I believe that if you honestly believe in Jesus Christ you do not have to attend church of your faith to enter the kingdom of heaven. What do you think?
2007-04-01 01:32:12 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The church is the body of Christ. (Eph 1:22-23) Can you love Christ and not love his body?
During worship services, a lesson is taught from God's word. We should recieve the word with eagerness and search the scriptures daily to see if it is true. (Acts 17:11)
Love "delights in the truth". (1 Cor. 13:6) If you love God and love the truth, won't you desire to attend every service?
The Bible says we should "Love the brotherhood". (1 Peter 2:17) If you love the brotherhood, won't you desire to be with them.
If you love your brothers in Christ, won't you desire to be with them? If you don't love the brotherhood, how can you say you love God? (1 John 4:20)
The Bible says that we are to encourage one another. How can we encourage each other when we don't meet together?
Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 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."
Part of our worship is singing to one another, teaching one another, and admonishing one another (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). How can you do these things without being together with other believers?
There are several things we are commanded to do that can't be done alone. If you love God, you must love the brotherhood. If you love Christ, you must love his body.
We should have the attitude that David had. He said, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." (Psalm 122:1)
2007-04-01 08:27:49 · answer #1 · answered by JoeBama 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you do not have to attend church. Church is simply a way to stay more easily on the path you may have chosen in that it brings you among fellow believers who travel the same spiritual road with you. It is called fellowship. Many people enjoy it, but it isn't necessary.
2007-04-01 08:37:23 · answer #2 · answered by Slimsmom 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No you don't have to. I agree with your belief. I also believe if a person doesn't not believe in God they will still go to heaven if they are a good person. I can't believe that God would be so cruel and arrogant to turn someone away because they did not believe in him but were a good person in life. Yet would take the person who believed but was not such a nice person in life. Being a good person is much more important then believing in God/Jesus Christ. I've met many so called believers that were not nice people at all.
2007-04-01 08:44:32 · answer #3 · answered by Pandora 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes I attend every Sunday. Coming together with other Christians for prayer and the sacrament of Holy Communion nurtures faith and commitment to the love of Christ.
2007-04-01 08:39:37 · answer #4 · answered by Mr Wisdom 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
For salvation you do not have to attend church ,however the question should really read- because of Christ and His salvation, isn't it exciting to go to church to worship our great God together with our brothers and sisters, and to grow in our faith?
2007-04-01 10:06:57 · answer #5 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you. I attend chuch because I like the church community. I want my kids to have a base for their faith as well. I do not attend regularly, lately maybe once a month.
2007-04-01 08:37:50 · answer #6 · answered by woohoo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I sometimes miss church, but I consider it a sin if I miss church because it would inconvenient to attend.
My understanding is that the church is the organization through which God has decided to do most of His mercy and evangelism.
All churches are more or less flawed, but the Bible doesn't support the idea of a "lone ranger" Christian.
2007-04-01 08:39:14 · answer #7 · answered by lda 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think faith is not a debatable issue. I think the saddest part of this section of Yahoo is that the most profound writers win debates while they browbeat people who find comfort and joy in their religious beliefs. It is easy to sneer at particular aspects off any faith however, many generations have found comfort in faith and one who would destroy that needs to examine their motives carefully. The argument about wars being fought in the name of particular religions does not hold water. If history is truly examined those parties would have fought anyway. The really sad thing is that it takes no thought at all to grab a side of the argument and start slinging words and arrows it takes real courage to say.... I am not going to play your game.
2007-04-01 08:43:11 · answer #8 · answered by QueenBean 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
going to church is not a requirement for entry to heaven. i.e. if we miss a sunday, that doesn't mean we won't be let into heaven
however, we are strongly encouraged to go to church every sunday, as the bible tells us to have fellowship with other believers.
2007-04-01 08:37:51 · answer #9 · answered by Renee N 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I dont think that you have to go to church every time there is church. However I think that you should go to chuch often because we need to fellowship with other christians, be fed the word of God, to learn, and to worship. If you choose not to attend I think that you should set time aside to study the word of God and spend time with him.
2007-04-01 08:43:34 · answer #10 · answered by ReeRee29 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