The question of the hour- can you be a christian without a Church?
January 312010
In Mark we learn through the actions of Jesus that he was constantly turning old traditions into new ones. He proclaimed all animals clean, abolishing the belief that pigs and certain tasty critters were unclean (a belief that inflitrated the Jewish every day life) and he healed the sick, sat with sinners, and help the gentils. He went across the lands, preaching about the good of god. But not once did he say, "Follow the traditions of man." Infact he called those who followed the preceps of man to be ignorant and hypocritical. Now, to state my question without sounding like I am bagging on the church- fellowship and support are an awesome thing. Seclusion, homophobia, slander, and envy are not. The church is where brothers and sisters of faith meet to talk of god and how they can better the world. They are not there to force Christianity on anyone. Pagans, islams, homosexuals are not evil, because we are supposed to believe what we preach, judge no one. Is church a building? Or people
God is in everything alive , I feel god as the spark of life itself,where ever I am there is God.
January 31st, 2010 at 7:25 am
hardly question of the hour material…
obviously yes because christians follow the teachings of jesus, not the church. a church is made up by it’s members, not the building.
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January 31st, 2010 at 8:14 am
According to the Bible, Christ’s church is a group of people and not a building. We see in Revelation that after the Rapture, Christ’s church is no longer on Earth, making it rather difficult to be a building.
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January 31st, 2010 at 8:35 am
A people…………
We should do all things in love………….
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January 31st, 2010 at 9:18 am
The people… definitely not the building. I think going to the building is a good thing, however, so that "the people" can meet and fellowship there together. "When two or three is gathered in my name, there shall I be also."
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January 31st, 2010 at 9:27 am
A church is a business that is selling an idea of how to achieve personal salvation. It is much like how those people on tv sell tapes on how to get rich quick with real estate or whatever. The only major difference is that the church gets its money tax free.
But to answer the question… the be a christian is to have a belief in Jesus Christ as a salvation figure. You don’t need a church or to belong to a denomination to do that.
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January 31st, 2010 at 10:10 am
It is also said your body is the Temple.
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January 31st, 2010 at 10:39 am
Of course you can be a christian without a church. Christianity depends on your faith in Jesus not on what church you go to.
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January 31st, 2010 at 11:07 am
Fairy tales can only get you so far in life
YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO TO CHURCH because everyone in church are extremist that hate freedom and liberty
I recommend you live your life without christianity because in the end it can only lead to your demise
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January 31st, 2010 at 11:27 am
A church can be a wonderful thing- or not. Yes, you can be a Christian without attending a church. Church attendance is great for those who derive fellowship and support from it. I don’t currently attend a church, but would like to find the right one. I am NOT interested in denominations however. All they do is divide Christians from one another.
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January 31st, 2010 at 11:50 am
You may be a christian if you want, ANYwhere you want…just not in the middle east. Muslims don’t like christians there…that whole Crusades thing still ticks them off a little.
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January 31st, 2010 at 12:37 pm
The Church is people.
Christianity is all about relationships, having a relationship with Christ, having a relationship with fellow believers to support each other, and having relationships with unbelievers so that by our walk of life we may be a witness to them.
A traditional church may not be necessary but God does want us to meet with fellow believers to praise Him, to learn more about Him, to share in the sacraments and to support each other.
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January 31st, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Simple answer: NO.
The Church is a Body (St. Paul is clear.) Jesus Christ is the head and all Baptized Persons are the members. A person is grafted into that Body, the Church at Baptism.
St. Augustine said it best: "Solus Christianas est nulus Christianus" – - "One Christian is no Christian"
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January 31st, 2010 at 1:44 pm
You can be a christian without going to church. I went today for the first time in a year due to schedule problems and laziness mostly. You can do it but it’s sort of like being a piece of coal and not being in the fire. You can burn brightly but you aren’t.
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January 31st, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Al Sharpton is a reverend who has never had a church, so I guess that it’s OK.
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January 31st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
The only traditions of man that He spoke of were those of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He condemned erroneous human traditions, not truths which were handed down orally and entrusted to the Church by the apostles.
He was not condemning all traditions. He condemned only those that made God’s word void.
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January 31st, 2010 at 3:17 pm
in the prodestant religion it is generally believed that any where you feel the the need to talk about god can be a church. so depends on your denomination i guess.
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January 31st, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Yes, you can be Christian without being a member of a church. Churches are man-made places, an inevitable outgrowth given how social a creature mankind is.
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January 31st, 2010 at 3:45 pm
You can be a better Christian without a church. Church is made of people with their own restrictive ideas and rules. Organized religion inflicts these man-made rules on those who choose to join their church. God doesn’t require that we attend a service in a certain building a certain number of times per year.
A true Christian follows God, not church or religion. A true Christian lives by God’s word of love, offering help, support, fellowship and love to everyone they meet each day, not just those they are scheduled to meet with in a building each week. A true Christian lives a life of compassion for all, not a life of counting good works performed to impress their fellow churchgoers.
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January 31st, 2010 at 3:53 pm
You cannot be a Christian without the Church, not the buildings of course, but the community of believers founded by Christ’s apostles after His resurrection. It is only in this faith community that we can be Christians at all.
