Is it a sin for protestants to skip church on Sundays and why do they feel it is okay.

[CMatt25]

Christ gave many examples for expressing our Christian faith, our love for Him and for our neighbors. Not the least of was to serve the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the sick, and the prisoner. To serve these is to serve Him He taught. And those who serve Him in these ways are righteousness He tells us and they will not be spit out but will enter eternal life is what He teaches in Matt 25:35-46. To be peacemakers also is to be blest He teaches from the Mount.

Simply attending Mass every wk under edict from Rome to avoid Rome’s definition of mortal sin hardly is enough to avoid being lukewarm. In fact I seriously question based on what Christ taught in the verses I outlined, if it is mortal sin and even a requirement for obtaining an eternity with Him. Based on faith in Him and in these words of His, it isn’t. God bless and peace.

 

[CMatt25]

True, just going through the motions doesn’t make one a Christian, but hopefully if one is lukewarm and is in church, they will near something they ordinarily wouldn’t and “light a fire” in them. And maybe through the graces of the Eucharist they will be led to be more dedicated to live a Christian life.

Can’t hurt hopefully. Of course if you hear as I did not long ago in the worst recession since the Great Depression that the celebrant’s answer to the poor is to get a job, doesn’t exactly light a fire to serve. Peace.

 

[firstmode]

The Catholic Church interprets the 3rd Commandment to “keep holy the Lord’s Day” as an obligation on its members to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days. Non-Catholics may not be obligated to this interpretation. However, if a person adheres to the Ten Commandments they must fulfill that commandment regardless of their denomination. This is God’s Commandment!

Gathering together with other Christians for worship, The Lord’s Supper, baptism, agape love feasts, house meetings/house bible studies, is encouraged in the scriptures. If someone makes it to Church on a Wed night, a Thrus Night, a Sunday Morning, a Saturday night, a Sunday Night, a Tuesday Morning, etc. it does not interfere with forsaking gathering together.

It is not my opinion that Paul equated forsaking the gathering together to the 3rd commandment. I think Paul was much more clear about the 3rd commandment below:

Colossians 2:13-17

13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,[a] God made you** alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[c]

16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or** with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.** 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.**

 

[Richard_Kastner]

Gathering together with other Christians for worship, The Lord’s Supper, baptism, agape love feasts, house meetings/house bible studies, is encouraged in the scriptures. If someone makes it to Church on a Wed night, a Thrus Night, a Sunday Morning, a Saturday night, a Sunday Night, a Tuesday Morning, etc. it does not interfere with forsaking gathering together.

It is not my opinion that Paul equated forsaking the gathering together to the 3rd commandment. I think Paul was much more clear about the 3rd commandment below:

Colossians 2:13-17

13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,[a] God made you** alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14**having canceled the written code, with its regulations****, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[c]

16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or** with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.** 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

How is the Sabbath commandment against us and what is it a shadow of. I think **God **makes it clear what He thinks of the seventh day Sabbath here.
Gen.2
3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

 

[excubitor]

Getting out of the sack and going to church makes one no more a Christian than standing in their garage makes them a car. Peace.

When I was a protestant there were times when I almost gave up being a Christian. By some instinct I knew that it was only by going to church that the scarlet thread was saved from snapping. So I diligently went to church and ESPECIALLY when I really didn’t feel like it.

As an employer there are many days where it takes every effort at your disposal to get out of the sack and go to work and then when you get there you are a zombie on the job. But you have to do it because otherwise you will be fired.

If we can get out of the sack to prevent getting fired from our work then we should be able to get out of the sack to prevent getting fired for ever.

Christians get out of the sack and go to church. Christians who don’t go to church ARE NOT Christians. It’s as simple and black and white as that.

Of course there are protestant and catholic Christians who believe that they don’t have to go to church. Some people make excuses for them like “they don’t know any better”. Sorry. Not good enough. That’s like a wage earner saying “I didn’t know I had to put my tax return in”

 

[KathleenGee]

The other thing about Catholicism is that we profess our faith as a community, not as individuals.

