Hebrews 10:24-25?

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thistle93

Puritan Board Freshman
Question about the following verse:

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.


I take this verse as a command and not something that is just advise for the believer. That to disobey would be to sin against God. Am I making this verse stronger than it is intended to be. Anything in the Greek that would promote or speak against my view?

Thank you!

For His Glory-
Matthew
 
My pastor just preached on this verse this past Lord's Day! You can listen to it here:

SermonAudio.com - Stir Up One Another

The original context was that these Jewish believers were tempted to go back into Judaism because of the persecution by the Romans (Judaism was legal, but Christianity was not). They were saying, "If I meet with the other believers, I'll most likely lose my house and be imprisoned and killed! What if I didn't deny Jesus but chose not to openly identify with His people?"

The problem is, union with Christ also means union with God's people, and the Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. We wouldn't be able to carry out most of the things we're commanded to do without being among the people of God. Love of neighbor is not just a good idea, it's part of the greatest commandment- how can the Law of Christ be fulfilled without bearing one another's burdens? (Galatians 6).

There was also the realization that the time was short for these to be together before even harder days would come. The Day approaching, in that context, was 70 AD, when the Temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed. Why would they go back to the old ways now, when shortly most of what it meant to be Jewish would be literally destroyed?

For us, there's the reality that there is coming a Day when Christ will return, and this transient, cursed world will give way to the eternal New Heavens and New Earth.. Let us work the works of God while it is still day, as Jesus said. Books will be opened, rewards given, so let us stir one another up to love and good works. Let's not neglect the gathering of ourselves together (particularly on the Lord's Day, that day Jesus rose from the dead and gave to us for worship and rest- this was inferred, not argued from the text, btw, but a valid inference in my opinion). Will our lamps be found burning, will we be good stewards of what we have?
 
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