Do You have to Go to Church to Go to Heaven?
In this post, let us answer the question, “Do you have to go to church to go to heaven?” In other words, do you have to go to church to be saved? Is church attendance a requirement for salvation?
This question is just one of the issues Protestants or born-again Christians and Roman Catholics disagree on. Catholics say that one needs to go to church to be saved while born-again Christians say you don’t. Interestingly, both groups use the Bible to justify their beliefs.
So, who is right?
Salvation by Faith Alone?
A couple of weeks ago, I landed on a website that claims the church is vital for salvation. Matthew, the author, went on to explain with several Bible verses why going to church is a requirement for entering heaven.
Here is part of what he wrote:
“Protestant Christianity believes in the principle of salvation by faith alone. Many Protestants interpret this to mean: ‘I don’t need the church to get me to heaven. All I need to do is believe in Christ. End of.’
Catholics and Orthodox Christians think differently here. In fact, there are probably a lot of Protestant groups that also disagree with this attitude toward the church.
For the Catholic and Orthodox mindsets, we believe that the Church is VITAL for salvation. And so, in conclusion, do we have to go to church to go to heaven?
ABSOLUTELY!
The only exceptions to this strict rule would be people who cannot get to Church, because of illness or other important matters.
The Church offers the world the holy sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist, plus others. We cannot get to heaven without the Church.
The Church is so important, that Catholics are bound – on pain of mortal sin – to attend Mass every Sunday and every holy day of obligation (of which there is about 5 yearly).
God loves us so much that he commands this of us with the highest kind of force: we must go to Church weekly if we want to be saved and go to heaven.”
Refuting a Catholic on Salvation
First of all, I have yet to hear a Protestant or born-again Christian interpret salvation by faith alone the way Matthew did in his article.
My comment on his article:
“I appreciate your boldness in tackling this very controversial topic.
Indeed, many people are asking this question: Does one need to go to church to go to heaven?
The only place where we could find the answer to these questions is the Bible itself. If we believe that the Bible is the sole authority then there shouldn’t be any problem and we will arrive at the same answer.
Nowhere in the Bible does it say that one needs to go to church to go to heaven.
If there’s any verse, please quote it to me.
Salvation is by grace through faith alone in Christ Jesus, not by works so that no one could boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). What Christ has accomplished was all that’s needed to redeem sinful man.
I am not saying that the church is irrelevant. We go to church for fellowship, listen to the Word of God, and edify and encourage other believers.
Also, we are exhorted not “to forsake our gathering together, so much more as we see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
We go to church, get baptized, obey God’s command, and live according to God’s will. But we do all these not to gain passes to heaven or to be saved. God has already done the work for us to be saved.
Unfortunately, the author chose not to accept and publish my comment and noted the following reasons for rejecting it.
“God bless you, but I’m not happy to accept this comment on my site. I don’t wish to get into debates on my site between Protestants and Catholics in the comments, take care.”
Avoiding Debates
I do not mean to rant about him rejecting my comment. But when you publish a post like this on your website, you are already opening it up to debates. And you are not getting away with this that easily!
Just like when I published an article on the Difference between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day. Using Scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments, I pointed out bluntly why Sabbatarians are wrong in their belief.
I received a comment from a Sabbatarian telling me how I am gravely mistaken for saying we do not have to keep the Sabbath. She also said that she doubts if I would even accept and publish her comment as it could be damaging to my site. But I approved her comment and explained further why I do not agree with her.
Going back to Matthew’s rejection of my comment, I wrote another comment saying that if he is confident in what he and his church are teaching, there’s no need to shy away from opposing views.
Again, he refused to publish it. I guess, he just wanted comments that agree with his views. After all, his target audience is Roman Catholics based on his website’s name and URL.
I understand that as the owner of his website, he has full control over what people can read either in the posts or comments. I just wish he’d be more open to differing views and then explain why he is correct and the other party is wrong. It would have been an opportunity for him to defend his views and shed light on some of the supposed misconceptions about Catholic beliefs.
How Do We Get Saved?
If going to church does not save, how then does one get saved? How do you know you are going to heaven? As I said in my comment on Matthew’s article, the only place where to find the answer is the Word of God.
So, let us look at what the Scriptures say about salvation, receiving eternal life, or going to heaven.
Be Born Again to Enter Heaven
I think we all know the story of Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and ruler of the Jews, who came to Jesus by night. Without Nicodemus asking directly how to get to heaven, Jesus plainly said he had to be born again (John 3:1-7).
Think about this for a moment; Nicodemus was a Pharisee and as such he strictly observed traditional rabbinic laws. Yet he had no assurance of salvation. In essence, he was asking Jesus what else he had to do or stop doing to earn a ticket to heaven.
Jesus’ statement was imperative; there is nothing Nicodemus or you and I could do to gain entry to heaven. What we need to do is get born again and become a follower of Christ. But what did Jesus mean exactly when He said, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”?
