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

[Open Heart]

A lot of people in this forum are confusing the Body of Christ with local church. He's not asking if he's part of the Body of Christ. He's asking if he is required to be part of a local assembly. The answer is yes, the Bible commands us not to forsake the assembling together.

 

[W2L]

A lot of people in this forum are confusing the Body of Christ with local church. He's not asking if he's part of the Body of Christ. He's asking if he is required to be part of a local assembly. The answer is yes, the Bible commands us not to forsake the assembling together.

Its also commanded that we not pray in useless repetitions, but that dont stop Catholics from doing it.

At least at home i can pray how the bible instructs us, instead of praying useless repititions

 

[Open Heart]

I've not personally read of Christian mysticism

Then perhaps silence is the wisest thing,since you admit you don't know anything.

 

[W2L]

The bible doesn't command Church attendance, but instead it commands fellowship. Fellowship can be done online. We can exhort each other daily as is commanded.

 

[Open Heart]

I would have to ask why? And if mysticism were the way to go then Jesus would have said so. Paul would have focused on it. Daniel would have referred to his dreams in that manner..., again. Why? What would it do for you that being churched with your brothers and sisters in Christ not do? Why can you not get close to Christ with a traditional Bible study class? Personally I would run so far from that and so fast it would make your head swim.

It has to do with personality types. We are all individuals of course, but there are basic, basic traits across the spectrum. Some personalities are very common. Some are pretty rare. The mystic personality is pretty rare. The read your bible and pray personality is pretty common. Neither is the "right one" or "wrong one." They are both pleasing to the Lord. Each is simply being the wonderful person that God created them to be.

As for Daniel, seeing visions or dreaming dreams is part of, you got it, mysticism. I've seen visions and dreamed dreams, but I almost never share them with others. They are ways the Lord uses to teach me and bring me closer to him.

 

[Open Heart]

The bible doesn't command Church attendance, but instead it commands fellowship. Fellowship can be done online. We can exhort each other daily as is commanded.

It says they gathered to break bread. You can't share communion online.

 

[Open Heart]

Its also commanded that we not pray in useless repetitions, but that dont stop Catholics from doing it.

At least at home i can pray how the bible instructs us, instead of praying useless repititions

Catholics use repetitions, but not useless repetitions. All our prayers our helpful.

So , did you deviate off topic because you feel badly about avoiding church, or do you just have so much hate for the Catholic church that it spills over when we aren't talking about it?

 

[W2L]

Catholics use repetitions, but not useless repetitions. All our prayers our helpful.

So , did you deviate off topic because you feel badly about avoiding church, or do you just have so much hate for the Catholic church that it spills over when we aren't talking about it?

The lord is saying repetitions are useless. The Lord already knows what we need before we ask, so there is no need for repetitions. Thats what the word says.

 

[Open Heart]

The lord is saying repetitions are useless.

No, he says not to engage in VAIN repetitions. He does not say that ALL repetitions are vain.

 

[W2L]

It says they gathered to break bread. You can't share communion online.

I can share communion at home with my wife. I can share the love of Christ with my neighbor too. Im sorry that im not able to attend Church, but at least im not on the internet preaching mychurchonlyism, or Churchianity.

Catholics are the worst offenders online. They tear others down, report them and get them banned. Sad that they dont try to build people up instead of tearing them down.

 

[W2L]

No, he says not to engage in VAIN repetitions. He does not say that ALL repetitions are vain.

vain means useless. He does clearly say not to pray in repetitions. See? Catholics are not perfect, so why tear people down who dont attend Church? Why not instead edify and exhort them online?

 

[Open Heart]

I can share communion at home with my wife.

I realize that some Christians do attempt this. I don't think you are achieving it. All you are getting is symbol. And even then, it is NOT what the apostles intended. They intended the local church to come together to break bread. Not for it to be a family affair or between friends.

 

[W2L]

I realize that some Christians do attempt this. I don't think you are achieving it. All you are getting is symbol. And even then, it is NOT what the apostles intended. They intended the local church to come together to break bread. Not for it to be a family affair or between friends.

If its all you have its enough.

