Dake Bible Discussion BoardIt is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

General Discussion Forum devoted to the study of God's Word in Honor of Finis J. Dake.
Post Reply
User avatar
luchnia
Shall Not He that Spared Not His Own Son Freely Give Us All Things?
Posts: 669
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2014 6:01 am

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by luchnia »

scottae316 wrote:Real Christians gather together worship, pray, sing songs of praise and worship. Where does Jesus, Peter, Paul, or any apostle tell us to go to “church”?

If the “church” you go to fits this definition, great. If not, if it’s more interested in building projects, numbers for the sake of numbers, reputation, best preacher, most interesting sermons, youth programs, or anything else that is the number one priority or emphasis then why go there?
I hold a rather unpopular view of today’s church and in no way do I imply that all are in this bucket. In my opinion, today’s churches are not a construct from the Word of God, but a construct from the minds of men and what they believe should occur. It appears men cannot separate evangelism from gathering of the saints to worship, pray, sing etc., and the two are very different. I have asked this before and never get a biblically supported answer. Jesus, the disciples, or apostles, never mixed the two. Why do men?

One cannot “go” to Church as you put it. Church is not a place. It is a body of believers that can gather or assemble. If we follow the definition of Church as the body of Christ of which He is the head and we are the many members fitly framed we can understand this as we are His body and we gather together wherever that may be, whether in a large building or someone’s house like Aprilla and Priscilla had.

Men have mingled and mixed and completely banged up what the body of Christ is about. They put darkness and schisms in His body. Pastors week after week trying to save saints of God with alter calls of all things. When you look at it from a biblical viewpoint it is nothing short of discouraging and sad.

Evangelism is mixed with fellowship and everything else under the sun is allowed to “gather” with the saints of God like adultery, debauchery, drunkenness, sexual perversion and greed among all. Greed is probably the largest of all attributes of many of the churches of today. How can we look at it knowing what Jesus taught and not cringe?

If Jesus, Paul, Stephen or other men of God were to attempt to enter many of the churches of today, they would not be allowed to partake and would be quickly ushered out. I suppose we should not be surprised.


Word up!

User avatar
branham1965
Little Children, Let No Man Deceive You: He that Doeth Righteousness is Righteous, Even as He is Righteous
Posts: 2428
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:18 am

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by branham1965 »

The Bibleman said "go to church" as well.




We are wrong when we don't go to church some where on Sunday.



User avatar
bibleman
Administrator
Posts: 1825
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 1998 5:23 pm
Location: South Carolina
Contact:

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by bibleman »

It is so amazing and absolutely foolish for a Christian to protest the church. In fact it seems impossible that a real Christian could be against the church as some of your posting seems to indicate.

First off on the "church" not being a building but a assembly of believers. Get real. We all know that. Everybody in America knows what a church is. That is just playing some kind of word games.

Secondly, saying that you don't go to church because you are the church! Is just a cop out. Why not say that about your "home." Remember home is where the heart is! Why not NEVER go home! Leave your wife and kids there to fend for themselves. Why? because you can be home without being home. And while we are at it don't bring your paycheck "home" either. After all your wife and kids would just spend it on high living and wrong things that you did not "vote" for. So live away from your family and keep your money - remember home is where you say it is not a HOUSE!

So all the arguments for why you don't want to go to church is just a cop out and excuse for your sin of failing to support and take your place in the body of Christ.

In the real world that I live in.... Not going to church is not an option for a Christian. Fact is real Christians go to church.


God bless
Leon Bible

http://www.ministryhelps.com
http://www.dakebible.com
http://www.dakebibleboard.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DakeBibleDiscussion/

The fault in Bible complications is not with God or the Bible, but with men who refuse to believe what God says and think we have to interpret what He says in order to get the meaning. Dake Bible -Mark 11:17 note

User avatar
luchnia
Shall Not He that Spared Not His Own Son Freely Give Us All Things?
Posts: 669
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2014 6:01 am

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by luchnia »

bibleman wrote:It is so amazing and absolutely foolish for a Christian to protest the church. In fact it seems impossible that a real Christian could be against the church as some of your posting seems to indicate.

