Jim's Jots and Tittles. . .

Attendance

Some have said it is not necessary to attend services on Sunday evening or to attend Bible Study on Wednesday evenings.

We do not have Biblical commands for doing this, so there must be another reason why one would deem it necessary to do this.

In Acts 2:46, the first Christians thought that a daily meeting was necessary. "And day by day continuing with one another with one mind in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, the were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart." Notice they did not do this by command. They were made stronger by meeting daily in the temple and they were made happy by the association with one another.

While Paul was in prison, he longed to see the Philippian brethren calling them his joy and crown. When he wrote to the Romans, Paul said he longed to see them so that they may encourage each other by sharing their faith.

In Acts chapter 7 the disciples and Paul met to break bread and Paul preached to them until midnight. Verse 11 says "he talked with them a long while, until daybreak, and then departed." Their interest in breaking bread and sharing God's word was an all-night affair.

And in Hebrews 3:13 the writer writes-- "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is called 'Today,' lest anyone of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

No, we do not meet on Sunday evening and Wednesday evening by command. We do it in order to strengthen one another's faith, to encourage one another and to add to our knowledge of the word of God.

If we do not enjoy God's and one another's fellowship here on earth, surely we will be bored in heaven!

—Jim Hunt