Is it really necessary to go to Church?

[Aibrean]

>Baptism is God's work in you...

Did Jesus said that in the Bible?
Many said no.
If that is Jesus's voice, I respect what you wrote.

>why don't you want that?

If I wrote "I don't want", please show me, I apologize.
I wrote, " I did not do that yet."

>And God never mandated that we be crucified,

Of course not, because He did for us, right?

> but He does promise a resurrection when He comes again!

Many believe that, some even say the day.

If you want to get technical...

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Yes, we are united with Christ in both his death and resurrection when we are baptized. If baptism washes away our sins (Acts 22:16), then yes it is a work of God for only God can wash away sin.

 

[visionary]

Relationship with God is key..

 

[Doubting Tomas]

>If you want to get technical...

That's the last thing I want from a Christian.
I want anyone to get spiritual when it comes to words of God, especially from your experience is deeply appreciated.

 

[Incariol]

Is there scripture that specifically talks about the need to go to church?

My point is that why should we go to church to listen to someone reading the bible to us, when we can stay at home, just you and god alone and read it there in a more intimate environment.

Why do we need to have a pastor tell us what the bible says, he is not God, they are just sinners like the rest of us.

I can see the point in going to join others and hopefully grow your faith etc, but again, why should we rely on other people for us to grow in faith? Shouldn't God alone be enough?

Also baptism, do you believe you have to be physically baptized to go to heaven?

If so, what about people who commit to Christ minutes or even seconds before they die on their deathbed and don't have time to be baptized?

Thanks Graham. God bless.

Of course you have to go to Church. How else are you going to receive the Sacraments?

 

[Celtic D]

Of course you have to go to Church. How else are you going to receive the Sacraments?

Sacraments don't save you!

 

[Incariol]

Sacraments don't save you!

Could have fooled Jesus...

53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55“For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58“This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”

5Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.



Clearly, God got it wrong!

 

[If Not For Grace]

Communion may be taken in the home.

 

[Aibrean]

It depends how it is taken in the home. That isn't an excuse to not fellowship with believers.

 

[Aibrean]

>If you want to get technical...

That's the last thing I want from a Christian.
I want anyone to get spiritual when it comes to words of God, especially from your experience is deeply appreciated.

And it's not possible to get spiritually technical? all technical means is exactly or factually...

 

[visionary]

Bottom line, there is no absolute need to go to church, God can be found in prayer anywhere.

 

[paul1149]

Communion may be taken in the home.

I was reading recently how Smith Wigglesworth loved to take communion and drew great strength from it. He often would take it several times a day as he traveled.

 

[Aibrean]

Bottom line, there is no absolute need to go to church, God can be found in prayer anywhere.

The Bible says otherwise. The Holy Spirit yes, not Jesus. Jesus says when two or three are gathered he is present.

The Bible stresses fellowship with believers again and again. No you don't need to go to a building, but you need to be with believers.

And as I said- I get communion where I fellowship which happens to be in a building.

 

[Doubting Tomas]

＞And it's not possible to get spiritually technical? all technical means is exactly or factually...

I don't know what to say about that.
The Spirit tell me beyond 5 senses, "I just know it." in that way...

 

[Aibrean]

My fact comes from scripture and scripture is spiritually discerned

 

[Doubting Tomas]

>My fact comes from scripture and scripture is spiritually discerned

Good for you.
I assumed the comment is for me.

 

[GQ Chris]

Christianity isn't for freelance lone rangers. If the Apostle Paul himself struggled with the World, the flesh, and the Devil, so much more we.

A Christian serious about his/her walk with the Lord is to be connected to a solid Bible preaching church and be connected with other Christians, God's people.

 

[visionary]

The Bible says otherwise. The Holy Spirit yes, not Jesus. Jesus says when two or three are gathered he is present.

The Bible stresses fellowship with believers again and again. No you don't need to go to a building, but you need to be with believers.

And as I said- I get communion where I fellowship which happens to be in a building.

It is always good to gather together especially as we see the days draw to a close.. prophectically speaking.. All I am saying is that one does not absolutely need a group together to come into God's Presence.

 

[Doubting Tomas]

Incariol,

I'd like to write my take of

>5Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:5; Many books written "the Spirit" instead of "the Holy Ghost."
It is the same meaning, I assume.
And the Spirit and the Holy Ghost are also Jesus.
13 No-one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven— the Son of Man.
Obviously, of water and the Son of Man doesn't mean the baptism on this earth forever, but it means, 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

This suggests me that Jesus baptism with water was a symbol of belief in Jesus, not baptism itself of now a days.
Is there anyone could teach me what "with water" meant for ancient Hebrews?


7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

Is there anyone at there believes this as "born again" Christian?
Jesus was not talking to Christians at this moment, because He did not accomplished what He came here for, "the resurrection of Jesus." There were no Christians at that time.

Therefore, Jesus must be talking to Hebrews.
Jesus said that you should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' and we need to understand what He meant to say.

Having said all that, it does not mean baptism with water and a man is necessary or not necessary.

Whatever you do in your belief with God is yours and Gods.
If you let me know your belief, I may agree and may disagree.
You may do the same.

 

[Aibrean]

This isn't about whether it's necessary to have a group to enter God's presence. This is about whether it's necessary to fellowship with believers.

 

[Doubting Tomas]

My experience of Communion and Baptism in a non-denominational church.

A pastor baptized my wife and son which I was happy with it because that was her decision.
We were going the church for one year.
the pastor, a wonderful teacher of Gospel for me, tried to baptize me all he could and I kept refusing it because I wanted to look for a John.
Finally, the pastor must have gave up on me and told me I could not receive Communion.
It was no problem for me, but I was wondering where his heart was at, until that time I was allowed to receive.

As you could see from my action, I don't have much deep knowledge of ceremony of Christian church because I worship and believe only Jesus.
I do not against what other Christians do, however, I express my thoughts of Jesus because I like to know what other Christians think about that besides Jesus, I might learn from it.