 

[Open Heart]

Catholics are the worst offenders online. They tear others down, report them and get them banned.

Do you realize that you, right now, are bashing Catholics? I'm not going to report you this time, because I would like this to be a moment of insight for you. But you are projecting your own flaws onto an entire group of people. Some Protestants can be nasty, nasty, nasty to Catholics. It's not so bad here on CF which has great moderation. But go to any other christian forum, and Catholics are treated like scum by Protestants. If you guys get reported, it's because you did something wrong. Stay within the rules and you'll be fine. You are clearly allowed to disagree with us; you simply have to do it politely.

We'll chalk this up to, yet another off topic side discussion about Catholics.

 

[W2L]

Catholics use repetitions, but not useless repetitions. All our prayers our helpful.

So , did you deviate off topic because you feel badly about avoiding church, or do you just have so much hate for the Catholic church that it spills over when we aren't talking about it?

Its on topic, just as communion is. If communion is on topic surely prayer is as well. you just dont want to hear it.

 

[W2L]

Do you realize that you, right now, are bashing Catholics? I'm not going to report you this time, because I would like this to be a moment of insight for you. But you are projecting your own flaws onto an entire group of people. Some Protestants can be nasty, nasty, nasty to Catholics. It's not so bad here on CF which has great moderation. But go to any other christian forum, and Catholics are treated like scum by Protestants. If you guys get reported, it's because you did something wrong. Stay within the rules and you'll be fine. You are clearly allowed to disagree with us; you simply have to do it politely.

We'll chalk this up to, yet another off topic side discussion about Catholics.

Ge ahead and report me. You will just leave a more bitter taste in my mouth for Catholicism. Like you care anyway. You dont care that i need online fellowship. You boast about fellowship then ban folks from getting it. Seems like the days of Rc inquisitions. Catholics threw folks out of the church back then too.

 

[W2L]

Passive aggression is not my style.

 

[W2L]

No need to report me, im leaving anyway. At this point i dont even want fellowship anymore. I just want to get away from Church people.

 

[Open Heart]

If its all you have its enough.

If that's the actual literal truth, then I would agree that God's grace is big enough for them.

The problem is that there are those who do this sort of thing when it's NOT the only option for them.

I once read a short story in a book called Tales of Gletha the Goat Lady about a woodcutter in the back hills of Virginia during the depression. He had become friends with a little boy who stuttered. Now most of the people in the town were Lutheran, but the woodcutter was a Catholic who had fallen away from the Lord.

It was a terrible winter, and the woodcutter was living alone in a shack a ways away from the town, cutting down good timber. He came down with pneumonia, and got sicker and sicker. Gletha had the boy taking him teas that she would make to help with his fever.

One day she made an apple pie and had the boy take it to him. He was so sick with fever he could barely move his head. The boy offered to feed it to him. He said okay, but he wanted the boy to say certain words. "Just before you put it in my mouth, say, The Body of Christ."

And so the woodcutter returned to the Lord and received Last Rites.

 

[Open Heart]

vain means useless. He does clearly say not to pray in repetitions. See? Catholics are not perfect, so why tear people down who dont attend Church? Why not instead edify and exhort them online?

right. vain is useless. Since our prayers go to God, either directly, or through the intercessing prayers of others, they are not useless/vain.

No Catholics are not perfect. I am Catholic and I am a sinner. That's why I need a Savior. Thanks be to God for his grace and mercy.

It is not my intent to tear down those who don't attend church.
1. Some people can't through no fault of their own, and it's no sin. For example, my mother is in a nursing facility and is too ill to get to a church. She watches a church service on TV. That's the best she can do, God bless her.
2. Normally I don't butt in. I try to make my life's example be my preaching.
3. When someone asks a QUESTION such as in this post, or when I am TEACHING CATECHISM, then I am called to answer honestly. And the honest truth is that God commands us not to forsake the assembling together.

We can be tactful and understanding, but when it comes to sin, we can't lie. If someone were to say to me, "I think God is okay we me having a lesbian girlfriend, WHAT DO YOU THINK?" I would have to tell them that it is a sin. What do you think I should say???? It's the same way with Church attendence (unless of course they can't).