Is Church a Requirement?

You work a job where you can't make it to church, can you still be saved? You haven't found a church near you where you "fit in" so you don't go, are you any less of a Christian? You are sick and can not make it to church, can God still use me? Quite honestly the true question is this, is church a requirement to be a Christian? This might make some mad. But for others, it will bring freedom.

First of all, let's address what Scripture says about church. Everyone likes to use the verse, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching," as their proof that you MUST go to church. (Hebrews 10:25). But let's look at that whole phrase and not just pick out the part people like to use to their advantage. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. AND LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER IN ORDER TO SIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:23-25) You see how all of that goes together???? Why does it say for us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together???? SO WE CAN STIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS----SO THAT WE HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE WITHOUT WAVERING! Do you see that? What if you go to church and you are judged and condemned and feel like an outsider? What if all you find is arguing when you go to church? It seems to me that isn't stirring up love and good works to encourage us to hold fast to our confession of faith. What then? We will come back to this, but lets look at something else. 

Where did the early church meet?

"According to the New Testament, the earliest Christians did not build church buildings. Instead, they gathered in homes (Acts 17:5; 20:20; 1 Corinthians 16:19) or in Jewish worship places like the Second Temple of synagogues (Acts 2:46; 19:8).  The earliest archeologically identified Christian church is a house church, named the Dura-Europos church, which was founded between 233 and 256. In the second half of the 3rd century EC, the first purpose-build halls for Christian worship began to be constructed. Although many of these were destroyed early in the next century during the Diocletianic Persecution, even larger and more elaborate church buildings began to appear during the reign of the Emperor Constantine the Great." (Wikipedia- Church (building). March 15, 2018. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_(building) )

Why did early Christians remodel or build separate structures for worship instead of continuing to use private houses or public spaces? First because Constantine decided to cease the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. This was a turning point for early Christianity and is sometimes referred to as the Triumph of the Church, the Peace of the Church or the Constantinian shift. In 313, Constantine and Licinius issued the edict of Milan decriminalizing Christian worship.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great_and_Christianity )There were many, many, alters to false gods in the Roman Empire. It is believed that once Constantine allowed Christians to worship publically that Christians copied their places of worship from what they seen at the false god temples.

They also made larger places of worship for probably the same reasons we do today. "As the church grew, it needed to accommodate a joint assembly. Special functions, such as daily Bible teaching, baptisms and the distribution of gifts to the poor, required readily available facilities. Special buildings also gave the church a visible sign of permanence. The great era of church buildings  began with Constantine's patronage of the church in the fourth century. He commissioned basilicas to signal his support of the new religion and to advertise his reign." ( Nov 28^th Christian History. Everett Ferguson. “Why and when did Christians start constructing special buildings for worship?” https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2008/november/why-and-when-did-christians-start-constructing-special.html)

Here is why I am doing this post today. You are being fed a lie. Is going to church wrong or bad? No, not if your heart is in the right place. Why do I say that? Well if you are going to be seen or to "run" the church or so you can say "I go to church every time the doors are open." then you are not doing God any favors by going. If you are going to truly worship God- that pleases Him. But going to church doesn't make you anymore of a Christian than me sitting in the driveway makes me a fancy sports car. God is concerned with the heart, not the outward appearance. (1 Samuel 16:7) YES we are not supposed to forsake the assembling of ourselves together------- to stir up love and good works so that hold fast to our confession of our faith BUTTTTTTT NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT SAY YOU HAVE TO GO TO A CHURCH BUILDING TO DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!! 

The CHURCH is the body of Christ. Now YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST and members individually. ( 1 Corinthians 12:27) Actually go read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. The CHURCH is not a building.

Another thing Christians try to throw up is that Jesus went to the temple. Yes He did. He went there to read Scriptures, to teach to the JEWS! Temples were for those of the Jewish religion. We are not Jewish, we are Christian. And if you also look, Jesus was angry with things taking place at the temple (Matthew 21:12). In Matthew 24:1-2 Jesus and His disciples were looking at the temple buildings when Jesus said, "I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." When Jesus was crucified the veil was torn from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:51) Why? To give you as a Child of God direct access to God. (Ephesians 2:11-18) We as Christians are a royal priesthood and God wants to use each of us, not because we "go to church" but because we have been SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS! (1 Peter 2:9-10). We are also now to be a "living spiritual house" not a place! (1 Peter 2:4-5) 

So why have you not been taught this? Well perhaps some do not know the truth. Perhaps some have your best intentions in mind but are trying to make you do what works for them. We have to be around like minded people. If you hang around sin, you fall back into it. We are to be separated from the world. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 explains it best, "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said; I will dwell in them, and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people." Perhaps this is why people tell you, "you better get back in church."

But what they should actually be saying is, "How is your relationship with God? Are you in His word? Are you talking with Him daily? Are you serving Him with your life?" You see, going to church to serve God, to worship with like minded believers is not a bad thing, but it isn't the MAIN thing- your relationship with God is! Sharing the Gospel with others, is.

I want for you to watch this video.

I hope you can feel my heart in this.

Dear Child of God I want to close with this: if you can't go to church, don't want to go to a church building, don't feel like you "fit in", are sick and can't go, if your job don't allow you to go- DON"T LET THE JUDGMENT AND GUILT OF MAN TO KEEP YOU AWAY FROM YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ALMIGHTY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE WHO LOVES YOU AND WANTS TO HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU!!!!!!! 

You dig into God's word, find you a good sound preacher you can listen to, find you a handful of good Christian believers that you can surround yourself with and you get serious with Him. The Bible says that God hears us even if there is only two or three of us. "For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them." (Matthew 18:20) Technology today makes it so easy to connect with other God fearing on fire Christians from all over the world. If you are a lady you can join us over on our Bible Study Facebook Group. Men, I am sure there are groups out there for you all as well. Just don't miss out on what God has for your life because of the thoughts of others. God has a plan for your life and He wants to use you. 

I'M BELIEVING YOU'LL COME RUNING INTO THE ARMS OF JESUS!! 

If you do go to church, please STOP MAKING PEOPLE FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE THEY DON'T GO. Be a support person for them. Stop asking people, "where do you go to church" and start asking them questions that matter like, "How is your relationship with God? Are you in His word? Are you talking with Him daily? Are you serving Him with your life?" And remember, going to church don't do one cotton picking thing for your salvation. It is PURELY because of what Jesus did on the cross. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to HIS MERCY He saved us...." (Titus 3:5) In the end, Jesus wants to know if we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. Have you? If not, email me. I would to talk with you about Him. Let's start a movement and let people see what a relationship with Jesus looks like, not what a religion looks like!!!

 P.S. If you disagree with me, that's okay. But be ready to provide me with Scripture backed evidence as to where I am wrong. Truth is I used to believe you HAD to go to church too. But when I went looking for "PROOF" I couldn't find where going to a particular place made a difference. I encourage you to search the Scriptures for yourself and see what God says on the subject. Don't take what you have been taught all your life or what man says to determine your belief system. Let God form it! ;)