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Scripture Readings : Hebrews 3:13; 10:25

But exhort one another daily, while it is call “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin . . . Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

These two verses both contain the expression "exhort one another." However, the matters concerning how they were to exhort one another are different. Hebrews 10:25, especially mentions the matter of not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, or in other words, not neglecting attendance at the meetings of the body of Christ, the church¹. Hebrews 3:13 emphasizes exhortation in connection with sin and its deceitfulness. As we read back in the previous verse we notice that the special sin is unbelief. "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God" (Heb. 3:12).

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves

Some Christians fail to see the importance of regular attendance at the services of the church. Usually a faithful few are at all meetings. If there is a midweek gathering the attendance is usually pitifully small. Sunday night may be a little better. Sunday morning meetings are usually the best attended. And even there, many who should be present are frequently absent. Some, because of trifling things, absent themselves completely from meetings. One wonders whether such really know the Lord at all, but certainly if they do, they suffer great loss.

We need Christian fellowship

The story is told of a Christian who, because of some little difficulty, ceased coming to meetings. A faithful Christian paid him a visit, saying nothing about his absence; but after some conversation about general things, he took a live coal out of the fireplace and laid it on the hearth. Alone on the hearth it soon lost its glow and became black and cold. The absentee said, "You need not say a word, brother, I see what you mean; I will be back to the meeting place Sunday morning." A Christian left to himself will surely become cold and useless, as far as the Lord is concerned. We need each other's fellowship.

SMO illustration

A preacher accepted the work of a local congregation. Once there, he thought it would be good to visit members of the church, so he asked for a list of names and addresses. One of the shepherds of the flock gave him a list. Behind quite a few of the names were three letters, "SMO." "What does SMO mean?" asked the preacher. "That stands for Sunday Morning Only" said the elder. "Those are the ones we would like to have you visit first." Hopefully, none of us are "SMO’s" or "Oncers," as old-timers often say.

We owe Him full loyalty

We owe it to our Lord to give His body, the church, our full support. He wants us to sing together, pray together, study God's Word together, and together remember Him in the breaking of bread. If we are absent needlessly when the saints of God meet, then in some way we fail Him. Certainly, all of us cannot be at all the meetings all the time, but let each of us be there as often as possible. Remember, the Lord says, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20). Yes, He is there in a special way, and when we are not there He misses us—do we miss Him? Because other Christians fail our precious Lord is no excuse for us to fail Him, too.

Sweet fellowship

The verse we considered in our last lesson says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works" (Heb. 10:24). When we attend gatherings of the body of Christ, the church, we are in a position where we can provoke to love and good works. If we are absent then we lose contact, and can be of no use in this great work. We expect a glorious fellowship with the saints in heaven; surely we should want a similar fellowship down here. To a child of God there should be nothing sweeter this side of heaven than fellowship with saints; nothing more natural either. It is said, "Birds of a feather flock together." Christians have much in common, so it is natural for them to be drawn together.

The day approaching

The incentive given to us for assembling ourselves together, and, no doubt, also for provoking one another to love and good works, is the day we see approaching. Many have thought that the writer of Hebrews was thinking of the day of persecution that was coming, especially in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem . Others have thought he was thinking of the day of death. And others believe he is referring to the day when the Lord will return. At any rate, the thought that we soon will stand before Him should be an incentive to chose fellowship with the Lord's people now.

He is coming

Every evidence is that the coming of the Lord is not too far away. Certainly, when He does come, we do not want to be found out of sorts with our brethren. Because of persecution, there might have been a tendency on the part of some in the early church to be secret disciples. Hope in the soon coming of Christ would give courage and so break this snare. Hopefully, none today are absenting themselves from the services of the body of Christ, the church, because of shame or fear. Remember, after the Lord does come, neglected duties can never be made up and the loss of reward will be eternal.

Unbelief is sin

In Hebrews 3:13, the matter in which we are to exhort one another is different, namely to warn against the deceitfulness of sin. As we read back in the chapter we note that the special sin mentioned is the sin of unbelief. "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the loving God" (Heb. 3:12). When faith in Christ wanes, the carnal nature is sure to manifest itself. When the children of Israel questioned the Lord and His goodness, they quickly fell into sinful ways². If the hearts of those in Paul’s day could be hardened, be sure that ours can be, too. Many a child of God, once near to the Lord and warm for Him, is now cold and distant. It is not uncommon to find expensive church buildings that in former years was filled with whole-hearted Christians, but today struggle to keep a few cold and indifferent souls meeting. Let us beware lest we, too, become indifferent and fall away from God in heart.

The deceitfulness of sin

Hebrews 3:13 emphasizes the deceitfulness of sin. Sin always puts a cloud between one and the Lord. Often it looks like such an innocent thing. A little lie, a little theft, a little spite, a little anger, a little immoral act; how innocent each one seems. The clerk in a bank who took a little money, meant it as a temporary loan to finance some little deal, but eventually lands in jail. A young person takes a drink or two at a party, and in a few years becomes a hopeless derelict on skid-row. A young lady, enticed into committing fornication, may in the future find herself a confirmed harlot. How deceitful sin is. Let us always beware. Even a Christian can become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Exhort one another daily

Some believe that the only person who should exhort Christians is a full-time, paid, professional preacher. Both Hebrews 3:13 and 10:25 tell us to exhort one another. If Christians took to performing this work daily, as Hebrews 3:13 suggests, all would live on a higher plane and attendance at gatherings and meetings would be greatly improved. First, do the things you know a Christian should do, and then start at once to urge other Christians to do likewise. Let us seek to encourage and help one another, not only by counsel but by example, by prayer, by brotherly aid. And do not wait until tomorrow, because tomorrow may never come. Our verse says, "Exhort one another daily, while it is called today." The Lord may come before tomorrow, and then this day will end. Tomorrow is the day of procrastination. Tomorrow is Satan's day. "Son, go, work today in my vineyard" (Matt. 21:28).

Footnotes:

¹ For more information on the church, see God’s Church in A Religion Library section of StudyJesus.com.

² See Hebrews 3:7-11.