Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?

Open Heart

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?



I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and one of the new things that I learned while reading is about Christian Mysticism.

Sometime in the late medieval period, a group of non church-going Christians came to be known as Christian Mystics. Christian Mystics are Christians who avoid the church and worship God by silent contemplation and private communion...

This got me thinking, maybe we don't need the church after all. Maybe all we need is a personal relationship with God and it will be enough.

What do you think?

Thank you.
Hello!

You have some misconceptions. Christian mystics are part of the Church, even if they are hermits (which is very, very rare). A hermit removes himself from ALL people, not just a local church. The overwhelming number of Christian Mystics attend(ed) church faithfully. If you are meeting Christian mystics who just want to play hooky from church -- well, even mystics can be mistaken, and even mystics can sin.

You might begin by studying the best known of the Christian mystics: St Francis Assisi, St John of the Cross, and St Teresa of Avila.

You can also PM me if you want to talk privately, as I myself am a Christian Mystic. I don't talk about these things in the regular forums.
 
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Open Heart

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?
When you are baptized into new life in Christ, you automatically become part of the Church. So it isn't just "me and Jesus," ever. You not only have a relationship with Jesus,but you also have a relationship with his Bride. For this reason, Scripture commands us:
"Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as some do." Hebrews 10:25

That's a COMMAND. Will you lose your salvation if you refuse to obey God? Obedience is how we show our love. So if we refuse to obey, we are not loving God. So what do YOU think?
 
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Graham Dull

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You not only have a relationship with Jesus, but you also have a relationship with his Bride. For this reason, Scripture commands us:
"Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as some do." Hebrews 10:25
Further verses supporting the unity, and ongoing fellowship of believers are these:

Ephesians 4
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

1 Thessalonians 5
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Hebrews 3
13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
 
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Emmy

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Dear Bee Brian. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is " Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: love thy neighbour as thy selves." In verse 40 we are told: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law." God is Love, and God wants loving men and women. In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: Ask and you shall receive. We keep asking for Love and Joy, then thank God and share all love and joy with our neighbour.
(neighbour is all we know and all we meet.)
The Bible tells us: Give up our selfish wishes and wants, and love each other. Do these ,Bee Brian, and you shall be saved. I say this with love Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. P.S. Jesus died that we might live, let us follow Jesus back to God, our Heavenly Father.
 
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Arthur B Via

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?



I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and one of the new things that I learned while reading is about Christian Mysticism.

Sometime in the late medieval period, a group of non church-going Christians came to be known as Christian Mystics. Christian Mystics are Christians who avoid the church and worship God by silent contemplation and private communion...

This got me thinking, maybe we don't need the church after all. Maybe all we need is a personal relationship with God and it will be enough.

What do you think?

Thank you.
Stay in the word of God brother. It's alive and will provide all you need by living in your heart, mind, and soul. Going to Church does not make one a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes one a car. Find 24/7 fellowship with Jesus first and you will never be lonely, and if you seek other Christians for fellowship ask God in Prayer and He'll provide. Make God's word your Church! Many blessings.
 
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Ray Blick

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Church attendance is practical, but NOT required for salvation...

The thief never went to church...

They guy who accepts Christ right before he dies never went to church...
You are right about the first bit , but about the thief? C'mon,
Why even bring him into it, he knew where he was going before asking our Lord to remember him and he knew he was saved when the Lord told him so. Many procrastinators look at the thief on the cross and delay repentance and are taken into a Godless eternity. How can one know the hour of his death? The story of the thief can console a repentant heart at the hour of their death on their deathbed but what about those who procrastinate and their lives taken suddenly?

The question was basically, "do you need to attend a church to be saved and your are right when you answer a simple "no".
 
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Aseyesee

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?



I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and one of the new things that I learned while reading is about Christian Mysticism.

Sometime in the late medieval period, a group of non church-going Christians came to be known as Christian Mystics. Christian Mystics are Christians who avoid the church and worship God by silent contemplation and private communion...