It has been said that the Jewish and Catholic believers relate to God in the same way in that we are an actual culture and revolve our lives around God. We go to heaven together in a mystical sense. The Church ordained a certain day of the week when Christianity through the Holy Spirit came to Sunday as shared worship day…a day instituted for us to worship the Heavenly Father through Christ. This phenomena happened both with Jewish Nazarean followers of Christ and their descendants and the Gentiles in the various parts of the world.

The Protestants focus more on individual seeking the will of God above and come to their assemblies, but most are not bound.

The Catholic Church was given the authority to bind on earth as Christ’s institution, His bride on earth.

I don’t see the Catholic Church’s laws as a bunch of rules and regulations. If you are not centered on Jesus Christ through the Word and Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and living life in the Holy Spirit…Sunday Mass/Saturday vigil is your time to come to God in public witness. The Mass is a public event and it is the time we show witness to Christ while the rest of the world labors or rests.

About making demands on us, making expectations on us…Jesus said the kingdom is the pearl of Great Price…many are called but few are chosen…the road to hell is wide and easy, and it has been referred to as the life long struggle we endure in climbing the Mountain of the Lord. Being in His church carries His demands of the Gospel. We continue the attendance on Sunday set down by the earliest Christians continues on and is most significant sign …the Lord enduring us by calling us to common worship.

Going to Mass on Sundays is our public witness to the world and a contradiction.

 

[CMatt25]

Christians who don’t go to church ARE NOT Christians. It’s as simple and black and white as that.

Thanks for sharing your judgment of who is Christian. Certainly assembling together is a good thing and encouraged. However Christ does not make it as black and white as you do in regard to attendance. In Matt 25:35-46 He clearly judges those who serve Him by serving others as being righteous and obtaining eternal life with Him. No mention whatsoever that it is a mortal sin if you miss a Mass. Where 2 or 3 are gathered, there He is in their midst among them (Matt 18:20). That can be whereever 2 or 3 are gathered in service. Be it an Episcopal food pantry, an SDA hospital caring for the sick, etc. Not only in a Catholic Church. So if one serves Him in these ways and dies having unrepentantly missed a Mass, according to Him at least they shall still obtain eternal life. It is not making “excuses” to follow Him. Peace.

 

[CMatt25]

The Catholic Church was given the authority to bind on earth as Christ’s institution, His bride on earth.

I don’t see the Catholic Church’s laws as a bunch of rules and regulations. If you are not centered on Jesus Christ through the Word and Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and living life in the Holy Spirit…Sunday Mass/Saturday vigil is your time to come to God in public witness.

Perhaps but if this authority add or subtracts from His words it could be called straying. Sunday Mass/Sat vigil does no good for receiving the Eucharist when so many are kept from receiving Him despite what He clearly told us in Jn 6:37. He would turn away no one called to Him. Yet the Eucharist has no benefit for some who come when the CC does the exact opposite. God bless and peace.

 

[regression]

Perhaps but if this authority add or subtracts from His words it could be called straying. Sunday Mass/Sat vigil does no good for receiving the Eucharist when so many are kept from receiving Him despite what He clearly told us in Jn 6:37. He would turn away no one called to Him. Yet the Eucharist has no benefit for some who come when the CC does the exact opposite. God bless and peace.

And the Catholic church does not turn anyone away! If you are a Catholic in the state of moral sin, go to confession and you are welcome to go receive the Eucharist. If you are not a Catholic you are welcome to become a Catholic and receive the Eucharist.

 

[KathleenGee]

Cmatt…

You are Catholic but where are you really coming from? I won’t answer back as I am going to work now…

But I don’t think you are looking at the Church in the Holy Spirit as a proclaimed Catholic…but more as a big bad guy telling people what to do all the time…

 

[NoAvailableName]

I just skimmed this thread… does anyone have solid evidence that Catholics attend church more frequently or do people not think that is relevant to the discussion?

 

[4Squarebaby]

I just skimmed this thread… does anyone have solid evidence that Catholics attend church more frequently or do people not think that is relevant to the discussion?

Not revelent because the question is about an obligation to attend on Sunday, not attendance in itself. I will let sabbath keepers argue about the significance of Sunday

 

[KathleenGee]

I forgot to add another point…why we have Sunday as an obligation…

Sunday Mass is our identity as followers of Jesus…He said where 2 or 3 are gathered, He is present. We proclaim to the world that we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, Alpha and Omega.

