Does Simply going to Service on Sunday Make you a good Christian?
By Marie5656
@Marie5656 (336)
United States
November 12, 2008 12:00pm CST
So often there are people who consider themselves good Christians because they attend Sunday Service every week, or tithe X amount of dollars. But then the rest of the week they do not "walk the walk" as it were. They do not practice what is preached to them, or what is read from the Bible. There is bigotry and racism out there, hatefullness and hurtfulness...all based on being a "good" person.
What is your opinion? Is being a Christian more that what goes on inside your church?
For myself, I only recently returned to regular attedance at church a couple of months ago. I was raised a Catholic, but now attend a Christian Church. I am not sure I consider myself a "good Christian" just yet. I am doing my best, and still learning. I do admit to having person opinions and beliefs that to not mesh with what the Bible is said to teach..and I am not sure I will ever change these views. But my opinions are not hate based, just the way I feel about things.
Only one example, and I will say that these are MY PERSONAL BELIEFS..and I am not changing my views. I am a very "gay-friendly" person. I have friends and family members, male and female who are gay. I love these people, accept and tolerate thier preferences. I feel they should be allowed to legally show their love and commitment to each other by being able to marry. I feel they are NOT hurting anyone by this act of love.
BUT, does this mean I cannot be a "good Christian"?
4 people like this
14 responses
@BellasmamaTiff (2544)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Simply attending service does not make you a Christion. But, loving, and accepting gay people, and those not otherwise considered to be "good christians" does not make you a bad person either. In all actuality, that makes you an even better person. An even "better" Christian. God loves all who ask for him, all that need him, and all that live for him. And, as His people, we should love everyone as well. Even those who are not kind to us, even those that have hurt us or wronged us.
2 people like this
@mdesigning (345)
• Netherlands
12 Nov 08
I'm a Christian and I don't go to service each week. I think as long as you make other people happy, have faith and stay loyal and don't steal or anything you will be a good Christian. Some people just think otherwise about what you said in your last few lines. That doesn't mean you're a bad Christian.
2 people like this
@dragonflyfli (5528)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I guess being a good christain is what the individual conciders to be so. Some people need to get very involved in church and others go for socialization or peace of mind. Alot of churches are different. Some are very strict on what they concider you should be like. And others are more flexible about their practices. Mostly, i think that churches are there to serve some purpose in influence within the community. And they all have differnt objectives. When someone goes to a church it is their choice to like it or dislike, some may not be the right place for certain people. I guess there are some "bad" people that sit in church. But everyone goes to church for different reasons.
@Marie5656 (336)
• United States
13 Nov 08
You make good points there. I think I go for both, the socialization and to get involved with church activities. I like that my church has a mission of helping those in need. We provided filled backpacks for children when school started, we give to the community food cupboard and many other things.
I enjoy being involved in this way.
@skbh12 (2946)
• Philippines
13 Nov 08
[b]hi marie5656!
going to church does not mainly make you a good christian. for me, becoming a good christian should walk to the path wherein Jesus walks in. i am personally guilty of this i may say because during my younger years, i used to be a very religious person in a way that i regularly attend church services, you won't hear any bad words coming out of my mouth. i see to it that i am very much active with church activities like joining choirs, sunday school teaching and sing as a back up singer in the praise and worship. but this has been changed. yeah i know i have a lot of catching up to do with going back to the Father and serve Him like i use to do.
as what i was trying to say, becoming a good christian is simply becoming a good follower of Christ.
happy posting and happy mylotting! [/b]
1 person likes this
@Carpathian (582)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I thought about what you said and I feel that being raised a Catholic myself, plus, I have gone to many different churches to study many different religions. I found that many ppl claim to be religious but are not. In many religions I have found that "Love they neighbor as you love theyself" is in it. And, "Let he who has not sin cast the first stone". But,the best I found was an old lady who was homeless. She told me all she ever does is pray every morning for, "Good thoughts and good deeds with a smile in return." I think that is all we really need to have in our lives. Is to do our best to make a living and "Pray for good thoughts and good deeds and be rewarded with a smile of love." Anything else is just hate and evil trying to steer you the wrong direction. What ppl do with their lives is their choice. What you choose is your. So, be happy with what you choose. Not, loving or caring about someone for their color, religion or anything else is not right. You should not judge that is not up to you or anyone of this earth. It is up to their maker. Take care!
