Bible Discussion Thread

The Bible says that we as christians should gather ourselves with the saints! So my question is, is it mandatory that we go into the church( the building) to worship God? Because I was always taught that our bodies is the church!! And the sanctuary is just a building!

Mark 2:27And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

Jeremiah 17:24And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;

Jeremiah 17:22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

Exodus 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

It's nothing to GOD if you have perfect attendance or not because there's really nothing we can give HIM that HE doesn't have. But at Church we're still instructed to never be absent (we have 3 days of Church services; some have perfect attendance since they were saved, some come and go). So now we go to Church for our own good to receive blessings from HIM: material, physical, and Spiriutal blessings.

We just have to be thankful to GOD that there's this one place for us where we can go to serve The LORD GOD by:

1) singing praising songs to HIM

2) praying to HIM

3) hearing HIS messages through preaching

4) testifying for HIM

5) joining others in setting up The Church and serving HIS followers

If you get that feeling of not going to Church, whether it's a building or a humble place, then maybe it's time to search yourself first. Pray, fast, sing praising songs to GOD, ask for forgiveness for your shortcomings, and cry for mercy, love, and forgiveness, ask for His sweet Holy Presence. And let HIM lead you wherever HE wants you to be. HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD!

Yes I believe you were taught right, it's what we believe from the heart that's important, and this is some scripture to support that. now having said that, it was once explained to me that going to church and Christian fellowship is like eating a meal, we need to eat for nourishment on a daily basis to live, likewise we should regularly attend church and Christian fellowship for our faith nourishment also. God bless

Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Vee,

The simple answer would be no, it is not mandatory that a person attend a church. We will not be judged by God based on how often we went to church, of if we even went at all. However, we are to worship the Lord. I do believe that Christian fellowship is important. Going to church to fellowship with other believers has its benefits. I see church as a spiritual hospital where we go to be fed spiritually. But attendance should not be mandatory. And yes, we are the body of Christ, the church. The church is an organism, not an organization. The building is just a place where the body of Christ meets for fellowship. As far as attending, we are to go where the Lord leads us. We have a problem today where there are many in church that are there for the wrong reasons. You see, the Lord only wants those which His Spirit is drawing to be there, not those who are coming because it's the "right thing to do," or because they are being forced to be there (And I'm not talking about children). So if the Lord is leading you to go to church, then I would say go. If not, stay put. But definitely worship Him and be in fellowship with Him through His word.

I believe that we should try be as faithful to God as he has been to us. The scripture says "Fail not the assembling of yourselves together in the manor of some is.and the more as you see the day approaching ". Surely as Bible believers we see that "end day" approaching. We need the fellowship of one another and we must have the preached word of God to feed us! I know that one who is faithful to church is stronger , than one who goes only during special events.

Early Christians met in homes. There's no requirement for a facility or space for which some meet. I think the point is being in fellowship with other Christians.

Adam It's the sweetness of the fellowship not the location.

The proper place for Christians , even before they where called Christians they where known as Nazarenes . Was the temple , until they where thrown out , then they met in homes . Jesus is the new covenant with Israel as promised , but it was rejected and still is By Israel in part .