Church Attendance - how important is it?

Hebrews 10:25 (KJV)
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.

This is the famous verse we use in validating the importance of church attendance. However, I believe we fail to understand the background of this passage as well as who is being addressed. These people are Jewish Christians who are being written to. Being a Christian was synonymous with being persecuted in that era, however, to be a Jewish Christian carried with it multifaceted types of persecution, along with experiencing societal and familial isolation. To name the name of Christ as a Jew meant excommunication out of the synagogue along with family members refusing to stand up for you because of their desire to preserve their own membership. A Christian Jew then would lose influence, social status, business opportunities, and would become ostracized in general. These Christians whom the writer of Hebrews is warning are not people who are lukewarm, cold, or in a backslidden state. They were refraining from attending the local house assemblies because they believed that the persecution they may incur was outweighing the necessity of church attendance. Paul was admonishing them that the spiritual strength and exercise that took place in a congregation were so important to their spiritual survival, that it was worth going through persecution to attend. That being the precedent, I wonder what Paul would say to those today who make excuses such as ball games, family reunions, fishing, four-wheeling…? If persecutions were not legitimate in staying out of church, then I doubt any of the above listed would be noted as lawful reasons to be absent.

The following are Scriptures pertaining to faithful assemblage:

"And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:36-37).

"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" (Luke 4:16).

"And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God" (Luke 24:52-53).

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).

"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart" (Acts 2:46).

"Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour [daily]" (Acts 3:1).

"But when they [Paul and his company] departed from Perga, they came to Antioch In Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down" (Acts 13:14).

"But unto the place which the lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come" (Deut. 12:5).

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the lord for ever" (Psalm 23:6).

"lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth" (Psalm 26:8).

"One thing have I desired of the lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the lord, and to enquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4).

"Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple" (Psalm 65:4).

"My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God....Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee" (Psalm 84:2, 4).

"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Psalm 84:10).

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the lord" (Psalm 122:1).

-       Scriptures adapted from the POSB