First off on the "church" not being a building but a assembly of believers. Get real. We all know that. Everybody in America knows what a church is. That is just playing some kind of word games.

Secondly, saying that you don't go to church because you are the church! Is just a cop out. Why not say that about your "home." Remember home is where the heart is! Why not NEVER go home! Leave your wife and kids there to fend for themselves. Why? because you can be home without being home. And while we are at it don't bring your paycheck "home" either. After all your wife and kids would just spend it on high living and wrong things that you did not "vote" for. So live away from your family and keep your money - remember home is where you say it is not a HOUSE!

So all the arguments for why you don't want to go to church is just a cop out and excuse for your sin of failing to support and take your place in the body of Christ.

In the real world that I live in.... Not going to church is not an option for a Christian. Fact is real Christians go to church.
No one should be against going to Church, if they are, there is generally a problem, however, I would not presume to believe that "everybody in America" knows what you and I may know about the Church.

My post was not an inference or an argument that I do not go to Church. I think the point the other poster and I were making is Church is not somewhere one can go, it is what one is, as Scripture indicates. That was merely all it was. This subject always seems to be a sensitive subject, almost as bad as OSAS. The question comes to my mind of why we press details in every other area of God's word, but we are not willing to put the same scrutiny in this area?


Word up!

User avatar
bibleman
Administrator
Posts: 1825
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 1998 5:23 pm
Location: South Carolina
Contact:

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by bibleman »

luchnia wrote:
bibleman wrote:It is so amazing and absolutely foolish for a Christian to protest the church. In fact it seems impossible that a real Christian could be against the church as some of your posting seems to indicate.

First off on the "church" not being a building but a assembly of believers. Get real. We all know that. Everybody in America knows what a church is. That is just playing some kind of word games.

Secondly, saying that you don't go to church because you are the church! Is just a cop out. Why not say that about your "home." Remember home is where the heart is! Why not NEVER go home! Leave your wife and kids there to fend for themselves. Why? because you can be home without being home. And while we are at it don't bring your paycheck "home" either. After all your wife and kids would just spend it on high living and wrong things that you did not "vote" for. So live away from your family and keep your money - remember home is where you say it is not a HOUSE!

So all the arguments for why you don't want to go to church is just a cop out and excuse for your sin of failing to support and take your place in the body of Christ.

In the real world that I live in.... Not going to church is not an option for a Christian. Fact is real Christians go to church.
No one should be against going to Church, if they are, there is generally a problem, however, I would not presume to believe that "everybody in America" knows what you and I may know about the Church.

My post was not an inference or an argument that I do not go to Church. I think the point the other poster and I were making is Church is not somewhere one can go, it is what one is, as Scripture indicates. That was merely all it was. This subject always seems to be a sensitive subject, almost as bad as OSAS. The question comes to my mind of why we press details in every other area of God's word, but we are not willing to put the same scrutiny in this area?

You said: "Church is not somewhere one can go, it is what one is, as Scripture indicates.:

Well of course but at the same time the generic way we use the word church would be like .... Go down to the stop sign and turn left then the church will be on your right.

So the church is the body of Christ but it is also the building we go to to worship.

The question is where do real Christians go to????

The ball game?
The park?
The mall?
The zoo?

No not at all... Real Christians go to church is as simple as that. And for people to say that they don't go to church and try to claim to be a Christian... Well I would have my doubts about their Christian experience for sure.


God bless
Leon Bible

http://www.ministryhelps.com
http://www.dakebible.com
http://www.dakebibleboard.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DakeBibleDiscussion/

The fault in Bible complications is not with God or the Bible, but with men who refuse to believe what God says and think we have to interpret what He says in order to get the meaning. Dake Bible -Mark 11:17 note

User avatar
scottae316
Wrestle Against Spiritual Wickedness in High Places
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:21 am

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by scottae316 »

bibleman wrote:It is so amazing and absolutely foolish for a Christian to protest the church. In fact it seems impossible that a real Christian could be against the church as some of your posting seems to indicate.

