Bible Discussion Thread

My husband has been told that it isn't necessary to attend church as a christian. He said, he believes and is a christian and that's enough to get in to heaven. Is there scripture that pertains to our attendance in the church and what is required of us as christians?

Donna,

That is correct. It is not necessary that a believer attend a church to get into heaven. A person gets to enter into heaven by being born of God's Spirit, not by how often they attend church or if they ever attended.

I'm not saying that church is not important. To me, church is like a spiritual hospital. A believer attends church to be fed spiritually and to fellowship together with other believers.

There is a verse in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 10:25 that says " Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together."



This is spoken, not to people who have stopped coming to fellowship or don't go to church. It is speaking to people who are continuing to fellowship.



He is saying don't leave off from assembling ourselves together, as the manner of some is;



You see, some have already dropped out. It is the encouragement for those who are coming, and who are fellowshipping. It's for those who are still coming, who waiver, and every once in a while have doubts and are weak at times and feel like dropping out.



Well, we are to consider one another. Be perceptive about provoking one another to do things that are right in the eyes of the Lord.



And when you sense someone possibly wanting to drop out, it says but exhort one another, encourage:



Without getting too technical, in the Greek text, what that says is that by assembling yourselves together, you are encouraging.



Being faithful to do what the Lord wants you to do, without saying anything, is a ministry of encouragement.

Church fellowship is important, but not required to get to heaven. Jesus commanded us as believers to follow Him. If He is putting it on our heart to go to church, then we go.