Ace:
Missing worship for non-emergency reasons is a problem. The Westminster Confession summarizes the biblical teaching:
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. . . God is to be worshiped everywhere,[431] in spirit and truth;[432] as, in private families[433] daily,[434] and in secret, each one by himself;[435] so, more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected, or forsaken, when God, by his Word or providence, calleth thereunto.[
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The proof texts are:
Isaiah 56:6-7. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Hebrews 10:25. 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. Proverbs 1:20-21, 24. Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying.... Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. Proverbs 8:34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. Acts 13:42. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Luke 4:16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. Acts 2:42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
I would say the chief argument from the Bible is apostolic precedent.
· John 20:19. On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
· John 20:26. A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
· Acts 2:1. "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." The day of Pentecost was on the day after the Sabbath.
· Acts 20:7. "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight." Note that the disciples came together to "break bread" - meaning partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. This is the high point of Christian worship.
· 1 Cor. 16:1-2. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
Revelation 1:10 also refers to the "Lord's Day." We know from many secondary sources that this met Sunday and the day of worship. For example, Justin described the Lord's Day: "· Justin Martyr, who died about A. D. 160, says that the Christians "neither celebrated the Jewish festivals, nor observed their Sabbaths, nor practiced circumcision" (Dialogue with Trypho). In another place he says that they were "all accustomed to meet on the day which is denominated Sunday, for reading the Scriptures, prayer, exhortation and communion. The assemblies met on Sunday, because this is the first day on which God, having changed the darkness and the elements, created the world, and because Jesus our Lord on this day arose from the dead . . ."
Scott