May I refer you to these articles on this site:
Born Again: A New Religion
Nicodemus Transformed by Jesus
Salvation is by Grace through Faith
Ephesians 2:8-9 is just one of the passages that make explicit the truth of salvation by grace through faith alone in the Lord Jesus. Salvation is a gift from God; we do not deserve it nor can we earn it. I am pretty sure you have already heard many times that grace means “undeserved favor.”
The verse says salvation is not by works which simply means there is nothing you can do to earn it. Let me say it again; salvation is a gift from God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
And since it is a gift, all we have to do is receive it just like we do any gift that other people give to us.
For more on this, you can check out Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:16, and Titus 3:5.
Jesus is the Way to the Father in Heaven
Jesus’ statement in John 14:6 is also explicit. Thomas said they didn’t know where the Lord was going and asked how would they know. In response, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
God’s dwelling place is in heaven and Jesus said He was going back to the Father. If we can get to heaven by going to church, why did Jesus have to lead the way? Why did He have to leave His throne above, suffer and die at the hands of His creation just to redeem us from sin?
My Conversation with a Muslim
I am reminded of my conversation with a former colleague who was a Muslim while I was based in the Middle East. Muslims believe that your final destiny after your life here on earth depends on your works. In other words, they believe in work-based salvation.
To qualify for heaven where Allah is, your good deeds would have to outweigh your bad deeds. This means you’ll never know while you are alive if you are going to heaven when you die or not. All they can do is keep earning good points by following strictly the five pillars of Islam.
I said to my colleague that there are only two places where man will go after life on earth – heaven or hell. If she wanted assurance into heaven she would have to confess Christ as her Lord and accept His gift of salvation. This is because Jesus is the way to heaven; not one of the ways but the only way.
She got mad and started yelling, “So, you are sending me to hell?” To which I replied, “Going to hell is a choice and a personal decision. It’s not God’s will that anyone should perish in hell that is why He sent His Son to suffer and die for us. Would you accept His gift of salvation?”
She got pissed all the more so I had to shut up.
The Role of the Church
If going to church does not save, what then is its role in the Christian life?
First of all, the church can refer to the building where we gather for worship or the people of God. That’s right; you, me, and we are the “church.” But for this particular post, I will be referencing the building as the church.
As I said to Matthew, going to church is necessary because this is where we serve God and our fellow believers in Jesus. The church is where we are trained for service and ministry (Ephesians 4:12). We go to church to praise and worship the Lord and hear God’s Word. The church is where we learn the fundamental doctrines of Christianity and also where we observe the Lord’s Supper.
When we got born again, we were adopted into God’s family and became part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). As members of God’s family, we are to encourage and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11-15).
So I say the church, our spiritual family, plays a vital role in our spiritual growth. Perhaps, it’s also in the church where you first heard the Good News of salvation. Praise the Lord for the church!
Conclusion
Just as baptism does not save, going to church does not contribute to one’s salvation.
It is only through the finished works of Christ that salvation became available to anyone. The Bible makes it clear that we are not saved by doing good works.
Rather, we gain entry to heaven because of what Christ has accomplished on the cross. Jesus, who is God, came to live as a perfect human being, submitted to the will of God and redeemed us from sin.
This is why when Jesus breathed His last, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). In essence, Jesus signaled the end of the Jewish sacrificial system and paid for all our sins.
But this does not mean we are to neglect to go to church. Just because we are already enjoying God’s gift of eternal life, we don’t need the church.
The church is our spiritual family and we are to care for it even more than our physical family.
Have you received God’s gift of eternal life by acknowledging you’re a sinner in need of salvation? Why don’t you do it right now? Confess your sins to God, receive His forgiveness, and surrender your life to Him as your Lord and Savior.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission when you use any links on this page to make a purchase, but at no additional cost to you.
Recommended Resource:
The Doctrine of Salvation: By Grace Through Faith, the Gift of God by Dave Hunt and T. A. McMahon
GUARANTEED to be OUT OF THIS WORLD—Salvation is truly “the gift that keeps on giving”—not only in this life but for all eternity.
It is called “the gift of God,” but what did it really cost? How can we possibly receive so rich a reward? And is there any danger that such an invaluable treasure can be lost or stolen?
This delightful little volume features 50 daily readings on the Doctrine of Salvation—a wealth of Scripture knowledge describing God’s invaluable gift to the world.
Mined from the media vault of Search the Scriptures Daily radio broadcast and condensed into a convenient devotional format, this treasure chest of biblical insights by Dave Hunt and T. A. McMahon is artfully arranged as a string of precious pearls, interspersed with devotional prayers, hymns, and heartfelt reflection.
In these pages, readers will find genuine hope of their blessed assurance and discover (or rediscover) the joy of their salvation in this life—sealed by God’s Solid Rock guarantee. “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.” —2 Samuel 22:47