Why do SOME people think that you have to attend church regularly for God to know you love him?

Question

My mother passed away Wednesday. We buried her on Saturday and a great aunt who I have never in my life met before had the nerve to walk up to me after the funeral and inform me that my mother was not saved because she didn't attend church every Sunday and that I wouldn't be saved either if I didn't start going. I told her that she could believe what she wanted, but her timing was horrible and my mother was in Heaven and I have no doubt about it.
I don't know about you guys, but MY God knows me and hears my prayers and receives my praise regardless of where I'm at. He knows what's in my heart and that I do my best to be a good person and he knew this about my mother as well. I don't see any reason to get foxed up and make a weekly appearance for the town gossip. God knows how I feel.

Answer 1

Sorry about the stupid people in your life.

Don't worry in the least about the nonsense that they preach. These people don't have a clue.

Your mom is fine and you're right God is not as dumb as these people imagine Him/Her to be.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 2

First off, let me say I am sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. I am sure that if she was a good woman and never hurt anyone intentionally, she will be accepted into heaven. No need to worry about that.

Secondly, let me assure you that any minister, priest, that says otherwise, are wrong. As a Catholic, we are taught that God sees in our hearts, and knows if we belong to him or not. You do not have to go to church to show your faith, however, it is seen as a small tribute to Him if you go to attend mass, confess, etc.... It shows you are willing to give up free time, wake up early, etc... for Him. If you are a true believer, then you will not mind.
Many say they are Christians, or love God, yet they only do what is best for them and/or what is more convenient or easy. This does not work and saying that God knows what is in your heart is nothing more than a cop-out and a self justification. Now...I am not saying this applies to you. Maybe it does, maybe it does not, but sometimes we are misguided by laziness and comfort. This can be very dangerous in life and religion.
Good luck and rest assured that your mom is indeed in a better place.

God bless.

Answer 3

The purpose of a church is to inspire you to greater devotion to God, to better behavior as an emissary of Christ, and to provide a support network when things just don't go right.

If you were in the right church you would find people who love you and would do anything to help you and encourage you when you are challenged by events in life. There is nothing more valuable than to have a network of people who care so much about you that you are proud to have them around you.

Then when you get older and your life is going well, you may find that you can do for others what some have done for you. There is no greater joy than to be able to lend a helping hand to another person in need.

If your church seems to be a church of busybodies that gossip all the time, then you need to find a church where you can feel the spirit of God in the people of the church and in the messages that you receive from the pulpit.

May God bless you in your journey.

grace2u

Answer 4

I'm so sorry for your lost! I'm encouraged that you can still keep your faith in God through such a tough time. My hopes and prayers are with you.

I do want to say that church is no requirement for Heaven. There is only requirement - that you accept Jesus as LORD over your life, meaning that your entire life is given over to Christ. Everything you do should be for the glory of God and your life should be spent in worship of Him. We do this through obedience of God's Word.

Of course, we'll fall from time to time...perhaps a whole lot! But still, we should keep persevering.

As for church, its very biblical to attend. Its not anything that will save you or curse you, but since we've already established that obedience to Christ happens through following scripture, and since we can see the early Christians in community with one another, church becomes a matter of obedience.

That doesn't mean you should attend a church full of gossip. Neither does it mean that you should put up a front. I think that the best churches are those that speak God's truth, worship God through loving Him and others and which are full of people able to admit their faults and sins. A "church" is a community of believers, not a building, and there are many forms of it. I hope you will find one that fits you!

In the meantime, I hope that you'll continue to pray and follow Him and that you're in the Word. God bless!

Answer 5

My condolences on the death of your mother. I hope you're not going through this alone!

You aunt's boorish behavior, which managed to combine vulgarity with insensitivity, is typical of those individuals who have, through their self-righteousness, elevated themselves to demigods, able to pass judgment onto others. They're precisely the reason I've come to reject organized Christian religion in the USA. It is hypocritical, political and a hidden industry flush with money from the guilt ridden.

Quite revolting. I'm sure God knows that going to church every Sunday in your latest outfit, with your hair all done up, sitting in the pew like some fat Buddha judging every body's clothes and relative wealth and position in the community, not to mention their "holiness" is the very archetype of the hypocrite.

