Where in Scripture can I find proofs that the attendance of and participation in a local church is a necessity; i e why do we “need to assemble and work with a local congregation”?
Jewish Christians in the first century were abandoning the Lord’s church in large numbers and returning to Judaism, for which cause their failure to assemble was especially noted. “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” (Hebrews 10:25). Assembling with the church in the first century was when biblical instruction and edification were obtained (1 Corinthians 14:12ff; Acts 20:7), public prayers were prayed to God and praises were sung to God (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), the Lord’s Supper was observed weekly (Acts 20:7) and the contribution was given weekly (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
There is a biblical emphasis on assembling for worship with a local congregation. “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place…” (1 Corinthians 14:23). The Greek word for “church” has to do with the idea of “assembly,” and the Greek word from which we derive “be come together” means to convene an assembly. Hence, we have reference to “the whole church be come together into one place” — the assembly of a local congregation with all its members who can attend. The same emphasis on assembling with a local congregation appears in 1 Corinthians 11:18, “…when ye come together in the church…” The words “When ye come together” are used respecting the observance of the Lord’s Supper and refer to the assembly of the local congregation (1 Corinthians 11:20). This phraseology appears regarding the Lord’s Day assembly additional times in 1 Corinthians 11 and 14.
Further, the local congregation is supposed to work the works of God together, which is evident from several New Testament epistles (Colossians 1:2, 10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 11). Consequently, letters of recommendation from one church to another were written in the first century for brethren traveling from one congregation to another (Acts 18:27), and the apostle Paul joined himself to the local congregation in Jerusalem when abiding there (Acts 9:26). Christianity is not portrayed in the Bible as a punched ticket to heaven without further activity or participation with the Lord’s people.
