Recently, I was scrolling through social media when I noticed someone holding up a book I have read, benefited from, and even distributed to others. What struck me about this social media post was that it claimed the author of the book had quietly apostatized from Christianity. I was not aware of this downfall, and although the author has not made any public statements regarding his deconstruction or apostasy, I suspect it is true based on further research into the evidence. It brought back the sadness I felt when I first read Joshua Harris’ statement of deconstruction from the Christian faith.[1] Of course, our perspective is finite, and we are incapable of fully discerning whether a person has committed apostasy; nevertheless, the signs are alarming. Also, I could not help but wonder if such people would have avoided this horrific turn in their lives if they had stronger connections to a local congregation.
The book of Hebrews functions both as a word of comfort to God’s people regarding the sufficiency of Christ’s redeeming work (Heb. 1:1–4; 2:14–18; 4:14–16; 6:13–20; 7:22–28; 9:11–14, 22–28; 10:10–18; 12:1–2; 13:8–14) and a word of warning about the dangers of falling away from Christ (2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:12; 10:25–31; 12:25–29). As the message of Hebrews unfolds, the role of the church in the perseverance of individual believers is striking.
The Habit of Neglecting the Church
The author of Hebrews specifically warns those who have developed the habit of forsaking the gathering of the church (Heb. 10:25) that their isolation is unacceptable. The significant term “neglecting/forsaking” (ἐγκαταλείποντες) in Hebrews 10:25 is found ten times in the New Testament and nearly half of its occurrences appear in relation to Jesus’ cries from the cross (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34) or the statement that His soul was not left abandoned in the grave (Acts 2:27, 31). Paul also used the word four times in his writings, either positively that the Lord had not forsaken His people (Rom. 9:29; 2 Cor. 4:9) or negatively regarding his former associates who had deserted him (2 Tim. 4:10, 16). The other two references occur in Hebrews (10:25; 13:5).
Some members of the Hebrew audience had developed the dangerous habit of abandoning the regular meetings for worship. This development aligns with the trajectory of warning passages in Hebrews, seeing that they had displayed apathy towards God’s Word (Heb. 2:1–3; 3:7–13; 5:11–14).[2] Therefore, the abandonment of the worship gathering seems to be the logical regression of people who had succumbed to drifting (2:1–3).[3] Their abandonment of the regular gatherings put them in danger because it removed them from the foremost environment where they would have heard God’s Word read and preached (13:7, 17).
Provoking and Exhorting One Another
If the habit of forsaking the regular gatherings of the church reflected a deeper apathy toward God, continuing their absence would separate them from the godly provocation (10:24) and encouragement (10:25) of other members of the church that could assist in restoring their spiritual health. The word for “stir up or provoke” (παροξυσμον) can refer to a medical episode, such as an “attack of fever,” or it can denote the emotions felt “in argument” during a “sharp disagreement.”[4] Although this term usually carries a negative connotation, it can be used to describe someone who is provoking another to do good.[5]
In fact, the author may have chosen this word with a touch of irony in mind, suggesting that “as forcefully as some ‘provoke’ others to anger, God’s people should ‘provoke’ one another to love and good works.”[6] An audience that has displayed evidence of spiritual drift and dullness needed to be provoked out of their spiritual stupor and stirred up to love and good deeds. Thus, he was calling them to the uncomfortable work of provoking each other to love and good works for the good of the entire congregation.[7]
On two different occasions, the author of Hebrews instructed his audience to “exhort/encourage” one another (3:13; 10:25). The author’s instruction to exhort one another implies the use of Scripture. The entire book of Hebrews is described as “a word of exhortation” (13:22). Furthermore, the author referred to a direct statement from the Old Testament as an “exhortation” (12:5). When these references are combined with the context of the two crucial commands to “exhort one another” (3:13; 10:25), they present a strong case for viewing them as implying the use of God’s Word in the work of exhorting one another.
