore, God turned them over to "worship the starry host" even in the Jerusalem temple. As "worship" is giving heed to God and His Word, it is not possible until we turn to Christ which does not mean turn to a performance lecturer:

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 2 Cor 3:12

And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 2 Cor 3: 13

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 2 Cor 3: 14

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Ac.15:21

Sunagoge (g4864) soon-ag-o-gay'; from (the redupl. form of) 4863; an assemblage of persons; spec. a Jewish "synagogue" (the meeting or the place); by anal. a Christian church: - assembly, congregation, synagogue.

Preaching is defined as READING or "knowing again." Paul told the elders that their duty was to "teach that which had been taught." Therefore, as the worshiper in the Most Holy Place would not attempt to correct the copy of the Bible, a preacher CANNOT altar th Word.

But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 2 Cor 3: 15

Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 2 Cor 3: 16

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Cor 3: 17

Liberty means that we are NOT a slave: it means that we can come and go at will. We are not OWNED by a set of elders or insitution.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor 3: 18

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2Pe.1:19

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2 Pet 1:20

Private interpretation means "further expounding." Peter has said that the Word was validated by miracles. That God in Christ or as Spirit delivered what the "secrets" He wanted known but still couched in parables "from the foundation of the world."

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet 1:21

Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 shows that:

God's Spirit

is to God

What our spirit

is to us.

But WE have the Mind of Christ which is the Holy Spirit of God.

And the once for all delivered Word of God is by that Holy Spirit Who is eternal:

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Peter 1:11

So that Christians do not fall into pagan idolatry which begins by letting the "Midianites" begin animal sacrifices and probably "music" which God had not commanded, God as sealed the word. If someone needs to SOAR above that by sermonizing then Peter says we have a MARK:

BUT there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Pet 2:1

And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 2 Pet 2:2

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Pet 2:3

The high priest was the "mediator" into the holy precincts. However, we do not have a physical PLACE for worship: Jesus said that God only seeks those who worship in the new PLACE of the human spirit which has a created imagery of God. Again, notice that there is no WORK PLACE for anyone to mediate in song or sermon other than teaching that which has been taught.

God's Spirit

is to God

What our spirit

is to us.

But WE have the Mind of Christ which is the Holy Spirit of God.

The High Priest is the only One who can enter into the Most Holy place: no singer, musician or preacher could enter without being executed. Therefore, only by being IN Christ or clothed with Christ are we able to boldly approach God.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal 3:26

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27

Put on is:

Enduo (g1746) en-doo'-o; from 1722 and 1416 (in the sense of sinking into a garment); to invest with clothing (lit. or fig.): - array, clothe (with), endue, have (put) on.

for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Ga.3:27NIV

enduô is used: of clothes, put on, assume the person, insinuate oneself into their minds, slip through, put on another, clothe in.

And having an high priest over the house of God; Heb 10:21

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 10:22

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 1Pe.1:2

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; [not bowing down] (for he is faithful that promised;) Heb 10:23

Homologia (g3671) hom-ol-og-ee'-ah; from the same as 3670; acknowledgment: - con- (pro-) fession, professed.

Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 2Co.9:13

WHEREFORE, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Heb.3:1

Homologeo (g3670) hol-ol-og-eh'-o; from a comp. of the base of 3674 and 3056; to assent, i.e. covenant, acknowledge: - con- (pro-) fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Heb.13:15

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Heb 10:24

The problem with the ELDERS or PASTOR actually disfellowshipping you for not attending meetings THEY have unilaterally assigned is that THEY have no such authority. The ANOTHER speaks of the body where Jesus Christ is still the HEAD.

Allelon (g240) al-lay'-lone; Gen. plur. from 243 redupl.; one another: - each other, mutual, one another, (the other), (them-, your-) selves, (selves) together

Provoke means "incitement to good" rather than disputing. It means to "sharpen alongside." The word PARA means along side rather than TOP and BOTTOM position. The "one another" demand is part of all assemblies unless you have a Paul who knows more than any one else in the group.

