Are you a backslider?

[Botz]

I don't think anyone has to go to a church building...we are the Church.

Many local Churches for reasons of social conformity and in order to have a base from which to operate have a building..often this is the best place to gather for times of praise and worship...teaching and fellowship as it is large and can hold the volume of people and also becomes a focal point for Believers spread out all over the area so that at least once a week in their busy schedules they can gather together. The question should be ...if we belong to a local body of Believers and we love each other and enjoy each others company why would we refrain from meeting and being in G-ds presence on a regular basis...That is not to say that you cannot function perfectly well when in isolation..or when circumstances do not warrant these gatherings....but I believe the Church functions best as a unit and that together we are able to minister to each others needs and encourage one another in so many ways. Historically both the Temple and then the synagogues are examples that we emulate through having Church buildings.

I think the Church should be out amongst the people...in our regular jobs..carrying the light of the Gospel ... helping the poor...feeding the hungry and deprived..visiting those in prison..helping the widows and the orphans and especially looking after the needs of those in the Household of faith..in our own local community and all over the world. When we begin to see that this is the true face of the Church...then perhaps more people in the world will also understand that the L-rd Jesus is alive and well in His body...and not isolated in some building where it is a major stumbling block for many unbelievers to even cross the threshold.

Regarding Backsliding...

Slimshady JB wrote....

I don't think it is a sin if you do not go to church, frankly to be honest I have never been to Church in my life since I am so busy. I don't think God is going to cast me out of Heaven because of it. Not everyone can go to a church, sadly. I even have a bad case of swearing a lot and I do some things that most Christians wouldn't, but I still love God and want to obey Him, so I don't think I am a backslider.

I think the only thing that can make you a backslider is if you totally turn against God after you become a Christian, become hostile, never read the Bible, never pray or ask forgiveness, or care about controlling sinful actions (sinning continually, not just a few times). Am I somewhat wise in believing this?

True wisdom would be obedience from the heart.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

John 14:24 He who does not love Me does not keep My Words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.

1John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth.

Hos 11:7 And my people are bent on backsliding from me: though they call them to him that is on high, none at all will exalt him.

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways; And a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

[Guest craig]

Does the assembly have to be in a building with four walls or can it be in a park, livingroom, etc... I think it is where there are two or more lifting up the name of Jesus.

I agree Jamie,we study Gods word with some other believers who believe the way we do because we can't find a church that believes like we do in our area so we meet in each other's house's.

That's the way people use to worship hundreds of years ago.We like it like this because we can stop our study and discuss things when we feel the need.

There are a lot of people going to church who aren't christians who are just "churchgoer's"

Craig

[slimshadyJB]

Regarding Backsliding...

Slimshady JB wrote....

I don't think it is a sin if you do not go to church, frankly to be honest I have never been to Church in my life since I am so busy. I don't think God is going to cast me out of Heaven because of it. Not everyone can go to a church, sadly. I even have a bad case of swearing a lot and I do some things that most Christians wouldn't, but I still love God and want to obey Him, so I don't think I am a backslider.

I think the only thing that can make you a backslider is if you totally turn against God after you become a Christian, become hostile, never read the Bible, never pray or ask forgiveness, or care about controlling sinful actions (sinning continually, not just a few times). Am I somewhat wise in believing this?

True wisdom would be obedience from the heart.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

John 14:24 He who does not love Me does not keep My Words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.

1John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth.

Hos 11:7 And my people are bent on backsliding from me: though they call them to him that is on high, none at all will exalt him.

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways; And a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

I agree with what you said, and you gave good scriptures and response. True wisdom does come from obedience from the heart, but when I said that I swear a lot and stuff I do most of it accidentally. I don't think swearing really makes you a backslider if it's not on purpose, of course, that means we shouldn't do it whenever we feel like it, but even if we do, God won't cast us out of Heaven, since we're never perfect. He's very forgiving, thats's all I'm trying to say.

[One Way]

I have been wondering...If you are saved and you are not going to church on a regular basis, Are you considered a backslider? Do you really have to go to church evertime the doors are open to live for God? People have their own oppion  about this and I have my own although I am struggling with it. What do you think?

Going to or not going to church isn't what puts us in a position of being backslidden.

It is a condition of the heart.

In our Christian walk we are either moving forward with the Lord or we are moving backwards with the Lord.

Maintaining regular fellowship is a critical aspect of staying on fire and accountable to others.

Rom 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

Rom 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Blessings...

[3in1]

I think we are so deeply steeped in tradition until sometime we mistake that for convictions.

People tend to make people feel guilty for not going to church....If I run into someone I haven't seen in awhile the first question they ask is usually "where are you going to church", not "how is your relationship with Jesus Christ". Thats the way we are programmed.

great insight!

i look at it like this, you dont have to go to a gym to workout and you dont have to be in a 'church building' to grow.

in Christ

[Botz]

SlimshadyJB wrote...

I agree with what you said, and you gave good scriptures and response. True wisdom does come from obedience from the heart, but when I said that I swear a lot and stuff I do most of it accidentally. I don't think swearing really makes you a backslider if it's not on purpose, of course, that means we shouldn't do it whenever we feel like it, but even if we do, God won't cast us out of Heaven, since we're never perfect. He's very forgiving, thats's all I'm trying to say.

Oneway wrote...

Going to or not going to church isn't what puts us in a position of being backslidden.

It is a condition of the heart.

In our Christian walk we are either moving forward with the Lord or we are moving backwards with the Lord.

Maintaining regular fellowship is a critical aspect of staying on fire and accountable to others.

That about sums it up.

The L-rd is full of loving-kindness and is patient and long-suffering towards us and we will need His forgiveness till the day we die...but we would be most foolish if we did not seek to see change in our lives and just majored on the fact that it is in the nature of G-d to forgive therefore we can continue to sin because He will continue to forgive. We are called to be overcomers and we are expected to use and not abuse the grace of G-d towards us....2Ti 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Many of us in the West treat sin of any sort very matter of factly because we do not allow ourselves to truely see what Christ has accomplished for us and much of our repentance is very very shallow and our understanding of the Father heart of G-d is imbalanced.

That being said ...of course there is that time in our early walk as Believers when we are like babies and need our baby food and lots of tender care....but we must get out of the playpen and learn to walk and tie our own shoe-laces.

1Co 3:1 And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual ones, but as to fleshly, as to babes in Christ.

1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk and not with solid food, for you were not yet able to bear it; nor are you able even now.

1Co 3:3 For you are yet carnal. For in that there is among you envyings and strife and divisions, are you not carnal, and do you not walk according to men?

[stevehut]

If you are saved and you are not going to church on a regular basis, Are you considered a backslider? Do you really have to go to church evertime the doors are open to live for God?

I think you're asking the wrong question here.

If you are, indeed, a saved Christian, then why would this be an issue? Fellowship with other Christians is a natural part of a Christian lifestyle. Consider the example of the early church:

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

[stevehut]

I still love God and want to obey Him, so I don't think I am a backslider.

You want to obey God? But you don't go to a place that teaches you how and helps you to do it? I don't understand...

[slimshadyJB]

I still love God and want to obey Him, so I don't think I am a backslider.

You want to obey God? But you don't go to a place that teaches you how and helps you to do it? I don't understand...

Church doesn't tell how how to obey God, the Bible does!

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

The definition of backsliding: is to return to wrong or sinful ways(Funk&Wagnalls dictionary).If you continue in a sinful matter without repenting,you'll end up a backslider.