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Originally Posted by SISTER Murphy
This is a disingenous statement, for I don't know of anybody who is 'in the building all the time.' People go home, go to school, go to work, go to the store, go to the mall, go to.... Do you not think that these are tremendous avenues to be a witness, just by how we live our lives? The either/or idea is simply a strawman argument.
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The is not disingenuous at all. Firstly, if you've read many of the posts here you'll see that many of the ministry expect people to be in "service" whenever there is service i.e. show up whenever the doors are opened. People have many things to do as you stated but a ministry outside the four walls of the church means more than just witnessing. Some may want to go out and spend much of the time feeding the hunger or teaching bible studies in their home. People need to be given time to do those things. We can't be in two places at once -- in service and out in the streets (or in our homes giving Bible studies, etc)
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So far as I can see, we have an understanding of God's will by what He has preserved for us in His Word, thus, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together is just as much God's will for you and I as is the practical aspects of living what we say we believe (visiting the sick and afflicted, giving what we can to help others less fortunate, etc)
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True. But the term "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together" means different things to different people. Some people have their assembling together with other Christians in their homes with their families and neighbours who are Chrsitians rather than going to a building. Those same people may have times during the year when they get together in larger groups for camp-like meetings, etc. I don't see there is a right or wrong methodology to assemble in scripture just that you should do it. I think it's disingenuous for one to say that because your methodology does not match mine that yours is wrong.
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Indeed, nor does all of His will take place OUTSIDE of the four walls of a building. But, His will is fulfilled when His people gather together in His name and are taught, fed, edified so that they may then effectively reach out to those OUTSIDE the four walls who need what the church, as His body in this earth, has to offer: life, hope, healing, restoration, deliverance, peace.....
Truly, if Jesus is our example, then, not only will we be going about doing good, we will be 'in the synagogue' (Jesus called it His house), for the scripture says, "as was his custom".
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The Jews met in synagogues and Jesus being a Jew born under the law would have followed the custom and laws of His time.
Scripture speaks of people (Christians) going to the temple, meeting house to house, etc. There was and is no set methodology for where to assemble, how to assmble and what should be done each time we assemble except for the Lord's Supper. But even then most go by tradition and have the Lord's Supper once a year or once a month or whenever.