This got me thinking, maybe we don't need the church after all. Maybe all we need is a personal relationship with God and it will be enough.

What do you think?

Thank you.
 
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Ray Blick

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?



I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and one of the new things that I learned while reading is about Christian Mysticism.

Sometime in the late medieval period, a group of non church-going Christians came to be known as Christian Mystics. Christian Mystics are Christians who avoid the church and worship God by silent contemplation and private communion...

This got me thinking, maybe we don't need the church after all. Maybe all we need is a personal relationship with God and it will be enough.

What do you think?

Thank you.
As a born again believer and follower of Jesus makes you automatically a part of the church (ecclesia). You are a living stone belonging to a heavenly building ( the church) .
As a born again believer and followers of Jesus you are of a royal priesthood, a perculiar people.
A citizen of heaven, a co heir with Christ having access to the throne room of our Father God.

I struggled with going to church myself for three and a half years and didn't go. Was I still saved? Of course! Settling into a new town and finding a church where I felt I could trust took time.

The first church was a Sunday bilble study with a few songs and I offended the pastor, couldn't help it, he tried to tell me that God doesn't need us of which I knew where he was coming from. I flatly replied " yeah, well who then is going to fill the great commission?"

He told me that my reply was 'unloving' so I told him that Father God desires intimacy with us and He is loving.

Found out that church resists Holy Ghost.

Found another church though and now am happy because I have found an area in the body of Christ where I'm used voluntary helping a potential worship team member.

It's not about being an independent mystic. Keep away from that stuff or the enemy will take you out. Find a place where you can be used to help someone. Man, it might even be pouring cups of tea but unless you have been born again for a reasonable time and are seasoned in the word of God keep accountable to someone.

We are all born with a destiny and a purpose and "as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend". Prov.27:17

Don't walk the journey alone, have a look around at a few churches, take your time, the Lord will bring brothers and sisters around you that you will trust.
 
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Aseyesee

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Interesting question!
I had a friend who interpreted the first in Jerusalem scripture as being first in your own life, which I think would apply to the word church. After all church is just a word firstly.
 
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Carl Leep

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As a believing follower of Jesus you already belong to him & his church, even tho you choose to distance yourself from a gathering body. Even so called groups that isolate can be a gathering body, though without formal organize.
 
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Rick Otto

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?



I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and one of the new things that I learned while reading is about Christian Mysticism.

Sometime in the late medieval period, a group of non church-going Christians came to be known as Christian Mystics. Christian Mystics are Christians who avoid the church and worship God by silent contemplation and private communion...

This got me thinking, maybe we don't need the church after all. Maybe all we need is a personal relationship with God and it will be enough.

What do you think?

Thank you.
I think being saved is being in "the church".
These earthly organizations will let anybody in and anybody lead.
I see it in every flavor of "organized" Christianity... in fact, it is better called "Churchianity".
 
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Albion

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And yet a great large portion follow man made creeds and doctrines not found in scripture like OS, infant baptism, OSAS, One Cuppers, the list goes on.
They have a different list of doctrines not found in scripture like adult-only baptism, works righteousness, grape juicers, the list goes on. ;)
 
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Buggins

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?



I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and one of the new things that I learned while reading is about Christian Mysticism.

Sometime in the late medieval period, a group of non church-going Christians came to be known as Christian Mystics. Christian Mystics are Christians who avoid the church and worship God by silent contemplation and private communion...

This got me thinking, maybe we don't need the church after all. Maybe all we need is a personal relationship with God and it will be enough.

What do you think?

Thank you.
If you have come to faith, to accept your guilt and rebellion before a holy God, and that God the Son willingly yielded up his life that you might receive salvation; you have become a part of the mystical Body of Christ or Bride of Christ. The Holy Spirit dwelling within you will prompt you to seek out other Christians because you will need them and they will need you.
You will probably be disappointed when you realise that they are as flawed as you are, and you might find as many Christians you don't like as those you do.
(And they will be feeling exactly the same way about you!)
Being a part of a church may be tough, leadership will sometimes be poor or overbearing, or timid even; but Church is where you learn to love, where you learn about your own failings and eventually graduate to become as much a giver as a receiver..
The Lord loves you. You just gotta realise church people ain't perfect, and neither are you.
God bless and get stuck in.
 