First off on the "church" not being a building but a assembly of believers. Get real. We all know that. Everybody in America knows what a church is. That is just playing some kind of word games.
I would strongly disagree, when you say where is the church, people usually respond with an address or directions to a physical location.
Secondly, saying that you don't go to church because you are the church! Is just a cop out. Why not say that about your "home." Remember home is where the heart is! Why not NEVER go home! Leave your wife and kids there to fend for themselves. Why? because you can be home without being home. And while we are at it don't bring your paycheck "home" either. After all your wife and kids would just spend it on high living and wrong things that you did not "vote" for. So live away from your family and keep your money - remember home is where you say it is not a HOUSE!
I didn’t read where anyone was suggesting or saying that Christians should forsake the gathering with other believers.
So all the arguments for why you don't want to go to church is just a cop out and excuse for your sin of failing to support and take your place in the body of Christ.
Again, no one suggested that Christians should not gather together for worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship.
In the real world that I live in.... Not going to church is not an option for a Christian. Fact is real Christians go to church.
So those who say they are Christians but live in a country that oppresses Christianity and where Churches are illegal and Christian gatherings that are not held secretly aren’t real Christians? That type of thought is way out there, real Christians gather together, in the Western world it is usually churches, but can be in halls and homes. You don’t need a building with a steeple, choir, and organ and/or piano to worship the Lord. You just need to love Him and desire to worship Him with other believers.



User avatar
bibleman
Administrator
Posts: 1825
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 1998 5:23 pm
Location: South Carolina
Contact:

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by bibleman »

scottae316 wrote:
bibleman wrote:It is so amazing and absolutely foolish for a Christian to protest the church. In fact it seems impossible that a real Christian could be against the church as some of your posting seems to indicate.

First off on the "church" not being a building but a assembly of believers. Get real. We all know that. Everybody in America knows what a church is. That is just playing some kind of word games.
I would strongly disagree, when you say where is the church, people usually respond with an address or directions to a physical location.
Secondly, saying that you don't go to church because you are the church! Is just a cop out. Why not say that about your "home." Remember home is where the heart is! Why not NEVER go home! Leave your wife and kids there to fend for themselves. Why? because you can be home without being home. And while we are at it don't bring your paycheck "home" either. After all your wife and kids would just spend it on high living and wrong things that you did not "vote" for. So live away from your family and keep your money - remember home is where you say it is not a HOUSE!
I didn’t read where anyone was suggesting or saying that Christians should forsake the gathering with other believers.
So all the arguments for why you don't want to go to church is just a cop out and excuse for your sin of failing to support and take your place in the body of Christ.
Again, no one suggested that Christians should not gather together for worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship.
In the real world that I live in.... Not going to church is not an option for a Christian. Fact is real Christians go to church.
So those who say they are Christians but live in a country that oppresses Christianity and where Churches are illegal and Christian gatherings that are not held secretly aren’t real Christians? That type of thought is way out there, real Christians gather together, in the Western world it is usually churches, but can be in halls and homes. You don’t need a building with a steeple, choir, and organ and/or piano to worship the Lord. You just need to love Him and desire to worship Him with other believers.
No body is talk about countries where no church exist. Talking about her in the US where churches or on every corner and yet some people won't go and yet still call themselves a christian.

I don't buy that for one moment.

Do you go to church?


God bless
Leon Bible

http://www.ministryhelps.com
http://www.dakebible.com
http://www.dakebibleboard.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DakeBibleDiscussion/

The fault in Bible complications is not with God or the Bible, but with men who refuse to believe what God says and think we have to interpret what He says in order to get the meaning. Dake Bible -Mark 11:17 note

User avatar
scottae316
Wrestle Against Spiritual Wickedness in High Places
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:21 am

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by scottae316 »

bibleman wrote:
scottae316 wrote:
bibleman wrote:It is so amazing and absolutely foolish for a Christian to protest the church. In fact it seems impossible that a real Christian could be against the church as some of your posting seems to indicate.

