Am I Still Saved If I Don’t Go To Church?

Q

Am I still saved if I keep sinning the same sin? I feel that not going to church is a sin because of the Commandments yet I still continue to decline going, will this affect my salvation?

A

There isn’t any commandment that requires you to attend Church. Paul wrote that some people regard one day as more sacred than another and other people regard every day as the same. Each one should be fully convinced in His own mind (Romans 14:5). He also said not to let anyone judge you with regard to a religious celebration or a sabbath day. He said these things are a shadow of the things that were to come, but the reality is found in Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).

Hebrews 10:25 warns us not to give up meeting together, but this doesn’t necessarily refer to church attendance. Jesus said, “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I will be there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). This could be a home fellowship group, a Bible Study, or even a casual meeting of believers gathered to pray or discuss Biblical topics.

We can derive great benefit from being in the company of other believers and worshiping God together, and I believe pastors and other church leaders are justified in encouraging Church attendance. After all, they go to a lot of effort to provide a meaningful worship experience for their members and want to see as many of them as possible be blessed by their efforts. But if they go so far as to suggest that a person who doesn’t attend is sinning or risking their salvation, they’ve gone beyond what God’s word commanded.

I think you should take this to prayer, and if you still feel bad about skipping, then you should go. If not, then don’t worry about it. Remember, Paul said each one should be convinced in his own mind.