Are You A Better Christian If You Regularly Attend Church?

[Toro]

Of course not.

Organized religion is a man-made construct, not a God-made one.

And its BS that there is a "right" Christian church.

I get what you're saying. But just to be a nitpicking douche to your point, I think the Westboro Baptist Church can safely be considered a wrong Christian church.

OK OK you got me there...

 

[Baruch Menachem]

It is not attendance that matters so much as translating what you get form attendance to the rest of the week.

If all you do is sit in the pew and let the sounds roll over you like a sonorous fog, leaving you no different from if you did not attend, then the exercise is pointless.

 

[Sheldon]

Of course not.

Organized religion is a man-made construct, not a God-made one.

And its BS that there is a "right" Christian church.

I get what you're saying. But just to be a nitpicking douche to your point, I think the Westboro Baptist Church can safely be considered a wrong Christian church.

OK OK you got me there...

That's a SWEET default CONCESSION, sis!

/Pubes

 

[AllieBaba]

Attending church is an outward expression of inward conviction and faith.

It also bolsters those who believe - joining up with others who believe as you do, rejoicing in God, supporting each other, reviewing scripture...all these things can strengthen faith and improve one's relationship with God.

Going to church is like reading the bible. We are commanded to do it, and good things happen when we do. Does it make you a better Christian? Well it can, if you use it to improve your walk. And hearing the Word spoken and immersing oneself in the Word is always a positive thing.

 

[uscitizen]

If you do not test your faith by taking up the serpent you will burn in hell for all eternity!

 

[Cecilie1200]

Many people think it doesn't make a difference in God's eyes, and others think it does. What is your opinion and why do you hold it.

Aqua*

Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us:

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

So yeah. I think if He bothered to put it in there, it matters to Him.

I don't think it's a matter of whether or not you go sit in a fancy cathedral with stained glass and a choir, or whether you go to someone's house with ten other folks to pray and study the Scriptures. The point is that you are gathering together with other Christians to learn and help bolster and strengthen each other.

And that's why it DOES make you a better Christian. Not that you're better for having done it, but because doing it helps you become better. Sort of like you're not a better, healthier person just for the act of going to the gym, but the activities you engage in there will, over time, help you become better and healthier.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I'll tell you something else. Getting together with other Christians accomplishes the same thing that hanging around your family does: it brings you into contact with people you would otherwise never dream of associating with.

Terry Pratchett said that humans need to be bounced around by the Brownian motion of society to remind them that they're human. I think Christians need to be bounced up against other Christians, some of whom they otherwise wouldn't dream of associating with, as a sort of sanding and polishing procedure on their characters. It's easy to be a nice person, filled with Christian charity, when you're only ever surrounded by people you like. It's not so easy when you're in contact with people you occasionally want to strangle.

 

[Hister]

Going to church shows you what other imbeciles believe in your malarkey, then you all sit around while the priest bores you to death, then he charges you for the priviledge of hearing his homo-pedo speech.

 

[AllieBaba]

If you do not test your faith by taking up the serpent you will burn in hell for all eternity!

Do not temp the Lord thy God.

 

[saveliberty]

I'll tell you something else. Getting together with other Christians accomplishes the same thing that hanging around your family does: it brings you into contact with people you would otherwise never dream of associating with.

Terry Pratchett said that humans need to be bounced around by the Brownian motion of society to remind them that they're human. I think Christians need to be bounced up against other Christians, some of whom they otherwise wouldn't dream of associating with, as a sort of sanding and polishing procedure on their characters. It's easy to be a nice person, filled with Christian charity, when you're only ever surrounded by people you like. It's not so easy when you're in contact with people you occasionally want to strangle.

I know of several times that the church family knew more about the person than the family did.

 

[jeffrockit]

I sometimes wonder how many people go to Church on Sunday, feeling that they've done their "part" for the week, yet continue to lie, cheat, steal, hit, cuss, molest, commit adultry, etc...but it's all good since they went to Church.


Wearing a pretty hat or a suit and sitting in a pew for an hour doesn't make you a Christian.

It's your faith, some choose to keep that personal. Others want to share it with the world.

Being with other believers is a good thing, as long as you're walking the walk and talking the talk the rest of the time too.

Or at least trying too, we ALL are human, and sinners, and struggle with our demons too.

The good news is that it's not up to us what other do as they state to being a Christian. All the sins you mentioned in the first line are between those individuals and God. All sin is the same in God's eyes.

 

[uscitizen]

I sometimes wonder how many people go to Church on Sunday, feeling that they've done their "part" for the week, yet continue to lie, cheat, steal, hit, cuss, molest, commit adultry, etc...but it's all good since they went to Church.


Wearing a pretty hat or a suit and sitting in a pew for an hour doesn't make you a Christian.

It's your faith, some choose to keep that personal. Others want to share it with the world.

Being with other believers is a good thing, as long as you're walking the walk and talking the talk the rest of the time too.

Or at least trying too, we ALL are human, and sinners, and struggle with our demons too.

The good news is that it's not up to us what other do as they state to being a Christian. All the sins you mentioned in the first line are between those individuals and God. All sin is the same in God's eyes.

Umm god laid down different punishments for different sins in Leviticus.

 

[jeffrockit]

I sometimes wonder how many people go to Church on Sunday, feeling that they've done their "part" for the week, yet continue to lie, cheat, steal, hit, cuss, molest, commit adultry, etc...but it's all good since they went to Church.


Wearing a pretty hat or a suit and sitting in a pew for an hour doesn't make you a Christian.

It's your faith, some choose to keep that personal. Others want to share it with the world.

Being with other believers is a good thing, as long as you're walking the walk and talking the talk the rest of the time too.