First off on the "church" not being a building but a assembly of believers. Get real. We all know that. Everybody in America knows what a church is. That is just playing some kind of word games.
I would strongly disagree, when you say where is the church, people usually respond with an address or directions to a physical location.
Secondly, saying that you don't go to church because you are the church! Is just a cop out. Why not say that about your "home." Remember home is where the heart is! Why not NEVER go home! Leave your wife and kids there to fend for themselves. Why? because you can be home without being home. And while we are at it don't bring your paycheck "home" either. After all your wife and kids would just spend it on high living and wrong things that you did not "vote" for. So live away from your family and keep your money - remember home is where you say it is not a HOUSE!
I didn’t read where anyone was suggesting or saying that Christians should forsake the gathering with other believers.
So all the arguments for why you don't want to go to church is just a cop out and excuse for your sin of failing to support and take your place in the body of Christ.
Again, no one suggested that Christians should not gather together for worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship.
In the real world that I live in.... Not going to church is not an option for a Christian. Fact is real Christians go to church.
So those who say they are Christians but live in a country that oppresses Christianity and where Churches are illegal and Christian gatherings that are not held secretly aren’t real Christians? That type of thought is way out there, real Christians gather together, in the Western world it is usually churches, but can be in halls and homes. You don’t need a building with a steeple, choir, and organ and/or piano to worship the Lord. You just need to love Him and desire to worship Him with other believers.
No body is talk about countries where no church exist. Talking about her in the US where churches or on every corner and yet some people won't go and yet still call themselves a christian.

I don't buy that for one moment.

Do you go to church?
Well actually there is not one post that states we are referring to US churches only. When I and most people use the term church without a specific reference to a location, it means the church throughout the world. When thinking of the church, I think of the universal church unless I mention a specific location.

However, you are right, there are plenty of churches here in the US. So you are saying that if a person doesn’t go to church, you question if they are Christians? While it is normative for Christians to attend a church, I have known a few who were deeply committed to Christ and didn’t. I’m not referring to those who work on Sunday mornings either, but that raises an interesting point. What if you work on Sunday mornings? As for your ‘don’t buy that for a moment’, of course you don’t it doesn’t fit with your ideas. I’ve known several people who were deeply hurt by churches and don’t attend. When I was a church pastor, I had just such a person, but through showing love instead of judging she eventually came back. We are told not to neglect gathering together with other believers, there are many who have been wounded by churches and have no desire to take that chance again. Are they excused from fellowshipping, no. Chances are they have been judged enough, now is the time to give and show God’s love for them and ours also.

Do I go to church, did you really ask me that? Wow. But hey, I’ll answer you, yes I do. My turn, do you show love and compassion to those in the church you pastor that don’t agree with you or have different opinions or are you sarcastic and take shots at them?



User avatar
branham1965
Little Children, Let No Man Deceive You: He that Doeth Righteousness is Righteous, Even as He is Righteous
Posts: 2428
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:18 am

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by branham1965 »

+jump2

That post reminds me of the old days on here.

Good post Scott. :angel: :angel:




scottae316 wrote:
bibleman wrote:
scottae316 wrote:
bibleman wrote:It is so amazing and absolutely foolish for a Christian to protest the church. In fact it seems impossible that a real Christian could be against the church as some of your posting seems to indicate.

First off on the "church" not being a building but a assembly of believers. Get real. We all know that. Everybody in America knows what a church is. That is just playing some kind of word games.
I would strongly disagree, when you say where is the church, people usually respond with an address or directions to a physical location.
Secondly, saying that you don't go to church because you are the church! Is just a cop out. Why not say that about your "home." Remember home is where the heart is! Why not NEVER go home! Leave your wife and kids there to fend for themselves. Why? because you can be home without being home. And while we are at it don't bring your paycheck "home" either. After all your wife and kids would just spend it on high living and wrong things that you did not "vote" for. So live away from your family and keep your money - remember home is where you say it is not a HOUSE!
I didn’t read where anyone was suggesting or saying that Christians should forsake the gathering with other believers.
So all the arguments for why you don't want to go to church is just a cop out and excuse for your sin of failing to support and take your place in the body of Christ.
Again, no one suggested that Christians should not gather together for worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship.
In the real world that I live in.... Not going to church is not an option for a Christian. Fact is real Christians go to church.
So those who say they are Christians but live in a country that oppresses Christianity and where Churches are illegal and Christian gatherings that are not held secretly aren’t real Christians? That type of thought is way out there, real Christians gather together, in the Western world it is usually churches, but can be in halls and homes. You don’t need a building with a steeple, choir, and organ and/or piano to worship the Lord. You just need to love Him and desire to worship Him with other believers.
No body is talk about countries where no church exist. Talking about her in the US where churches or on every corner and yet some people won't go and yet still call themselves a christian.