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January 31st, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Lets pick one wrong thing you said at a time, First in Acts 2 the last verse Jesus Christ the second member of the Godhead added daily TO THE CHURCH as such as such as should be saved so Jesus does concider it important to be in church and in Rev. 12:17 the remnant that satan attacks keeps [all ten]commandments of God and has the testamony of Jesus Christ and according to Rev. 19:10 that is the spirit of Prophecy, that happens to be The Seventh Day Adventist Church and it is the MESSAGE, and NOT the Messanger thats important. investagate and see, now that all animals clean garbage your taking OUT OF CONTEXT Acts 10, and "IF" you will READ the WHOLE CHAPTER you will see its NOT talking about eating at all, investagate what saith The Lord IN CONTEXT in a free on line bible lessons http://www.amazingfacts.org OR http://www.itiswritten.com talk to me also wgr88@yahoo.com
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The Holy Bible
January 31st, 2010 at 4:30 pm
You can be a Christian without church, but you would be a very disobedient one.
Jesus created the church to be His voice on the earth. There are several passages that Jesus used about His church. Hebrews 10:24-25 specifically tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves.
There are very good reasons for this: When a Christian separates themselves from the Body of Christ, they not only deny the church the gifts that they could bring to the table, they open themselves up to attack.
Satan and his minions are a lot like pack animals. Wolves, hyenas, and the like. They never hunt fairly. They will stalk the weak, the sick, and the lame. When one of these is separated from the herd or flock, that’s when the pack attacks. 5, 8, maybe even 10 predators to one. This is why Peter taught us, "Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (I Peter 5:8) If you allow Satan to have his way with you, your faith will be unproductive and perhaps even die.
So, you can avoid church if you like, but when you do, you are being disobedient. And that being the case, you might consider questioning if you really are in the faith. "Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, do not you, that Jesus Christ lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test?" (II Corinthians 13:5)
Besides, it has been said that the church is a lot like Noah’s Ark. The stench on the inside would be unbearable, except for the storm outside.
Now, as to your saying that "Pagans, islams, homosexuals are not evil…," [sic] I must take exception to that. We’re ALL evil. That is why we need a Savior. Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Him." (John 14:6)
Without Jesus granting us His righteousness through His atoning death on the cross, we are all without hope in the world. This isn’t my idea, it was Jesus’. We are not judging when we say this…we’re merely stating a fact. If salvation were possible through any other means, Jesus died on that cross for nothing.
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January 31st, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Absolutely rather you are a christian or not, you do not need to go to a specific building to be anything. If you believe in a christian god or any other that relationship is purely between you and god (or whatever intitiy you believe in) Church’s can be great places to learn, to meet people with similar beliefs, and to seek answers to those questions you have in your mind and heart. The down side to that is church’s can be corrupt, for profit organizations that do not nurture your spirit.
Whatever your belief, you do not need to belong to a certain denomination, or go warm a pew at some building. God created the universe and everything within it. Some building, however pretty or popular means nothing to him. God is only interested in what lies withing the hearts of the individual be it in your car, the shower, the office, the grocery store or out on the beach, in the woods wherever you choose. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS WHAT IS WITHIN YOUR HEART!!!!!
Good Luck!!! I hope you find what you are looking for.
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January 31st, 2010 at 5:20 pm
I can easily agree with you that fellowship and support are awesome things… that’s what bowling allies, bars and clubs are for.
The answer you asked for:
1)Church is a building filled with people who are all very good examples of hypocrits and liars.
2) Church is also a people… they depend heavily on the lies and other BS they learn at their meeting places in order to feel adiquate about themselves.
[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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January 31st, 2010 at 5:34 pm
What ever is not of God is evil. ( 3 John 1:11)Church is the people. The theif on the cross had no time for church. He was saved without it but Jesus set up His church so we may love one another and fellowship, break bread together and edify one another. ( 1 Cor 12)
Matthew 28:19 – Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
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January 31st, 2010 at 5:52 pm
The Church is supposed to be a people called out by God.
For most people it is nothing more than a building where they gather every Sunday.
As a Christian Preacher I have always maintained that Christianity is a way of life. One that is to be lived everyday.
While I believe it is possible for a person to be a good Christian without the benefit of Church I would think it would be difficult to be in the world on a daily basis and never have fellowship with those that believe as you do.
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January 31st, 2010 at 6:29 pm
First of all. democratU who told you that everyone in church are extremists who hate freedom and liberty and that Christianity can only lead to your demise is seriously confused. I believe it is possible to be a Christian without going to church but going to church is desirable. In situations such as extreme rural areas where there is no minister available except for maybe once a month (I have a friend who is a minister who takes care of 4 different little rural churches that way…preaches at each one, one Sunday a month) it becomes necessary to worship on one’s own or with a group of fellow believer’s. However, if you have a church with a minister accessible to you, it is desirable that you worship in the House of the Lord. It may take a while to find a congregation where you feel comfortable. I hate the term "church shopping" but that’s exactly what it is. Don’t give up just because you have found one particular church distasteful for one reason or another.
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January 31st, 2010 at 6:59 pm
God is in everything alive , I feel god as the spark of life itself,where ever I am there is God.
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