Christians…how do you feel about?

Question

A Christian who accepts the Lord as their savior, who studies their Bible daily, but doesn’t have a religious affiliation? How important is it to have a religious affiliation?

{{{{Free Thinking American}}}}




Sand man…what does that have to do with Christian faith?

{{{{Dr. G}}}}}
I agree with you it is important to have a good Pastor. I’m glad you have found one. If only all churches were as good as yours.
Your light shines bright sister!


{{{{{I like friends everywhere}}}}} – I would love to participate in a Bible believing church …I live in a rural area…I’ve found Bible believing churches to be hard to find…I tried a new church a couple of weeks ago, next city over…I couldn’t tell when they went from preaching to prayer…many people didn’t even have a Bible…no active Bible searches.

I hope people can understand it’s not their religion that gets them to the kingdom, but their relationship with the Lord.

Answer 1

I think: God bless you. If you seek God with a sincere and open heart, He will take you to the truth, with our without a denominational affiliation behind you.

Answer 2

We've attended and studied many different denomination’s doctrines in a search to find the answer to your question. (we were church gypsies! ;-) LOL!) This journey started because a "church leader" made the comment that the church we attended was the "correct" one. At the time we couldn't refute his statement, so we decided to research. ;-)

The quick answer to your question is that faith and love for Jesus alone, He who died for our sins and rose again is what saves us. If we have that faith--truly have it, it will bring forth good works--regardless of church affiliation.

Here's the longer answer to your question: ;-) The thing that is clear to me is that most Christian denominations simply fight about the meaning of words (1 Timothy 6:4). Thus, as long as you attend a church that teaches the Word of God in its truth as the Holy Spirit explains to you (and only the Word of God as found in the Bible) religious affiliation is unimportant.

If we go back to the days of the pioneers and consider... Many didn't have a church to attend. If they did, there was only ONE church in an entire city. If they didn’t, the itinerant preacher who passed through (sometimes only once a year at most) was the one who performed marriages, baptisms and burials. Did he have "religious affiliations"? I doubt it. Even if he did, people didn't care. He was a man called by the Lord. He simply did what the Lord told him to—as we all should.

Religious affiliations have taken on a life of their own only in the last 300 or so years. The major religions were divided only into Jewish, Protestant and Catholic etc. religious affiliations. Now, the churches have started fighting about words and differences of viewing those words, many affiliations have risen. Only the Lord knows who is correct.

Even though religious affiliation is not important, it is important to attend church so that you have a Pastor to keep you in his prayers, who will be there to support you and/or give counsel when necessary. True Pastors who have a heart for the Lord are a wonderful blessing to a true believer. Especially when they lead in such a way that others want to follow. When this takes place believers are “yoked” (2 Corinthians 6:14) with other believers making all of us stronger.

The Bible also tells us that Jesus had a custom of attending the synagogue (Luke 4:16). Hebrews 10:25 says we are not to forsake the meeting of the saints. So even if we believe that church affiliation is unimportant, we should still do what the Bible says, and if possible, attend a Bible believing church or "house church" somewhere.
.

Answer 3

When you say "religious affiliation," do you mean a church or a body of believers as the Bible terms it? If you don't mean that, then I'm not quite sure...

But let me answer it as though you implied a church or group of believers... Please keep in mind that when I say "church," I don't mean some building labeled as a church. I'm referring to the people that make up that church, the body of believers.

That's great when a person accepts the Lord as their Savior and studies the Bible on a day-to-day basis. However, if that person is going to grow in his relationship with the Lord, then he needs to be fed. The following reasons are why it IS GOOD for a person to be part of a church/body of believers:

1.) When he first gives his life to the Lord, he may feel as though he's on Cloud 9. However, Satan is also aware of this and immediately goes on the offensive to take the "noob" out. Now, if that new Christian "affiliates" or becomes a part of a group of believers, it will take more on Satan's part to take him out.

2.) With a group of people who also love the Lord, there's safety and strength present. That person, who's new in the Lord, may be really fired for the Lord, but that fire won't last, not with Satan's attacks. In a church, there will also be people who will look out for each other and hold each other accountable to what God says.

3.) He will be fed from the Bible through the head shepard. For sure, Jesus is our top Shepherd, but in this case, I'm referring to the one the Lord places as head of a particular chruch/body. The shepherd (the pastor) also watches out for the sheep and protects them.

So speaking from this perspective, it is VERY VERY important to be part of a group of people who also love and serve the Lord, people of "like, precious faith"!