1 person likes this
@limosonia1 (1559)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I don't believe that soley makes you a good christin. I have always had a problem with people that go then totally act like they have never been there once they have walked out the doors. Some don't even have compastion for others yet they call themselves good christins because they go to church and from upon the people who don't. I think what you are describing is a good christin it is not for us to judge but for good to judge we are hear to support and to love everybody regardless of there choices.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
12 Nov 08
Being a Christian is following and obeying God's law as is in the ten commandments, and also not encouraging people to disobey God. So if your views are not what is written in the Bible, or what Jesus Christ or Paul said, then you are not a good Christian. If you encourage someone to go against God, i.e. your homosexual friends, by saying it is all right for a man to have s*x with another man or a woman with a woman, then you are not a good Christian. If you say it is wrong for a man to cheat on his wife, unless it is with another man, or if it is wrong for someone to steal, yet it is all right for two girls to have s*x and go through a marriage ceremony, then not only are you not a good Christian but also a hypocrite.
And if you are afraid to stand out and say that homosexuality or gambling even though it helps hospitals is wrong, you are a coward.
@Marie5656 (336)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I respect your opinion and your stand on this. But I must ask. It seems that personally, my only major "fault" is that I respect all people, despite their sexuality.
I do not believe adultry is right in any manor. A man cheating on his wife, or a woman cheating on her husband goes against their marriage vows, as well as the commandments.
Unfortunatly, not all human beings are Christian. Some are Jews, Muslim and other denominations. Are *they* bad people because they are not Christian?
What with war, domestic violence, murder, terrorism, abuse of children in the world, among many other evils, I find that denouncing a person for loving another person, be they of the same gender or not is wrong.
Judge not lest ye be judged.
@sweetpeasmom (1325)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I do not think going to church makes you a Christian. We used to go to church 3 times a week and it was so full of gossip and trouble that we quit going. We are Christians and love God more now when we got on a personal relationship with him instead of focusing on church stuff.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I was raised catholic also and I have many issues with that. I have not been to church in a long while. I think that what is in your heart...how you live your life, how much love you spread...that counts for everything. If going to church helps you to stay on a good and loving path then who should care what religion it is. If it helps you be a more loving person then it is the right thing for you. Too often...far too often...I see self-righteous, hateful, mean thoughts and actions come from people who go to church thinking that their mere membership somehow puts them above others on some scale of things. Whatever path we choose, our goal should all be the same....to be good, kind, loving, honest people. Its a lot of work. we all need to just pay attention to our hearts and stop telling other people how to be.
@jesus777 (662)
• Bermuda
12 Nov 08
going to church does not make you no more a christian then me a laying eggs makes me a chicken it is not about going to the building it is about your relationship with the lord jesus christ i go to church but it is about how you live your life on daily basis it is pleasing to god i know many who go to church on sunday and act like the devil through the week i live with one my mother so i have first hand experience on that it is not about the building but one on one relationship with are lord and savior jesus christ when jesus returns he is coming back for people not the building!!!!
happy mylotting
chow for now!!!!
@torchablazed (3218)
• Philippines
13 Nov 08
No, it isnt, going to church regularly nor professing one as Christian yet failed to do and act what Christ has done I would say, doubtful to a non-categorically a Christian but a hypocrite, of course it is hard to do exceptionally good since we can't be good but that doesnt mean it is already an excuse that you couldnt do a small act of kindness or love for another. Jesus himself commanded us that you love one another, and that by these men shall know that you are my disciple, that would mean that you don't necessarily be at church always and doesnt do what Christ has commanded I think that would still be useless, I often go to church myself, but not too regularly since I am really hooked up with important things, still I believe that doesnt disqualify me somehow that I am not one, as by God's grace I always yield and depend. Thanks for a such a wonderful discussion.
@katrhina23 (1282)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Being a Christian doesnt end there. One has to be a "practicing" Christian. Which means aside from going to Church every Sunday, one has to practice whatever teachings their church have.
I have a "former friend " (we're not friends anymore because of what she did to me). She and the whole family are very prayerful. They are active church goers, they support the church . Bur God knows how mean she was to me . I didnt react on what she did, but my friends and colleagues did. They knew what happened and they knew what she did . She has the reputation to be sweet and kind. Well to some maybe . But those people that thought she was like that, they realized she wasnt at all.
Anyway, I dont consider myself a perfect Christian , but as far as I know, I am doing my best to be one. I am not doing anything wrong to other people.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
13 Nov 08
I agree with you (and I think its your view that christianity is more than attendance or tithing).I think it is an activity rather than superficial ritualistic practise,it is an activity more than what you say you believe, it is what you do based on what you believe.Consequently actions such as attendance and tithing on a sunday when you practise anti biblical principles during the week doesnt make you a good christian.In fact it makes you the opposite because it shows who your real master is by the amount of praise you give him during the week when you are hating and fornicating and so on.
I disagree with you on one instance though and that is your pro gay stance.I belief that the bible speaks out against these actions and association with these people must only be with a view to changing them.However ,I dont believe their sin is any worst than fornication ,idolatry ,bigotry and many of the sins I am guilty of.Sin is sin.Nor do I believe in discrimination against them .
I respect your views though