> For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Rom 15:4

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Rom 15:5

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 15:6

> And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Eph 5:18 [Methuo usually included "music." Don't get piped down or fluted down with wine. Or don't get drunk on arrogance]

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:19

If you are filled with the Spirit which Jesus said was His Words (John 6:63) then spiritual songs are those which HAVE BEEN taught by the Spirit of Christ (1 Pet 1:11, Rev 19:10)

> Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16

Elders are specificially circumscribed in their public involvment:

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. Tit 1:9

This is the LOCK on the Word as both Paul and Peter demand. As Jesus identified people as children of the devil because THEY SPEAK ON THEIR OWN, here Paul givea a BECAUSE OF:

For there are many unruly and vain talkers (wranglers) and deceivers, [mind-misleader] specially they of the circumcision: Tit 1:10

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucres sake. Tit 1:11

Paul said that the converted Jews NOW worshipped in the SPIRIT which is the only place Jesus said God even sought worshippers. That was because that DOGS or the perverted professionals were always prowling around.

Therefore, God puts the TRUTH and WORSHIP in an air-tight container. If anyone seeks to improvize or CHARGE you when they are not evangelists (meaning GO, GO, GO) then they have the MARK on them so that God gives you an avenue of escape.

For this reason, if Paul makes a law it is to keep the process OF OURSELVES so that we are NOT bound to assemblies which are not mutually agreed upon and which are NOT assembliies or SYNAGOGUES: there was no praise service in the synagogue.

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. Heb 10:25

Feedback Jonathan Clark: it seems to indicate those with a like mind (THE SAME MIND) or similar beliefs: "himself, herself, themselves, itself, he, she, it, the same".

If there is no "ourselves" or none with a like mind in our area, then, there actually is NO ASSEMBLY TO FORSAKE!

Forsaking is not being late for Wednesday night services. Rather, the trend was that unless people "provoked" or sharpened one another they would totally abandon collecting themselves together as a synagogue and the Lord's Supper. The evidence which we have is that this was on the Lord's Day or Sunday. As the Sabbath meant Rest and a holy convocation or REHEARSING or READING the Word, the Lord's day was to give people REST and literally a quarantine from the rituals of paganism.

Egkataleipo (g1459) eng-kat-al-i'-po; from 1722 and 2641; to leave behind in some place, i.e. (in a good sense) let remain over, or (in a bad one) to desert: - forsake, leave.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mt.27:46

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 2Ti.4:10

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Heb.13:5

Kataleipo (g2641) kat-al-i'-po; from 2596 and 3007; to leave down, i.e. behind; by impl. to abandon, have remaining: - forsake, leave, reserve.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Heb.11:27

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 2Pe.2:15

When Paul speaks of the people assemblying he uses a form of the word "synagogue." The ekklesia or "church" is the gathering or the gathering building.

Episunagoge (g1997) ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay'; from 1996; a complete collection; spec. a Chr. meeting (for worship): - assembling (gathering) together.

Episunago (g1996) ep-ee-soon-ag'-o; from 1909 and 4863; to collect upon the same place: - gather (together).

Sunago (g4863) soon-ag'-o; from 4862 and 71; to lead together, i.e. collect or convene; spec. to entertain (hospitably): - / accompany, assemble (selves, together), bestow, come together, gather (selves together, up, together), lead into, resort, take in.

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: Ac.15:30

The synagogue had a primary meeting on the Sabbath for prayer and hearing the reading of the Word. The example of Jesus was that He stood up at the pulpit: the pulpit held up the Bible and not the preacher. Then he said down and discussed it. At the time of Christ there were dozens of synagogues in and around Jerusalem: male children began studying the Bible at age 5 as well as other skills. The "house" was open during many other days and the Word was read and you could be instructed by the scholars.

There was no singing or "praise services in the synagogue" as indeed you would expect none in a School of the Bible.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Heb 10:26

There was only ONE VERSION of the truth: only one set of the Bible or partial Bibles. If they did not assemble themselves to confess Jesus by reading and dialoging (communing) His Word they had no other resource. Those Paul called THE MANY could perform so that rhetoricians were the highest paid profession in the Roman World. However, they had NO NEW REVELATION. If you let them teach you spiritual things you violated the RULE of Paul and Peter and opened the door so that the mercinaries could slip in. If you accepted the Word and then rejected it there was no hope:

