I know the word says to stay in fellowship (not forsake), but what if you are in between churches. Do you feel it's a sin if you don't go to the building, but continue to fellowship with other believers say on the phone or by computer...or listen to sermons on the radio rather than in person?
I would love to hear from you all on this matter...thanks!
Of course its not a sin. If you are going to Church (bricks and mortar) simply because you think you have to, then you are going for the wrong reason. Besides which, when all these much quoted cut and pasted passages were written, a church was simply two or more gathered. Christians invariably gather or meet in some form or another be it work or play every day and in so doing have ample opportunity to encourage and strengthen each other.
My allegience is to God and my encouragement and strengthening of resolve comes from gathering with other Christians wherever we may be. You don't need a building to do this.
God is not found in church. He is found in our lives.
Going to church on Sunday dosen't make you a Christian anymore than sleeping your garage makes you a car. Do not get hung up on the building.
I always say, if you disdain church & rebel against God's ordination of it for His people (& God obviously has a reason for it), then by all means, please don't go to church at all.You are correct ... doing things simply because you have to and the associated grumbling that goes with that attitude isn't the same as obeying God with a sincere desire to please Him.
That's right ... they want you to join them . That means that they want you to forsake the assembling with other believers . They want you to isolate yourself to only hear what they have to say and do things that they want to do *when* they want to do them .
Of course they want you to join them and *say* that it is important to have a "spiritual family" . What they really want is you to pay for their clubhouse and the salary of the club's long-winded Grand Poobah .
Remember , "going to church" is the only means of salvation . Stop going and you are damned .
I always say, if you disdain church & rebel against God's ordination of it for His people (& God obviously has a reason for it), then by all means, please don't go to church at all.
Just like the person that isn't cheerfully giving their offerings to God, He doesn't want your money either.
Why does it take a church building and a pastor to put a smile on someones face? I am a nurse. I going into homes all day and help people. I put smiles on their face, but I didn't have to be at church.]
GOD ordained church gathering for a reason. If it weren't necessary or important, then He wouldn't have had it carried from the OT into the NT & c ontinue.
Ok, I'm going to try to give my opinion, without rambling too much!!
First, to answer the question, no, I don't believe not going to church is a sin. However, it may depend on your reason for not going to church.
I do attend church regularly and believe that it is usually best for a Christian to be part of a local church.
To address a couple of the things brought up in this thread...
As for the comment about being at service every chance we get. Is that just Sunday service? Is that every service, every class and event that is offered throughout the week? Yes, God is there for me anytime I need Him, but why does that mean I have to be at church everytime the doors are open? Having a relationship with God does not mean we have to be at a church building everytime there is a service or something is going on. Sometimes we get so busy going to church and doing things at church, that we never have time to just be with God. And, if we are always busy at church, when do we get out in the world to reach out to those who don't know Christ?
Nadiine brought up a question about why we wouldn't want to be where God is? While I understand what she is asking, the simple fact is, God is not found only in a church building--we are now the sanctuary. If a family decides to have church at home together, is God not there? Is God not with us at all times?
I'm not saying, 'don't go to church'. I myself attend church regularly (every week), and am involved in ministries in it. But I am also not going to say someone is not a 'good' Christian or a strong Christian or going against God if they are not attending an organized church on Sunday morning.
We have to realize we are all different and we all have different lifestyles. Many people aren't able to attend church services because of work schedules....so they get their fellowship in other ways. Others aren't able to get out and go to a church (homebound).
Others, for what ever reason, just choose to not be a part of an organized church. Many people have been extremely hurt by churches. Many get sick of the 'politics' of church. Many get tired of being expected to do this or do that in church all the time.
Our church has been through a really tough time the past few years, and especially the past year/year & a half. We've had many people leave over the past few months. Myself, I'm our church secretary and I'm here 40 hours a week. I probably see and hear things that the average church goer doesn't. At times, it can be really discouraging and disheartening. And at times, it affects my attitude on Sunday mornings and my desire to come to church. Yes, I know that church is about God and not us. But, we still have to deal with all the other stuff when we come to church, and at times that can hinder our worship.
I also do not agree with new wineskins generalization that all churches just want your money and to be part of their 'club'. I'm sure there are some churches like that, but not all are. I believe there are many churches that do exactly what God would have them do.
However, I also don't agree with the generalization that just because someone may not be part of a local church, or ever attend church, that means they are going against God or don't have a good relationship with God. We don't know that persons heart, we don't know how God is working in their life. How do we know that God didn't call them out of the church? How do we know that He doesn't have some other plan for their life. God may have something different for them to do that doesn't involved the traditional church setting.
It basically comes down to, only God truly knows our hearts. If we aren't going to church, He knows why better than anyone else, including ourselves. If He wants that person in a church, and they are truly listening to Him, then they will be convicted.
Doing good for others honours God more than anything. It may be all about God, as you say, but God is all about... usI'm interested in your personal reasoning for not needing church: "i put smiles on others faces & don't have to be in church'. CHURCH IS FOR GOD, AND WORSHIP TO HIM.
It is a day to HONOR HIM and rest.
You don't need to go to a specific building on a specific day to meet specific people in order to have fellowship, edification, honour God and so forth. It's more of a problem that people tie their faith and everything that goes along with it, to certain buildings and times and organizations. Life with God is every day, it's alive, it's pulsating, it's not about attending a religious club. Clubs are good, but they're not life.We're called to set a day aside to honor, worship, fellowship, pray and take communion together AS A BODY OF BELIEVERS - receive teaching, share burdens, etc.
This is to God and for us -both.
The point isn't that you can't do it elsewhere, it's that one HOUR of one week is given solely to Him and our spiritual growth/edification.
Is one hour a week just TOO much to spare?
Church assembly builds a NETWORK that we link into for our base; our family.
I'm really amazed at the apathetic viewpoints of how unimportant 'church' is!
As if it's a pointless man made burden that we just don't need today.
Doing good for others honours God more than anything. It may be all about God, as you say, but God is all about... us
You don't need to go to a specific building on a specific day to meet specific people in order to have fellowship, edification, honour God and so forth. It's more of a problem that people tie their faith and everything that goes along with it, to certain buildings and times and organizations. Life with God is every day, it's alive, it's pulsating, it's not about attending a religious club. Clubs are good, but they're not life.
I talked with a hobo the other day, bought him cigarettes, we talked about God and church. He said "church is fine cool, but... I know this church (one of the largest in town) has so and so many thousand members. Well, I never see them. They go to church, I sit on the curb drinking. What use is church?"
He has a point, doesn't he? And I, simply by chatting with him, sharing our common faith in Christ, encouraging him, served and honoured God more than a thousand church services.
There are believers everywhere, and instead of treating them like the family they are, we let them sit out in the cold while making sure we "serve God" and "honour him" by going to church once a week. I find it sickening.
Both excellent comments! I remember that Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman and said to her that the place where we worship is not important, only worshiping in spirit and truth is. I wonder why churches got so focused on a day and a building and a human organization. I just read George Barna's book Revolution. He reckons that in 20 years church will look a whole lot different.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?