Have you ever heard somebody say, " I don't have to go to church. I can worship God at home ! "
Before I get too deep into this discussion, let me frankly admit that there are a lot of churches that aren't worth going to, in fact, it would be better not to go to them. However most people in the USA live within a reasonable distance of a good church. It is just a matter of hunting for one that preaches what the Bible teaches, rather than the traditions of a denomination.
Most of the people, who say such things like," I don't have to go to church." or " I can worship God at home ", have been told by some religious leader that they are " saved ". The truth is, they are lost, and on their way to hell, and the false teacher that told them that they were saved, is lost, and on his or her way to hell also !
Real christians do worship God at home, and at church also, unless they are physically unable to do so. In that case, the church should come to them. Here's what the Bible says about church attendance:
Real christians worship God in spirit and in truth, at home,
and in church !" God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. "
John 4:24When christians come to church, each has a contribution to make,- and that means a lot more than money !
" How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. "
1 Corinthians 14:26Each christian has a part to play in the body of Christ, and when even one christian is absent from church, this person, and the others, suffer !
" ... the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. "
" For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need.
But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,- that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. "
1 Corinthians 12:7-26Each christian has a part in stirring up love and good works, and exhorting the others, who are present in the church on that day!
...let us consider one another in order to stir 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 10:24,25The devil just loves professing christians to say," I don't have to go to church. I can worship God at home." Do these hypocrites actually worship God at home?
Of course not !If you have the stay at home attitude about church, you must repent of that attitude. If you don't want to do that, we suggest that you click on the link about the " pain you will suffer in hell " below.
God answers the prayers of those who repent and seek Him. To repent, is to have a changed attitude concerning sin, and be willing to stop sinning. In order to stop sinning, a person needs to receive a new heart, and a new spirit, from God. ( See Jeremiah 31:31-34 ) Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can reform, and change yourself. Only God can save you from your old sinful nature.
You need to get alone, where only the Lord can hear you, and pray a simple prayer, something like this:
" Lord Jesus, I surrender conrol of my life to you. Please make me into the kind of person that YOU WANT ME TO BE. "
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May God bless you, and your family!
To learn more about Jesus' return, click here: Jesus is Coming Back Soon