Sunday Mass is where we initiate our identity as Christians to the world…we rise and go to meet the Lord while the world is laboring or following its own diversions.

We have expectations on us. We are being called to become better.

The final point is reflected in Catholic spirituality…Sin always begins with the self-will. Following Christ’s gospels through His Catholic Church calls us to do God’s will and not our own. We are called to a life of self-renunciation, not following our own whimsies…or becoming lukewarm.

 

[SnakeMauler]

It’s pretty much always a sin to not go to church. Given that many people spend their lives procrastinating, and doing things like, spending hours on the computer (even on this website) they can surely make time to go to church.

 

[CMatt25]

And the Catholic church does not turn anyone away! If you are a Catholic in the state of moral sin, go to confession and you are welcome to go receive the Eucharist. If you are not a Catholic you are welcome to become a Catholic and receive the Eucharist.

OK only those folks are told they can’t come forth and receive Christ.

 

[CMatt25]

Cmatt…

You are Catholic but where are you really coming from? I won’t answer back as I am going to work now…

But I don’t think you are looking at the Church in the Holy Spirit as a proclaimed Catholic…but more as a big bad guy telling people what to do all the time…

Kathleen, the main thing I tell ppl is if they adhere to the Christian faith then know it is Christ our Savior Whom is greater than any differences. He breaks down walls. And we are all united in Him. Christ made it simple. Believe in Him. Love. If we can, try to serve the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick. Be peacemakers. Christ was not about rules such as it’s a mortal sin if your particular bishop says to attend Mass on a Thurs Nov 1 and you don’t. Or He didn’t say you can’t receive Me even if you’re called unless first you do x, y, and z. At the most He said if you discern my Sacrifice for you on the cross and believe in Me, then receive. God bless and peace.

 

[KathleenGee]

CMatt25,

I essentially think the same but I also know and do share a few times that there is so much more waiting for them in the sacraments.

I don’t focus on the sin…I see the bishops asking us to give a mere 40 minutes to 1 hour a week solely for God. And I would think --not to demand such a thing for believers-- would be like a sin for a bishop.

We need holy days throughout the year to further sanctify the entire year…it is a sacrifice to go some times…but when we do go there, we are always thankful we did go and these times always sanctify our souls and help us to recall to be detached from the world and its comforts.

 

[jmcrae]

Am I right in stating the Catholic Church teaches that if a Catholic ignores this obligation of having to go to Mass on a Sunday and stays at home for what the Catholic Church might well define as “no good reason” that he or she would consequently be in a state of mortal sin after midnight on Sunday and would go straight to hell if he or she were to die in that state?

Curiously,
Mick

We can’t know for sure what would happen to them, but as for me, that’s one conversation I don’t want to have with Jesus, even if I would afterwards be admitted into Heaven.

I would hate to see the hurt look on His face, and hear Him say to me, “I invited you to my Supper, and I even gave you six possible sittings when you could come, and you didn’t care to come to any of them because of WHAT?” :bighanky:

 

[John_Pascendi]

It was Luther who entered the bit about…if it bothers your conscience…dont do it…etc…and thats when the domino theory happened.and Christianity has been fractured ever since…nothing appears to be a sin in the protestant churchs cept maybe treating Mary ,Jesus’ mom in a nice way etc etc. Its appears many Anglican churchs are returning to Rome over the same sex ordination concept and thus I guess the line has finally been crossed and thats a good sign. Human nature is complex and we really should exercise careful judgement in all things…but in faith,there are simply beliefs that we just cant full comprehend and should really bow our heads,make the sign of the cross and say I believe…I believe…Pas

 

[NoAvailableName]

nothing appears to be a sin in the protestant churchs cept maybe treating Mary ,Jesus’ mom in a nice way

Apparently, completely lying about and ridiculing Protestants is not a sin according to most Catholics here. Make such an inflammatory statement against homosexuals, and legions of PC Catholics will come to their defense. But very few Catholics seem to have problems making ludicrous statements against Protestants.