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Darren Court

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This is like many questions.... has many answers.

It basic terms there are just two truthful answers.

1) Technically - No we don't need to be part of a church to be a Christian.

2) Spiritually - Yes and no we don't need to be part of a church.

No because if we truly have a good strong connection to God and have the spiritual discernmment to know what is from Him and what isn't.

Yes because... i) There has not been a single human being (except Christ) that has not been subject to error, deception (of Satan) and all manner of human devices (sin). ii) Only by being in fellowship with other Christians can we both challenge and be challenged in our understanding of the scriptures

Fellowshiping with Christians is about sharing spiritual insight we gain and learning from spiritual insight gained from others. Anyone who does not fellowship regularly with other Christians is say either or both, I have nothing to share and/or want to receive nothing from others.

Since the bible makes it clear that we should cease in our fellowship with other Christians, that we should work with other Christians, etc. it's difficult to see how you can fulfill this without going to a church of somekind... but technically you don't have to!
 
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Shea Rodriguez

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Is it necessary to be a part of a Christian Church to be saved?

The modern Christian church is nothing like the format established by Paul and the early church fathers. Today 501(c)(3) incorporated churches (giving their allegiance to the government and not Christ) are opposed to the format of the early congregations of ecclesia. Today church is centered around entertainment (bands, stage performances, etc.). The earliest churches were centered around common meals and keeping the brethren close together. Today's churches are mortgaged, which flies in the face of the Almighty. Early churches met in homes.

I don't like the word "mystic," and I'm not familiar with what the teachings of the mystics are; however, we plainly have Paul's instructions as well as those of the apostolic church fathers as to how to form congregations, heal from disease, eat, treat others, treat our fellow mankind, and how families are to be arranged. Modern Christianity is marbled with paganism and heresy.


I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and one of the new things that I learned while reading is about Christian Mysticism.

Sometime in the late medieval period, a group of non church-going Christians came to be known as Christian Mystics. Christian Mystics are Christians who avoid the church and worship God by silent contemplation and private communion...

This got me thinking, maybe we don't need the church after all. Maybe all we need is a personal relationship with God and it will be enough.

What do you think?

Thank you.
T
 
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Shea Rodriguez

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If you have come to faith, to accept your guilt and rebellion before a holy God, and that God the Son willingly yielded up his life that you might receive salvation; you have become a part of the mystical Body of Christ or Bride of Christ. The Holy Spirit dwelling within you will prompt you to seek out other Christians because you will need them and they will need you.
You will probably be disappointed when you realise that they are as flawed as you are, and you might find as many Christians you don't like as those you do.
(And they will be feeling exactly the same way about you!)
Being a part of a church may be tough, leadership will sometimes be poor or overbearing, or timid even; but Church is where you learn to love, where you learn about your own failings and eventually graduate to become as much a giver as a receiver..
The Lord loves you. You just gotta realise church people ain't perfect, and neither are you.
God bless and get stuck in.

When Christians discover they are being taught heresy, they are to remove themselves from the congregation teaching them. Christians are called out of the world. As Christ warned, many will come in His name, but they aren't His. The gate to the Kingdom is narrow and not wide, but if you look around, Christians all over are trying to widen it. I went to one service where the "band" played what they all perceived to be an okay version of a heavy metal concert. I can't find one congregation that holds the agape feast as part of their services. Tithing is commanded to be a member of a congregation, monies collected are spent on buildings, building maintenance, usury, etc.
 
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Shea Rodriguez

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There have been Christian Mystics throughout history. St. Paul was one, for example. The church has respected them but, at the same time, what you're thinking of means being completely on your own. This deprives you of the benefits of the sacraments and instruction in the faith as well as fellowship (which the New Testament goes so far as to say you must not forsake).