The imperative issued in Hebrews 3:13 to “exhort” (παρακαλειτε) was issued in the context of hearing God’s voice (3:7–11) and not developing an unbelieving heart (3:12). This imperative should be viewed as a command to use Scripture as a means of exhortation within one’s daily communication. In other words, the Hebrew audience was not being summoned to provide general words of encouragement to each other but rather to exhort one another in the truths of Scripture so that they might persevere in faithfulness.
The argument for this perspective is equally strong in Hebrews 10:25. The author issued two commands in this verse, one that is negative and the other that is positive. Negatively, he urged them not to abandon meeting together, as some had already become prone to do. Positively, he instructed them to encourage one another, and all the more as they saw the day of the Lord’s return drawing near. The opposite of forsaking each other and the public meeting is exhorting one another.[8]
The Church: A Remedy Against Apathy and Apostasy
The author’s urgent command for his audience to gather with one another faithfully for worship was not intended merely to maintain a tradition. His desire was for them to hear the encouragement of God’s Word from the leaders (13:7) and the members of the church (3:13; 10:25). Overall, these two commands function as remedies for the growing threat of apathy and apostasy for the Hebrew audience.
To persevere in the faith to the end, God’s people need to continue paying careful attention (2:1) to what God has spoken through His Son (1:1–2) and the means through which He communicates His Word through spiritual leaders (13:7, 17) and even from regular church members (3:13; 10:25). The ministry of exhortation from the members of the congregation is presented as a remedy against apathy and apostasy. This purpose is one of the reasons why Christians must not neglect to meet together because they need to encourage and strengthen one another (10:25). The pertinency of this issue persists for believers today. If apathy towards God’s Word is a leading catalyst for apostasy, then hearing God’s Word through the leaders and members of the church is essential for perseverance.
The Necessity of the Church
It is not uncommon to hear someone looking for an excuse to neglect church attendance: “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.” Although this statement is true, it is misguided and problematic on many fronts. Faithful believers have typically responded to such statements by adding, “Indeed, you don’t have to attend church to be a Christian, but genuine believers will desire to attend church to obey God’s command (Heb. 10:25), to hear God’s Word, and to fellowship with God’s people.” This response is good and accurate. However, based on the warning of Hebrews, we might add the following statement, “Indeed, you do not have to attend church to be a Christian; however, it is unlikely that you will remain a Christian if you neglect to gather regularly with the church.”
The church does not save us. Christ alone saves us. Nevertheless, the church plays a significant role in nurturing our faith and spurring us onward in perseverance. It is in the regular gatherings of the church that we hear what God has spoken to us through His Son (1:1–4). God has chosen to communicate His Word to us through pastors and spiritual leaders (13:7, 19) as well as regular church members (3:13; 10:25). If we neglect the church, we are cutting ourselves off from the foremost means of hearing God’s Word. Moreover, we will become vulnerable to drifting from the saving gospel (2:1–4) and developing evil, unbelieving hearts (3:12–13). By neglecting the church (10:25), we may very well find ourselves neglecting the very salvation that is found in Christ (2:3) and deliberately falling away from the living God (3:12; 6:4–6; 10:26; 12:25, 29).
[1] Kevin DeYoung, Greg Gilbert, Collin Hansen, and Justin Taylor, “On Caution and Keeping: Friends Reflect on Joshua Harris’s Deconversion,” The Gospel Coalition, accessed on February 24, 2026, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/reflections-josh-harris-deconversion/.
[2] William L. Lane, Hebrews 1–8, Word Biblical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1991), x.
[3] Gareth Lee Cockerill, The Epistle to The Hebrews, The New International Commentary On The New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2012), 298.
[4] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 764, 780.
[5] Douglas J. Moo, Hebrews, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2024), 382–83.
[6] Cockerill, Hebrews, 297.
[7] Dennis E. Johnson, Hebrews, ESV Expository Commentary: Hebrews-Revelation (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018), 220.
[8] David A. deSilva, Perseverance in Gratitude: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on the Epistle “to the Hebrews” (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000), 342.
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