I remember going to church under duress as a child, and around the time I was a "tween," noticing all the people who didn't speak to each other, snubbed each other when they did speak, or literally went out-of-their way to avoid them, and looked down on those with older cars and maybe slightly used clothing. I've always been happier praying in a field, or by a lake, or in the mountains.

Answer 6

Your great aunt is anything but a "great" aunt. I guess there was good reason that you never met her. Church membership and attendance is not necessary for any ones salvation. The Bible does say" forsake not assembling together" but it never says that you must assemble to receive salvation. I have a radio show each Sunday morning that runs from6:00 am to 12:00. Due to these hours I cannot go to church on Sunday Morning. I really do miss the fellowship of other Christians in a church atmosphere, but my not being there is not going to keep me from eternity with my Lord.

Answer 7

That was very poor timing on the part of your aunt, poor timing and poor taste. Frankly, in the final analysis Christ shall judge us all as God's judge. The judgment will be righteous and merciful. Even some who never knew God and thus are classified as unrighteous shall receive a resurrection.
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But your question was about attending church; so the above is a side track.

Christians are given this command:
Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold firm the affirmation of the hope unwavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us examine each other for provocation of love and good works. 25Not forsaking the assembling together of ourselves, as is the habit of some, but exhorting, and so much the more as long as ye see the day approaching. (ACV)
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It is then clear that part of a Christian's responsibility is to preach (affirmation of hope) and part is to assemble to incite to good works!

This next thing is not in the Bible, but words from my wise father. He said, "doing nothing will get you nothing."

Still if your mother was a believer and prayed regularly to God there is no reason to give up hope.
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About going to heaven, most Christians will receive an earthly resurrection into Paradise after Christ's second coming.

See the links and subjects below:
Soul[Immortal & Animal, What?] Man’s Spirit
Condition of the Dead:[ One & Two, Special Scriptures ]
Sheol and Judgment
God’s Kingdom
Links: Main Page: http://bythebible.page.tl/
http://bythebible.page.tl/Christian-Good-Works.htm
http://bythebible.page.tl/1-.--Dead__the-condition-of--.---.---.--.htm
http://bythebible.page.tl/God-h-s-Kingdom.htm

Answer 8

I am so sorry honey.Your Aunt was wrong in her timing and her assumption.She was not your mothers judge and is not yours.As long as you have accepted Jesus as your savior you have been forgiven.There is no need for a church.That is nothing but walls in which worshipers go.The true church is its people.You know what is in your heart.And attending church every Sunday does not have anything to do with it.You can say a pray for your Aunt to see the true light of God .

God bless you

Answer 9

First I extend to you my deepest sympathy for your loss.....

In Islam, we are taught that we can love and worship God anywhere on the earth. We have been told by the Prophet Muhammad that the whole earth is a mosque (place of worship)

"Ibrahim b. Yazid al-Tayml reported: I used to read the Qur'an with my father in the vestibule (before the door of the mosque). When I recited the ayat (verses) concerning prostration, he prostrated himself. I said to him: Father, do you prostrate yourself in the path? He said: I heard Abu Dharr saying: I asked the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) about the mosque that was first set up on the earth. He said: Masjid Harim. I said: Then which next? He said: The Masjid al-Aqsa. I said: How long is the space of time between the two? He said: Forty years. He (then) further said: The earth is a mosque for you, so wherever you are at the time of prayer, pray there." (Sahih Muslim, Book #004, Hadith #1057)

Answer 10

She was wrong in doing that and my goodness her timing was horrible as well. You don't HAVE to attend church regularly for God to know you love Him. However the word does say "forsake not the assemblying of yourselves together even the more so as the day of the coming of the son of man approacheth." Going to church is to uplift you and give you food for your spirit man. It's also for the other church members to help you pray and you to help them. You are right God does know what's in your heart. And He knows you do your best. Unfortunately just being a good person doesn't get you in to Heaven. You have to ask the Lord to come into your heart and live and forgive you of your sins. If you've done that then you are saved. But going to church is for your edification and the edification of the church. It's good to fellowship with other believers. I pray God blesses you richly and comforts your heart and spirit in your loss. I'm here if you need to talk to someone.

Answer 11

Don't pay any attention to that heartless aunt of yours. She is the one that is already in hell for being so inhuman. You're right, you dont need any human religious organization to be saved, neither you Mom (rip). The one true religion is a personal relationship between the person and God. No human being, no matter the "religious title" the person has, is capable of saving anyone, only God can.