In Part One, we saw how crucial fellowship is to Christian growth, noting that the Sabbath command in Leviticus 23:3 includes the instruction to assemble in holy convocation. The people of God need the support and help of their spiritual brethren as they press forward in their mutual walk toward the Kingdom of God.

However, not everyone participates in this commanded assembly. Of course, in these days of a scattered church, not everyone can assemble with others of like mind on the Sabbath simply because they live too far away. Services streamed over the Internet help, but they lack the closeness interacting with others in the same room brings. We should take advantage of the times when we can assemble with the brethren and make opportunities to do so whenever possible.

But some people avoid congregating with others. We began examining commentator Albert Barnes' list of reasons for that:

1. They fear persecution.

2. They have little interest in attending church.

3. They consider fellowship optional, believing keeping the Sabbath is enough.

4. They are dissatisfied with a minister, a specific doctrinal position, or one or more church members.

The most common dissatisfaction is with the behavior of certain church members. Perhaps they consider them unfriendly, cliquish, or self-righteously superior. Members of any congregation are at different stages of spiritual maturity, which may be a part of the problem, but in the end, it is each individual's problem to overcome his or her own faults. While God desires unity in the Body of Christ, He is developing each of us individually at our own pace. We cannot overcome personality flaws for others. But we can pray, obey God's instructions on interpersonal relationships, and allow Him to address the situation in His own time and manner. We cannot allow others' lack of respect and courtesy make us avoid services.

Proverbs 27:17 reads, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." When two blades of a knife or other cutting implement are rubbed together, both edges become sharper and more effective and efficient. Less energy is required to achieve better results. When we come together in fellowship, we sharpen one another in our conversations and conduct.

Consider that if a knife is blunt, it is still a knife. However, a dull knife is less effective or useful than a sharp one. We should commit to spending more time with each other, praying for one another, admonishing, encouraging, and exhorting one another to become sharper, more dedicated, and effective in the ministry to which God has called every Christian.

In Revelation 2 and 3, Christ promises various rewards to those who overcome their sins and failings. Because we must overcome in this life, under the pall of Satan's influence and this world's sinfulness, our rewards will be greater than those who are not called in this age. The overcoming we do teaches us to live out our lives and prepares us for life in the age to come.

When we deal with someone in the church with whom we do not get along, the experience may well be preparing us for dealing with similar situations in the Millennium. For many years, we have heard in Feast of Tabernacles' sermons that those who rise in the first resurrection may very well be the "teachers" mentioned in Isaiah 30:20-21, helping the recently humbled Israelites understand God's ways:

And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

Fellowship is critical! Our lives are brief, so we cannot afford to miss church services or other fellowship opportunities. Each week, God calls us together on the Sabbath to receive instructions, directions, and our mission assignment. Attendance is mandatory because God wishes to work with us in the holy time He has created for that purpose.

I Corinthians 11:18-19 (New Living Translation) provides the apostle Paul's perspective: "First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God's approval will be recognized!" The problems we face in our fellowship with other church members reveal who is conducting themselves in a godly way. The spats and friction we experience allow us to learn to be Christlike, exhibiting forbearance, patience, compassion, and self-control, enhancing our growth in righteous character.

In I Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul uses the human body as a metaphor for the composition, activity, and unity of the church of God. He also writes in Ephesians 4:16 that "the whole body [is] joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." It should be each Christian's goal to do his or her part to add to the growth of their spiritual brothers and sisters.

When my dad was in the army, he lost part of his finger just above his knuckle in an accident. It made for some interesting stories to tell his children, but clearly, his disjointed finger never worked as well again. Similarly, when one part of Christ's Body fails to show up at His holy convocations, the rest of the Body does not function to its intended capacity. For example, God may have intended the sermon we intentionally skip one Sabbath to help us specifically. But because we miss it, we fail to grow in that area, and in turn, our brethren do not benefit from our growth. It is something to think about.

The New International Version renders Hebrews 10:25 as, ". . . not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing . . .." The author was concerned that his epistle's recipients were becoming sluggish, drifting, and habitually neglecting their salvation. He was afraid that their neglect would deepen, eventually ending in apostasy. Their failure to fellowship with others on the Sabbath was a part of this careless attitude toward God and their brethren.

Failing to fellowship is serious business. The following verse, Hebrews 10:26, begins a frightening warning: "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." This verse begins with "for," connecting this reality to the previous verse about forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. The passage ends with one of the Bible's most terrifying verses: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31).

Valid reasons exist for occasionally not meeting together, such as illness, weather, distance, even car problems. We all live under different conditions and face various issues and difficulties. But if we are not attending church services or taking the opportunity to fellowship when we can, we must ask ourselves, "Is our absence based on a valid reason, or are we just making an excuse?"

Joining with others in the Body of Christ is often stressful, difficult, and exhausting. We may feel that the struggle is not worth it. But as Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) says in the movie, A League of Their Own, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard makes it great." So, be committed to fellowship and stay committed, even when it gets hard. It is going to be great!