Will I go to hell if I don't attend church?

Question

I stopped going to church about 5 years ago. I was turned off by all the hypocrisy. Most of the 'loyal' church-goers had questionable character, to say the least. Some adulterers, some drug-addicts, some alcoholics....the pastor was married to his kids former nanny, for crying out loud!

So now when I'm invited to church, I politely decline, pray at home and remember Mathew 6:5

Any similar experiences, and what are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I home church right now. Not because of any hypocrisy....you will always have that. One thing you have to learn is that your worship is unto God, not unto people. When you finally get that understanding you can worship God sitting beside a gorilla, it wouldn't matter.

Don't let people stop you from fellow-shipping.
I'm house churching now because of the size of my family but others are welcome to come if they wish.

Answer 2

Even if you have stopped going to church, you will still need the support of other Christians around you. Pray about this problem. Just remember that even Christians aren't perfect - perhaps the drug-addicts, alcoholics etc knew what they needed in Jesus, but also needed the support to help them break their habits. It takes time to kick a habit.

I realise also that there are a lot of pretenders out there also - church attendance tends to be used as a social outing for lots of people and that makes it hard for new Christians when they see the hypocrisy.

Good on you for being faithful at home. Pray, pray and pray. Hang in there. Perhaps if you try a few different churches, you might feel comfortable in one. Talk to a trusted Christian friend. It is hard to make the first step sometimes, but if you ask someone to come along with you, it makes it heaps easier to walk into something new and to meet other people also.

God bless and keep praying!

Answer 3

Hope this helps you.

Romans 3: 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Attending church is an "act" or a "work".

Ephesians 2: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

You did not gain God's favor for salvation by going to church and you can't lose it by not attending.

However, connections to other believers is a crucial part of your spiritual growth. So, that is why the local assembly is such an important part of the christian experience.

Hebrews 10: 25 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.

Answer 4

Church is not a place. Church is the people. If you don't care for the people you worship with then change who you worship with. I went to Oshkosh this summer to lifest and I had such a spiritual experience. There were people of many denominations there all Christian. The unity there was fantastic. Laugh if you want but I was moved by the Holy Spirit to comfort a man that I didn't even know before he sat down next to me at one of the concerts. He needed to know that He was loved by Christ and that what ever He had been going through God would take away his trouble. I never did find out what was troubling him but he actually was crying. There are things in church that will help you. Do not give up on one bad experience. There is a church for you and God is waiting.

Answer 5

The 3rd Commandment is "Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy". In other words, God commands that we go to Church.

If you joined a gym and saw a bunch of fat people there would you quit the gym? No...they need the exercise.

Every Church will have sinners. There will also be hypocrites. Find a different Church.

Going to Church won't save you, but not going may soon damn you.

Answer 6

First, you can't "go to church". The people who belong to Christ are His church. It's the people, not a building or an organization that is His bride.

What better place is there for all of us to be than in the fellowship of believers? Who among us is not a sinner?

Yes, in my congregation, the preachers wife ran off with another person who he thought was a friend, there are drug addicts, alcoholics, liars, fornicators, thieves, and etc. who are there because we are forgiven and need Jesus and need each other to help us do what Jesus has said for us to do.

We love each other and we are forgiven by Jesus. He wants me and you to be with these people.