Or at least trying too, we ALL are human, and sinners, and struggle with our demons too.

The good news is that it's not up to us what other do as they state to being a Christian. All the sins you mentioned in the first line are between those individuals and God. All sin is the same in God's eyes.

Umm god laid down different punishments for different sins in Leviticus.

1) God's law in the Old Testament was both religious and civil. Yes, even now different sins have different consequences on this earth. But New Testament 'law' is NOT civil, because Christ's kingdom is NOT of this earth. So different Mosaic penalties mean nothing under the new covenant.

Romans 6:25 says "the wages of sin is death."
Point is Sin is Sin. Bigger point to my response is it's not up to us, what others calling themselves Christian do. Christians and Non Christians waste so much time playing gotcha. God knows what you have done and will act accordingly.

 

[uscitizen]

The good news is that it's not up to us what other do as they state to being a Christian. All the sins you mentioned in the first line are between those individuals and God. All sin is the same in God's eyes.

Umm god laid down different punishments for different sins in Leviticus.

1) God's law in the Old Testament was both religious and civil. Yes, even now different sins have different consequences on this earth. But New Testament 'law' is NOT civil, because Christ's kingdom is NOT of this earth. So different Mosaic penalties mean nothing under the new covenant.

Romans 6:25 says "the wages of sin is death."
Point is Sin is Sin. Bigger point to my response is it's not up to us, what others calling themselves Christian do. Christians and Non Christians waste so much time playing gotcha. God knows what you have done and will act accordingly.

The "reward" for being a Christian is also death.
We all die. Only question is there anything after death?

 

[Cecilie1200]

Umm god laid down different punishments for different sins in Leviticus.

1) God's law in the Old Testament was both religious and civil. Yes, even now different sins have different consequences on this earth. But New Testament 'law' is NOT civil, because Christ's kingdom is NOT of this earth. So different Mosaic penalties mean nothing under the new covenant.

Romans 6:25 says "the wages of sin is death."
Point is Sin is Sin. Bigger point to my response is it's not up to us, what others calling themselves Christian do. Christians and Non Christians waste so much time playing gotcha. God knows what you have done and will act accordingly.

The "reward" for being a Christian is also death.
We all die. Only question is there anything after death?

That verse doesn't mean physical death. It means spiritual death, the soul being separated from its Creator for eternity.

 

[uscitizen]

Ahh intrepretations, where would religion be without them.
We have how many different "translations" of the Bible in print?

 

[jeffrockit]

Umm god laid down different punishments for different sins in Leviticus.

1) God's law in the Old Testament was both religious and civil. Yes, even now different sins have different consequences on this earth. But New Testament 'law' is NOT civil, because Christ's kingdom is NOT of this earth. So different Mosaic penalties mean nothing under the new covenant.

Romans 6:25 says "the wages of sin is death."
Point is Sin is Sin. Bigger point to my response is it's not up to us, what others calling themselves Christian do. Christians and Non Christians waste so much time playing gotcha. God knows what you have done and will act accordingly.

The "reward" for being a Christian is also death.
We all die. Only question is there anything after death?

If you are a Christian there is. I am not basing my religious beliefs on what a poster's opinion is on a message board so all of your anti Christian rhetoric has zero affect on my salvation.
If you are not a Christian why does it matter so much to you. What an incredible waste of your time to try and convince others against Christianity. I do find it amusing that so many non believers spend so much time talking/arguing about something they don't even believe in. I will not waste 1 second of my time on anything I don't believe in but you go ahead, its your time.

 

[uscitizen]

1) God's law in the Old Testament was both religious and civil. Yes, even now different sins have different consequences on this earth. But New Testament 'law' is NOT civil, because Christ's kingdom is NOT of this earth. So different Mosaic penalties mean nothing under the new covenant.

Romans 6:25 says "the wages of sin is death."
Point is Sin is Sin. Bigger point to my response is it's not up to us, what others calling themselves Christian do. Christians and Non Christians waste so much time playing gotcha. God knows what you have done and will act accordingly.

The "reward" for being a Christian is also death.
We all die. Only question is there anything after death?

If you are a Christian there is. I am not basing my religious beliefs on what a poster's opinion is on a message board so all of your anti Christian rhetoric has zero affect on my salvation.
If you are not a Christian why does it matter so much to you. What an incredible waste of your time to try and convince others against Christianity. I do find it amusing that so many non believers spend so much time talking/arguing about something they don't even believe in. I will not waste 1 second of my time on anything I don't believe in but you go ahead, its your time.

So you would not post anyting trying to get the other party to believe it?
Or to complain about their beliefs in their party?

 

[jeffrockit]

The "reward" for being a Christian is also death.
We all die. Only question is there anything after death?

If you are a Christian there is. I am not basing my religious beliefs on what a poster's opinion is on a message board so all of your anti Christian rhetoric has zero affect on my salvation.
If you are not a Christian why does it matter so much to you. What an incredible waste of your time to try and convince others against Christianity. I do find it amusing that so many non believers spend so much time talking/arguing about something they don't even believe in. I will not waste 1 second of my time on anything I don't believe in but you go ahead, its your time.

So you would not post anyting trying to get the other party to believe it?
Or to complain about their beliefs in their party?

I dont post to change someone's mind on religion. That is not up to me. My original post was to my beliefs on salvation and sin, no one else.
Your post is opinion as is mine, nothing more. I am not posting on my disbelief in Atheism.
Again, why does it matter to you of you are not a believer? My beliefs affect you in no way.

 

[Middleman]

I attended church for many years. I finally dropped out, and feel at peace. I wasn't a better Christian when I went. Some of the best people I know don't attend church.

Many good, even holy, people don't 'believe' in God. Many church goers just go through the motions, for one reason or another.