Can someone lose their salvation for missing Sunday morning church? I don't miss often and go more than just Sunday mornings. Sunday mornings I go to my home Church, but this morning I just didn't feel like going. It makes me feel so guilty because I have such much to thank God for and the least I can to is attend my Church and support it. I fear God doesn't like because we aren't supposed to forsake the fellowship with others.
missing church
- Thread starter Acr96
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No, you're not going to lose your salvation because you miss going to church a few times. You are right in that it says in the bible to not forsake the assembling with like believers. The most important thing is your personal relationship with the Lord. He understands the human condition quite well. Don't be so hard on yourself.
"It's better to sit in a boat thinking about God than to sit in a church thinking about fishing"
I think there is nothing wrong about not going to church sometimes when you just feel like being alone with God. Or even consider prayer like "God, what can I do for you today?" Maybe there are other people not even in the church that need your our care and love...
I think there is nothing wrong about not going to church sometimes when you just feel like being alone with God. Or even consider prayer like "God, what can I do for you today?" Maybe there are other people not even in the church that need your our care and love...
When you think God is going to cast you away for something you should have done, but didn't, or did do, but shouldn't have, that is legalism and bondage.
While it is good to attend church, and hear the Word of God and fellowship, God is only going to judge you on one thing - "Did you love Jesus?"
Now, if for you, not attending church equals not loving Christ, then you seriously need to read your Bible. There is actually only one Scripture, Hebrews 10:25 that tells us to not forsake the assembling of the brethren. You need at least two verses to make a doctrine, and even at that it is sketchy.
The Bible is quite clear that we need to repent and believe in Jesus. That is what saves us! And Jesus keeps us saved! But if you feel guilt, try and figure out whether it is the Holy Spirit or your own conscience that is speaking. Because if it is the Holy Spirit, I would advise you to listen, and make sure you attend church next week. If it is your conscience, that might be a sign too. But not a sign that you have lost your salvation.
By the way, what church or denomination are you attending? Do they say you are going to lose your salvation if you don't attend church? Or is this something you came up with yourself?
My advice, as always, is read your Bible. Start in the New Testament, and then later, read Psalms, and then Genesis through to 2 Kings, and Proverbs. The prophets are hard to read, but there is great value in reading them, too. (You should read 1 & 2 Chroncles, its just that the first 11 chapters of 1 Chronicles is all geneologies - wait till last to read those two books!)
While it is good to attend church, and hear the Word of God and fellowship, God is only going to judge you on one thing - "Did you love Jesus?"
Now, if for you, not attending church equals not loving Christ, then you seriously need to read your Bible. There is actually only one Scripture, Hebrews 10:25 that tells us to not forsake the assembling of the brethren. You need at least two verses to make a doctrine, and even at that it is sketchy.
The Bible is quite clear that we need to repent and believe in Jesus. That is what saves us! And Jesus keeps us saved! But if you feel guilt, try and figure out whether it is the Holy Spirit or your own conscience that is speaking. Because if it is the Holy Spirit, I would advise you to listen, and make sure you attend church next week. If it is your conscience, that might be a sign too. But not a sign that you have lost your salvation.
By the way, what church or denomination are you attending? Do they say you are going to lose your salvation if you don't attend church? Or is this something you came up with yourself?
My advice, as always, is read your Bible. Start in the New Testament, and then later, read Psalms, and then Genesis through to 2 Kings, and Proverbs. The prophets are hard to read, but there is great value in reading them, too. (You should read 1 & 2 Chroncles, its just that the first 11 chapters of 1 Chronicles is all geneologies - wait till last to read those two books!)
Very good!
I don't always go to a sunday morning service, and I certainly never feel guilty about not going. My walk and relationship with the Lord does not primarily rest upon going to Church on a sunday morning/evening, but the with the worship/prayer/meditation/Scripture reading that I do in my love for Him...
D
dalconn
Guest
I like fellowshipping with Christians as well but I do not want to listen to a preacher who trys to sew a patch on an old garment and make the tear worse. No you can not lose your salvation by missing Sunday morning church. I suggest to you that many of the preachers may not even have the right to all themselves Christians.
K
KennethC
Guest
Salvation is based solely on the faith of Jesus Christ.
Rather you are in the faith or not is the only thing that will determine if you receive eternal life or not.
may not have a right to call themselves Christians there was a typo in my previous post.
You cannot lose your salvation by sinning any more than you can gain salvation by doing something good.
That you suffer with a bit of an attitude about church attendance is only something we all suffer from time to time, if we are all honest. It is up to us to stir ourselves and to take ourselves to church no matter how we feel. We are instructed in scripture to take ourselves in hand and to overcome the tyranny of the mind and renew our thinking, complying with the will of God for us. We are taught not to \forsake the assembly, and to love the fellowship of believers and to make ourselves available to them over others.
So, next time you (and I) feel like you don't want to go to church, give yourself a wee kick in the rump and get up and go. Plan it days ahead, not letting anything get in the way. Even if you wake up with a headache---go, and find yourself healed and refreshed for placing the honour of God first. I have to do it, and so does every believer who desires everything that God has for them.
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It's OK. I think all of us on this particular forum have gotten fairly adept at decoding the missing or transposed letter that occasionally presents in posts all of us leave "uncaught."
M
mokie22yrold
Guest
I am unable to attend church on regular basis. I work 7 days week. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit not some building made by man.
The Body of Christ, the Church, is the fellowship of believers, and that is something we are commanded not to abandon.
.
K
KennethC
Guest
This is true that we are not to neglect the gathering together.
However that gathering does not have to be in big groups or in a church building.
If you invite a couple people over to your house and hold worship and bible study you are still obeying that command.
M
mokie22yrold
Guest
I haven't abandoned going to church. I am recently divorced. I have to work to pay bills and rent, etc. Don't start judging me for making a comment.
Nobody's judging you. You need to know what God says about a thing. If your life is complicated right now, understand that this is only temporary, and ask God to help you find the space you need to bring honour to Him and be in regular fellowship with His people. He will do it.
A church.. a christian assembly of saved baptised believers, covenanted together to carry out the great commission and great commandment.
That's what it is. It is not building. Jesus and His disciples had no roof over their heads, but were the first New Testament church-- first christian assembly of saved baptised believers. Jesus as the Head of that first church.
A church that Jesus calls His own.. is the 'pillar and ground of the truth'
Jesus even shed His blood for His churches! Not just for every believer.
Of course 98 percent of you will not even distinguish between every believer and the church. That isn't reading properly what scripture has as the church.
It is a local and visible entity every time. Either of one in particular.. such as Phillipi or Ephesus.. or Corinth.. or is generic, not specifying one church in particular, but as a unit representing all.. eg.. 'Christ loved the church'.
Why do I not use a capital 'C' church? Because it is not in scripture! There is no wider larger church! It is all of local and visible assemblies.
There will be one church of all believers one day.. in the New Jerusalem, but we don't have that yet. For now.. on earth.. there is only churches plural.
The body of Christ.. is the local body of believers Jesus calls His own.. wherever it may meet. This local body may have no roof over their heads even.
A church is an ecclessia.. an assembly, congregation. A public meeting.
It's meaning has been twisted to mean all sorts. Eg.. 'our church is a WING of the Methodist church'.. or 'The Asian church is a WING of the whole church'
A member of a church-- is a person.. not an entire local church.
As for not going to a local assembly of christians.. saved, baptised.. biblical.. well how will grow without being part of a entity Jesus shed His blood for and has put in other Christians who you can fellowship with?
If we lose salvation over not going to church then I am bound for hell because I don't even go to church so I think you're good.