Answer 4

Dear Faith,
I think it is very important to belong to a good Bible believing church.
!. We are told in the Bible not to forsake the assembling of believers.
2. It is important to fellowship with other believers.
3. We all get into difficult times and it is important to have friends who will help out.
4. It has been said that 1 coal does not make a fire but many do.

Answer 5

It's really all about the Brother/Sisterhood of being a Christian. I don't have a denominational affiliation, I study just as hard as any pastor would. I do however take relevance to being Apostolic/Pentacostal because they most closely relate to what I believe in and I can't find one thing they do that isn't Biblical.

The Bible says to forsake not the assembly of ourselves together, and even more so when you see the day approaching. The "day" referred to here is the end times. The end times are obviously close, so as you may not have a religious affiliation, don't give up assembling with like minded people, as long as you are in truth.

Answer 6

Not everyone is a Christian. You must remember, and respect that there are other religions in the world besides "Christians". I am Roman Catholic and we are not Christians. We are baptized at birth and a lot more.
Not everyone feels comfortable going into a Church. Not everyone has to belong to a particular organization or affiliation to believe. God asks that we lift our hands up to the him. You can do anywhere. He asks that we believe, you can do that anywhere too. He asks that we give him praise and thanks, you can do that anywhere too.
Trying to tell someone that just because they don't belong to a church or other religious affiliation that they have not accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as their Savior is wrong.
God accepts us for who we are and how we carry ourselves. God doesn't judge, either should you.
I am quite religious, but I do respect all other religions and beliefs because they are other people's way to the Lord.

Answer 7

The Bible is God's Word, but religion is man made. A Christian who reads the Bible will know how important it is to (1) fellowship with other believers...
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."

...and (2) be discerning when it comes to choosing the leadership and teachers.
Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."

Unfortunately, religious doctrines differ and this has served to confuse the general public. Unless we have read and understood the Bible, how can we know who's preaching is biblically based? Reading the Bible for ourselves is more important than ever, but being a Christian also means to be involved and to serve.

Find a church home whose doctrines are in line with that of the Bible, and join it. That in itself is biblical. It's not about attending church just to show up. It's about being dedicated, hearing and growing in God's Word on a regular basis and maturing as a Christian. You can't do that by church-hopping (as some of these previous answers imply). The world will always take the path of least resistance, as in whatever requires the least effort is okay. It's not. God's ways are not our ways.

We have to be willing to change, and allow God to mold and shape us. It's not always pleasant or pain-free, but it's always worth it.

Answer 8

Hello dear Sis ~ I believe it is important to have a Pastor in a believer's life, for he is the one submitted to Christ hence having borne fruits of the Spirit that can lead a flock:

"This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." -- 1 Timothy 3:1-7

And what are the main roles of a Pastor or Shepherd? To lead a congregation towards Christ, to feed/nourish with the Word of God, to protect a congregation from worldly fleshly influences with holy standards, and to seek/reach out to the lost souls in the surrounding community. The Pastor/Shepherd has been annointed and appointed by the Lord to lead a bible-based Church. The denomination does not mean much in the eyes of the Lord ~ What matters is if the Shepherd is leading the flock to Christ, on the narrow path of repentance & sanctification, not the broad path of the world that accomodates carnality.

God Bless You always!

Answer 9

Some very interesting independant wrong minded answers.

Shall we let the scripture answer this question?

Hebrews 10:9-13 Therefore, brothers, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have "a great priest over the house of God," let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.

We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.

So really folks though I would agree with you that there are very few religious institutions that are worth a grain of salt to me, to not meet with your brothers and sisters weekly is against a clear admonish to do so in the scripture.

Answer 10

Well do you understand what you are reading. Are you absolutely positive that what you believe about Christ teachings and his desires for you are the same as what the Apostles taught the early Christians.

I am Catholic and the Church provides well documented practices, heresies and beliefs of the early church.

One last thing the Bible says to obey your Bishops. That alone should tell you that you should belong to a Church.

Answer 11

I think if there is a group that matches your faith and where you feel God is leading you, then you have an obligation to join them.

The Bible says "Do not forsake the fellowship of the brotherhood" and also says that we are to exhort our fellow believers. You can't do those things if you sit at home reading the Bible and never join a church.

Having said that, there are non-denominational churches.

And no, I'm not confusing the two. If you have no affliation, then you aren't in church, or you don't go to the same one all the time - which you should.