Where do you get the idea that Paul was a mystic?
 
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Shea Rodriguez

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On the contrary, my friend. You can not call yourself a Christian if you are in fact NOT ADDED TO the Church. Understand what the word " Church " means.

The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.”

It is to say then that you don't " go to church "..you are in fact assembling with the church.

Acts 2:40-41 - And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, " Save yourselves from this crooked generation. " So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Once you are added to the Church you are now part of the " House of God ". Basically, God's people is His House. And according to scripture..this is what it " looks like. "

Acts 2:42-47 - And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

It's hard now a days because the whole idea of church has been transformed to a stationary meeting " PLACE "...when that is not what the real church is that is described in the Scriptures.

For parable sake..church isn't a building...it's a gang. :)

If your "church" is a 501(c)(3) it has become an organization removed from God and placed in the hands of a worldly government. The early church fathers considered the governments as being in opposition to Christ.

The Truth About Church Incorporation
 
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Acts2:38

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They have a different list of doctrines not found in scripture like adult-only baptism, works righteousness, grape juicers, the list goes on. ;)

Infants need not to be baptized - Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:13-15, Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 14:12, Ecclesiastes 7:29, It is impossible for an infant to have faith Romans 10:17, Mark 16:16 Hebrews 11:6 therefore a child is does not need baptism.

I don't think you might have understood what I meant about works/salvation. Salvation is available to man because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, Romans 11:5-6. It has always been God's gift to man. Man never earned salvation through his own works, 2 Timothy 1:9. Even when a person does the things that God requires of man, those works do not place God in obligation to man. No matter how man tries, there are always failures and man's sins earn the just sentence of death Romans 6:23. Besides doing as you are told is not an earning of salvation, but a submission to God's will. What is gained does not even come close to the value of what a person does in obedience to God, so again it cannot be claimed to be something earned. But when a person refuses to do as God directs, then he is demonstrating his lack of faith in God, Matthew 7:21-23
See other verses below:
John 6:29 (believing is a work)
James 2:14-26 (ouch for all those that missed this part)
1 Peter 1:17-19
Believing is a work, being baptized a work, spreading the word of God is a work. God expects us to do his will Ephesians 2:10. Are you? John 14:15

John 2 ( your lack in understand of the Greek word oinos and a history of grapes/wine (alcoholic)/grape juice

Let me show you a few more verses and such:
When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, he stated this, Matthew 6:29. Most of the time in the New Testament, when a product of grapes is mentioned, the word oinos is used. Oinos is a generic Greek word for anything made from grapes, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Context my friend. Here Jesus specifically says gennema ampelos, "fruit of the vine." This places the emphasis on the juice from grapes and thus is most likely referring to unfermented juice.

Next example is the Passover. The Passover occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. During this feast all leavening and anything made with leavening is removed from the house Exodus 12:15. Alcoholic wine is made by yeast (leavening) being left in or added to grape juice and allowing it to ferment. Fermented juice (wine) would not be allowed in the keeping of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Next example is what Paul was talking about here, 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, that leavening is a symbol representing sin. While the emphasis is on the bread in this passage, the point remains the same. The memorial feast is to remind us that Jesus is our Passover. That is why we use unleavened bread; it reminds us that Jesus lived without sin, Hebrews 4:15, that we too should live without sin. For the same reason we should not be using fermented grape juice as that also contains leaven.

Now consider 1 Timothy 5:23. Paul had to urge Timothy to use a little alcoholic wine for medicine. Up until this point Timothy avoided all alcoholic beverages, which if such were included in the Lord's Supper would include that as well. But being a Christian, Timothy obviously would have partaken in the Lord's Supper, which implies that Christians were using non-alcoholic juice in the keeping of the feast.

So in conclusion, given the scripture I see here, yes it is in the bible, my friend. If the list goes on, I'd be more than happy to help show you where the scripture says. Thank you for your engaging discussion. Very important stuff to get out there.
 
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