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Heb 10:27

For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. Deut 18:14

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; Deut 18:15

According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. Deut 18:16

And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. Deut 18:17

And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. Ps.106:15

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Deut 18:18

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Deut 18:19

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. Deut 18:20

And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? Deut 18:21

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Deut 18:22

In many places Jesus identified His words as the Words of the Father Who was within Him:

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. John 5:30

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. John 5:45

For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. John 5:46

But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? John 5:47

I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. Jn.8:38

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. Jn.12:49

He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Heb 10:28

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Heb 10:29

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. Heb 10:30

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb 10:31

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Heb 10:32

Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. Heb 10:33

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Heb 10:34

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. Heb 10:35

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Heb 10:36

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Heb 10:37

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Heb 10:38

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Heb 10:39

We quoted Peter above to show that their MEMORY in a permanent sense is recorded by eye witnesses as the inspired record for all times:

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 2Pe.1:12

Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 2 Pet 1:13

Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 2 Pet 1:14

Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things alway in remembrance. 2 Pet 1:15

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Pet 1:16

Only the Scriptures can make you wise: no, you probably cannot be a Disciple of Christ without being a student of the Old Testament. This is why Timothy had been made WISE to salvation:

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2Ti.3:15

However, the cunning type of sophism is related to OPHIS the serpent or musical enchanter as the Nachas was in the garden of Eden:

Sophizo (g4679) sof-id'-zo; from 4680; to render wise; in a sinister acceptation, to form "sophisms", i.e. continue plausible error: - cunningly devised, make wise.

sophisma [from sophizô]

I. any skilful act, the skilful dressing of food, Xen.

II. a clever device, contrivance, Hdt., Trag.

2. in less good sense, a sly trick, artifice, Eur., Thuc.; a stage-trick, claptrap, Ar.

* 3. a captious argument, a quibble, fallacy, sophism, Plat., etc.

sophis-tês , ou, ho, master of one's craft, adept, expert, of diviners, Hdt.2.49; of poets, meletan sophistais prosbalon of musicians, sophistês

Arnobius wrote of our problem

4. But all these things will be more clearly and distinctly noticed when we have proceeded further. For we shall show that Christ did not teach the nations impiety, but delivered ignorant and wretched then from those who most wickedly wronged them. We do not believe, you say, that what He says is true.

Note 16 Lit. "the ignorance of wretched men from the worst robbers," i.e., the false prophets and teachers, who made a prey of the ignorant and credulous. John viii.

11. But, supposing that these things do not at all hinder or prevent your being bound to believe and hearken to them in great measure; and what reason is there either that you should have more liberty in this respect, or that we should have less ?

You believe Plato, Cronius, Numenius, or any one you please; we believe and confide in Christ. How unreasonable it is, that when we both abide by teachers, and have one and the same thing, belief, in common,

you should wish it to be granted to you to receive what is so said by them,

but should be unwilling to hear and see what is brought forward by Christ!

So, my answer is still the same: you have no obligation to attend "churching" which in 1 Cor 11:17 "did more harm than good" because everyone wanted to speak "out of their own spirit." If they tell you that you have to be back at six in the evening 'to meet God' just tell them that Ken says that God found His way into my happy valley.

However, if you should be so fortunate as to find an assembly meaning SYNAGOGUE then by all means synagogue. The synagogue was the repository of the books and scrolls although many people had partial versions either purchased from a scribe or hand copied for their own use. The synagogue was also the place where the one who knew the most about the Bible held classes for those who knew less. A learning schoolboy could "sing the Psalms" as one READS the hallel but no expert would be allowed to tell you that the Bible doesn't mean what it clearly says.

However, not everyone or not MANY are self-motivated students. This is why it is important to assemble and LISTEN to the READING of the Word. The Jews held and I agree that when you LIFT UP the word "as it has been taught" you are listening to the very voice of God. If you have talent then by all means play th guitar to the old people in the nursing home. However, if you are going to SPEAK for God you had better be speaking the word rather than preaching as cunning sophism. The fact is that rhetoricians, sOPHISts (serpents in Revelation), singers, musicians and craftsmen (stage managers-house builders) were known as SORCERERS and therefore PARASITES.

Don't be mind controlled in a cultic way that to miss all five meetings (heard a lady say it a few days ago) is a sin for which you can be disfellowshipped (read that on the Concerned Members Forum.)

I will spin a bit more soon. Ken