I don't buy that for one moment.

Do you go to church?
Well actually there is not one post that states we are referring to US churches only. When I and most people use the term church without a specific reference to a location, it means the church throughout the world. When thinking of the church, I think of the universal church unless I mention a specific location.

However, you are right, there are plenty of churches here in the US. So you are saying that if a person doesn’t go to church, you question if they are Christians? While it is normative for Christians to attend a church, I have known a few who were deeply committed to Christ and didn’t. I’m not referring to those who work on Sunday mornings either, but that raises an interesting point. What if you work on Sunday mornings? As for your ‘don’t buy that for a moment’, of course you don’t it doesn’t fit with your ideas. I’ve known several people who were deeply hurt by churches and don’t attend. When I was a church pastor, I had just such a person, but through showing love instead of judging she eventually came back. We are told not to neglect gathering together with other believers, there are many who have been wounded by churches and have no desire to take that chance again. Are they excused from fellowshipping, no. Chances are they have been judged enough, now is the time to give and show God’s love for them and ours also.

Do I go to church, did you really ask me that? Wow. But hey, I’ll answer you, yes I do. My turn, do you show love and compassion to those in the church you pastor that don’t agree with you or have different opinions or are you sarcastic and take shots at them?



User avatar
luchnia
Shall Not He that Spared Not His Own Son Freely Give Us All Things?
Posts: 669
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2014 6:01 am

Re: It is Sunday - Be a REAL Christian and go to Church!

Post by luchnia »

scottae316 wrote:As for your ‘don’t buy that for a moment’, of course you don’t it doesn’t fit with your ideas. I’ve known several people who were deeply hurt by churches and don’t attend. When I was a church pastor, I had just such a person, but through showing love instead of judging she eventually came back. We are told not to neglect gathering together with other believers, there are many who have been wounded by churches and have no desire to take that chance again. Are they excused from fellowshipping, no. Chances are they have been judged enough, now is the time to give and show God’s love for them and ours also.
Glad you posted this. You put another good light on this and there are strong positions on different sides of the fence on this subject.

What you posted was good. I wonder how we can drive detail "nails" in the coffin on subjects like OSAS, but subjects like this are sensitive due to people's stances about the modern church era. We are challenged when we take the position that Jesus and the rest of the believers took about His Church throughout centuries, but in our modern world to change what Jesus taught is accepted as OK.

In my POV that is a double-standard. My question concerning the Lord's Church is WHEN did it change and WHO changed it, and on WHAT authority was it changed? The Lord gave no command to change His Church - His body and if He did not, then it is not changed, so it is up to us to reconcile the problems with our understanding. The answers are simple enough - worldly history reveals what happened. One can only wonder the judgement bar on this accepted change will be.

I, as you, know people that have been deeply hurt by church and simply will not attend with the church "hypocrites" but love the Lord, worship, and honor the Lord deeply. Some would say, "How could they love the Lord and not attend the church?" Attending church is not commanded, but not forsaking the gathering of the brethren is the charge to the called out body of believers.

Because one does not attend the church (little c) does not mean they are non-christian by any slice of the pie. It may well be more opposite than most believe. It is certainly different in different areas of the country and that should be considered. If not attending the church made you non-christian then many that followed the disciples and apostles perished in eternal torments unless one considers that two or more constitutes a gathering of the body.

A final thought worth pondering: The "real world" is not what I see around me, but the life the good shepherd gives from His Word.


Word up!

Post Reply