Answer 7

I have been where you are many times and hyprocrisy makes me sick, as it does God. IT gives Christianity a bad name, and all will answer for it.
To answer your question, NO you will not go to hell for not going to church. absolutely NOT. as church is whats in your heart, its your relationship with God and do you love Him enough to obey Him and live like Jesus?? be you in church or not.
BUt saying that, which is true, God also says to not stop fellowing with each other. and then HE always says there is a time when churches will be full of so must last day deception that He wil call us out. FOr each person, that is between them and God. But HE does say not to give up fellowing with each other. So how do we do that/ I believe if we can find a church speaking truth , we go, and we are part of the solution and not the problem, by being involved and seeing to it church is run the correct way as much as possible. But if you live too far from a church, or cant find one that is speaking full truth, then we must leave and start our own church, being sure we dont run it as OUR church, but Gods church, continuing to teach full Bible truths, not just what we are comfy with. OR you are back to the same thing as you had in church, some truths and some errors. Thats not Gods plan. IT isnt what you think, or me, or our pastor, its only what God says and thinks. HE doesnt have two meanings to something, let alone three or four, its up to us to stay in study to show ourselves approved, and in unceasing prayer with a hunger for more truth deeper truth, that will keep us living holy , pure lives, fully obedient to the Lord. God commands that we be like Jesus. HE doesnt merely suggest it. and HE says it can be done, and it can be or He wasnt tell us to do so. WE do it by the indwelling of the Holy SPirit, being born again, by the power of the shed blood shed upon the Cross, when Jesus was crucified. We are to live Jesus, preach Jesus , and obey Him in all things.
CHurch wont save you Many that go wont be saved, but many will Many not in church wont be saved, but many will. ITs not the building man, its your heart and your relatinship with JEsus Christ. Fully His in obedience?? then you are His, Not in full obedience, ?? Then you arent His at all.
all wonderful precious gift of CHOICE>

Answer 8

I know what you mean, but we will never find a perfect church and if we do and join, it will not be perfect anymore cause we are not perfect. God is clear when he says do not look to the left or to the right, because he knows all the distractions out there. I am in church for God, not for any of the members.
To answer your question, no you will not go to hell for not going to church. Church is meant to be our encouragement our rock and tower. God does ask for us to continue to gather in the temple. If you are not saved and have not asked jesus to be your Lord and Savior then you will be heading to hell.

Answer 9

What if -- just what if -- God's role for you at the present would be for you to be a positive witness to them? A cheerful, unbiased greeting of "Good Morning" goes much farther than determining of who is "worthy", so to speak, of your presence there. Could you be called by Christ to share in his ministry of love and compassion? After all, didn't Jesus tell us that it is the sick who need the Physician? If you are not sick, you have no need of God and he certainly has no need of you! In Catholicism and in many other communities of faith, the people of God are made up of saints and sinners -- while some prefer to want a group of just saints. But again, Jesus insists that the weeds be allowed to grow with the wheat until the harest when the angels will determine which is which. You may not be a "weed" in your actions, but be careful you do not become one in your thoughts!

Return to church and get involved with "them"...drug addicts in church? How wonderful....they could be out robbing someone for their next fix. Praise God that they can make it to church! Jesus also told his followers that "sinners and prostitutes are getting into heaven faster than you -- because they see their need for God". You do not have the foggiest idea as to what God is already working in their hearts. The seed does much of its growth in the darkness of the soil.

Peace!

Answer 10

When I was a small girl, I used to think that not going to church or attendance of mass will make one go to hell. Not exatly, what you think, we really need to spend time with the Lord.If we attend mass what we see around that is not worth seeing , they're just a test on how strong our faith is. We can't change people for what they did or feel that would offend other people with their looks or their ways. We just have to accept the fact that in this world nobody is really perfect and we need to accept that and ignore that deffects if it has offended others.
No, it won't really send someone to hell , by not attending mass . It is what we did with out life that would send us to a place of torment for each one has to learn a lesson but it would help if we spend just a few minutes inside the church and pray . it is presumed that he is there in that altar, if we love him that much why can't we spend a few minutes or hours inside , to show to him our love.? There are things in our life that we really need to make sacrifices for our faith. It's our deeds, the things that we did with our life that counts most , but for me it is also important that we spend time in the church to pray and participate in activities that would benefit the poor , the youth etc. We have to do something for others also not just ourselves. that is the meaning of life, servitude.
Don't be discourage with other peoples hypocrisy etc., It may take a long, long time but they will find out later they are wrong and if every they will change that remains to be seen. There is a need to go out , to extend our arms for others and that we should not take for granted. Changing of religions would only mean something else.......