What you are saying about Christians who are not going to church are not saved is utter rubbish. It’s all one-sided. I Kings 18:21 tells us not to limp between two opinions. Amos 3:3 says how can two walk together except they be agreed. II Corinthians 6:14-17 says come out from unbelievers — those are Christians, not non-Christians. II Timothy 3:5 says having a form of godliness denying the power from such turn away, don’t turn to them. Revelation 3:15-16 is about the church being neither cold nor hot but lukewarm spewing them out of your mouth. Revelation 2:4 says having something against you because the church has lost its first love. You don’t turn to a church like this, you turn away. So are these Christians off the hook? Yes, they are when it concerns the state of the church today.<\/p>\n\t
Your argument is that because you imagine some vague, unspecified fault among what I assume are denominational churches you are given the privilege of ignoring the commands to assemble as a church. The reasons a Christian is required to assemble and worship with other Christians are spelled out in “Do you think it’s a sin not to go to church?<\/a>” and “Does a person have to attend church?<\/a>“<\/p>\n The answer to Elijah’s question, “How long will you falter between two opinions?<\/em>” (I Kings 18:21) was not to stop worshiping God. He challenged the people to leave idolatry and return to true worship. “If the LORD is God, follow Him!<\/em>“<\/p>\n It is God who asks, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?<\/em>” (Amos 3:3). He asked this right after warning the Israelites, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities<\/em>” (Amos 3:2). The question is a warning that the Israelites cannot claim a relationship with God while going against His will. Thus, they cannot expect leniency from God just because God had picked them from all the nations of the earth to be His people.<\/p>\n Paul stated, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?<\/em>” (II Corinthians 6:14) as a warning that Christians cannot blend worldliness with Christianity.<\/p>\n Paul also warned, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!<\/em>” (II Timothy 3:1-5). Again, the warning is to stay away from evil and worldly people.<\/p>\n The church in Laodicea had compromised its position. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot<\/em>” (Revelation 3:15). It was Jesus who was warning them to straighten up or be rejected (Revelation 3:16). He is not telling the brethren in Laodicea to abandon their assembles, but to change. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne<\/em>” (Revelation 3:19-21).<\/p>\n Yes, the church in Ephesus had left their first love (Revelation 2:4). But again the solution was not a mass exodus from the church, but a change in behavior as a church. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place–unless you repent<\/em>” (Revelation 2:5).<\/p>\n In every case you cited, the problem was sin and the cure was to abandoned sin. Never did God suggest that people could do less than what He called them to do simply because others were not living up to His standard. Yet this is the very thing you claim.<\/p>\n If there are sins in the church, then it needs to be removed. If a church won’t leave the world behind, then it is time to find one that lives by the Gospel. If none are faithful, then start one with other, like-minded people. But never is there a call to abandon the assembling of Christians.<\/p>\n “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And 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<\/em>” (Hebrews 10:23-25).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: What you are saying about Christians who are not going to church are not saved is utter rubbish. It’s all one-sided. I Kings 18:21 tells us not to limp between two opinions. Amos 3:3 says how can two walk together except they be agreed. II Corinthians 6:14-17 says come out from unbelievers — those…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[356],"class_list":["post-18079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-attendance"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":67187,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/denominationalism\/","url_meta":{"origin":18079,"position":0},"title":"Denominationalism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Denominationalism today is not just about one particular doctrine but a mindset that relates to how we think about the Lord's body. Denominational thinking perceives the church (universal) as comprised of an interconnected web of congregations instead of seeing the church as comprised of individual Christians without\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52572,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-benevolence-by-christians-limited-to-other-christians\/","url_meta":{"origin":18079,"position":1},"title":"Is benevolence by Christians limited to other Christians?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I want to know whether sharing or any act of benevolence by Christians should be limited to the body of Christ alone. Answer: There are two standards for benevolence work.\u00a0 One concerns what the church can do and the other concerns what individuals are expected to do. The easy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19690,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-there-christians-in-all-churches\/","url_meta":{"origin":18079,"position":2},"title":"Are there Christians in all churches?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 30, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a friend that is a member of a denominational church. I am a member of Christ's church. We had a discussion about Christians. I told her that she is not a Christian because she has not been added to the Lord's one and only church of Christ.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8926,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-should-a-new-congregation-be-called\/","url_meta":{"origin":18079,"position":3},"title":"What should a new congregation be called?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 4, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am starting a small church in my home. I have attended the Church of Christ here most of my life and preached there as well. I greatly value your site. I am starting this church because the two churches of Christ here have a nasty reputation around town.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29728,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-christians-individually-married-to-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":18079,"position":4},"title":"Are Christians individually married to Christ?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 26, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Does the Bible talk about individuals being a bride of God or a bride of Christ? It is my understanding that the church as a whole is the bride of Christ, and I think it is not accurate to say things \"I am married to God\" or \"Christ is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16078,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-the-harlot-in-revelation-17-18-the-roman-catholic-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":18079,"position":5},"title":"Is the harlot in Revelation 17-18 the Roman Catholic Church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 17, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm reading the prophetic book of Revelation and comparing it with Daniel for I heard they are talking about the same subject. In chapters 17 to 18, it seems to be specific in symbolism for it points out that the woman, who is a whore, is a kingdom that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18079"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18079\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}