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Church requirement?

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TruthChaser:
I was talking to a friend and we had a debate on whether it was required for believers to go to church.  I strongly disagree with this but wanted to know if there are any good bible scriptures and references I could use to point this out.  I haven't been to my home church in almost 6 months due to a few things that were revealed in scripture, specifically the tithe.  I'm new here and just looking to grow in the Lord and fellowship with others that aren't stuck in the "church" mindset.  Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. 

JohnMichael:
Hi TC,

The verse that is probably used to state that you MUST attend church is:

Heb 10:25  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.

Notice, the verse does not state "in a church" or some variation of that phrase. Our bodies are the temple of God, and God does not dwell in temples made with hands. When you are posting on this site, are you not assembling together with like-minded believers?

However, the church is part of Babylon, and we are commanded by God to "Come OUT of her My people" (Rev. 18:4), so that we are not partakers of her sins and will not receive her punishments. Isaiah also prophesied this when he stated:

Isa 52:11  Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

Jeremiah also prophesied:

Jer 51:6  Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.

Babylon is a system of bondage (of which Christendom is a HUGE part), and the book of Galatians states:

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Christ Himself, speaking of the Pharisees (Babylonian rules of that time), stated:

Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Mat 23:13  But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Hope this helps.

In Him,
John

Dave in Tenn:
I'd recommend the entire Lake of Fire series, maybe this one in particular.

http://bible-truths.com/lake10.html

Don't expect your friend to believe it.  He or she will have their own list of verses to use to believe they are right.  If he or she understood what was being attended, and was exhorting you to attend, he or she might see things differently.    

Hopefully others will chime in, but the most important thing any of us can encourage you to do, is to read the website.  

Good to have you.  
    

Kat:

Hi TruthChaser,

Welcome to the forum  :)

The unscriptural teaching of the church that you are robbing God if you do not give 10% of your income to them is indeed a good reason to mistrust them. But for me it's the other teachings that I find particularly disturbing, when you learn the truth. The worse they teach to me is that a person does not die at death, but lives on somewhere else and for most it will be in a torturous hellhole for endless punishment. I do not want to socialize with and certainly not receive instruction from people that believe in such a thing.

2Co 6:14  Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? And what partnership does light have with darkness? 

It was not until I left the church (as soon as my eyes were opened to this truth) that I began to really grow in the knowledge of the truth.

To use that "assembling together" must be done in a church building to keep people coming, is not a valid argument, but it's just about all they've got.

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

onelovedread:
Hi Kat
If we used 2 Cor 6:14, would we not be really ticking off Christendom. Imagine calling them unbelievers and unlawful:) That's truly drawing a line.

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