Hold to the Custom of Not Neglecting God’s House
“CUSTOM” is defined as “a habitual practice; the usual way of acting in given circumstances.” As Christians our custom or habitual practice should be not to neglect God’s house. As Nehemiah expressed it: “We should not neglect the house of our God.” (Neh. 10:39) And as the apostle Paul counseled: “Hold fast the public declaration of our hope without wavering, . . . not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day [of Jehovah] drawing near.”—Heb. 10:23-25.a
Jesus Christ when on earth as a man certainly made it his custom not to neglect God’s house. While he preached in ever so many places, he made it his custom, his habitual practice, to be at the local synagogue or at Jerusalem’s temple on the sabbath day. That is where he was obligated to be, and that is where the people were on that day, so Jesus used the opportunity to teach them the Word of God.—Matt. 13:54; Luke 4:16-21; John 18:19-21.
The apostle Paul imitated Jesus in this as in other features of Jesus’ ministry. (1 Cor. 11:1) So we find that it also was his custom to go to the synagogue on the sabbath to find opportunities to preach and to teach. (Acts 13:14-16) And showing that he appreciated the need to associate with his brothers are his words found at Romans 1:11, 12: “I am longing to see you, that I may impart some spiritual gift to you in order for you to be made firm; or, rather, that there may be an interchange of encouragement among you, by each one through the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
Many religionists of Christendom go to their houses of worship only once or twice a year, but appreciative Christians do not follow such a custom with regard to their meetings. And while those religionists might content themselves with ritual and formalisms, we know that from the very beginning true Christians came together to hear God’s Word preached. As one historian so well expressed it: “What is clearly apparent is that the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth was a prophetic teaching, of the new type that began with the Hebrew prophets. . . . Its only organization was an organization of preachers and its chief function was the sermon.”
As dedicated Christian witnesses of Jehovah we today appreciate how important it is for us to heed the words of Paul, to feel as he did about associating with our brothers. That is why we should leave no stone unturned to come together regularly, to make it our custom, our habitual practice, to attend the five weekly congregational meetings. We know that at these meetings we learn the truth of God’s Word and get to understand better his purposes and his will for us. And, equally important, at these meetings, and especially at the service meeting and the Theocratic Ministry School, we learn to express ourselves better; we receive training so that we might become able, tactful, effective and fruitful servants in the field ministry.
More than that, at these meetings we also learn to cooperate with one another; we receive practical help and find opportunities for bringing forth the fruits of the spirit. In particular will we be helped to cultivate the fruit of love, the agape kind of love, which has been defined as “spontaneous, self-giving love, expressed freely without calculation of cost or gain to the giver.”
Is not that the way God gave his only-begotten Son, the dearest treasure of his heart, for sinful mankind, not deserving such a gift? And so we, too, want to be unselfish in our ministry, whether people are appreciative and deserving or not. Holding to the custom of not neglecting God’s house will help us to cultivate this fruit of the spirit, agape love.—John 3:16; 1 Cor. 13:4-8.
However, let us not forget that not to neglect God’s house includes more than supporting congregational meetings by attending and taking part in them. It also includes inviting others to worship at our Kingdom Halls with us, aiding them to get there as we may have opportunity. It also means supporting our Kingdom Halls by voluntary contributions and by helping to keep them neat and clean, and making it our custom to pray that God’s blessing rest upon his house.—Ps. 122:6-9.
Happy are all those who make it their custom, their habitual practice, to imitate Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul in not neglecting God’s house!
[Footnotes]
a For details see The Watchtower, January 1, 1966.