John 3:16

"Try as hard as I might, I can't find the verse that says watching church at home takes away your salvation and makes Jesus upset."

IF A MAN living in remote Slobobia gets saved by watching a video on a cell phone but then never goes to church, he will one day walk the streets of heaven and wave as he walks by. Jesus is his entrance. If a woman in Detroit was saved as a girl and now watches Sunday services from her computer chair, she will also walk the streets of heaven and wave. Jesus is her entrance.

Try as hard as I might, I can't find the verse that says watching church at home takes away your salvation and makes Jesus upset.

In fact, the Spirit once told me there are many who serve Him who will never darken a church door. This should make you sit up and ask why.

The better question is, when we ask Jesus to live in our heart, that being the question, and we believe He died on the cross and rose again, the Word says then He comes to live in us with the Holy Spirit and never leaves. It's not contingent on church affiliation, denomination, or attendance. It's not reliant upon whether we heard about Jesus in person, on mobile phone, or an iPad. Technology is actually not part of salvation.

So okay, to include the most misunderstood verse about church attendance, Hebrews 10:25 does say, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is." But in that day, if you didn’t go to church, you didn't hear the sermon. There were no computers or cell phones. Or books teaching the gospel. Or the Bible in a leather cover with a red silk bookmark. Plus, idol worship was huge, including in the Roman world.

What does Matthew 24:14 say, keeping in mind these are the words of Jesus: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." In that day, you had to sail there to preach the good news or had to write letters like Paul did. Plus, there was no Good Ol' USA, or any other North American country. They did not know who all lived around the world. All that to say, it is technology which we use for God which enables the story of Jesus to reach all the world so that the end will come.

Insert here, Minister Lance Wallnau and his word from God about the 7 mountains. In case you are unfamiliar, these are the key ways humans communicate, and what was revealed to Minister Wallnau is that the church as the body of Christ, looking and sounding like Christ and not the world, is supposed to be first in these areas, which include entertainment, politics, and finance.

All of that to say, Jesus saves in person, by cell phone, or the computer and, I will add also, that the Holy Spirit writes books. Many books full of the Anointed Word. They do not replace the Bible but are of immense help when King James is not speaking good English. Which is frequently. They also aid in understanding Hebrew and Greek, as well as modern thoughts and prophecy not directly in the Bible. Widening this idea, the Holy Spirit writes many genres of music. People have a wide variety of tastes. It is not a sin to sing softly in French or to dance to Jesus with a folk tune, or freestyle with a kid who did not die in the ghetto. It is not a sin to dislike what other people enjoy, but it is a sin to criticize them either publicly or under your breath when you are offended. People are why Jesus gave His life. They are NOT our example of behavior or the brunt of our jokes.

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” (Matthew 24:10)

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:” (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

And Jesus healed them all (Matthew 12:15). Regardless of age, spiritual understanding, upbringing, or why they were sick. He healed a Roman centurion's servant, a Syro-Phoenician woman's daughter (Mark 7:26), lepers who were unclean under the Law. He forgave a Samaritan woman who'd had five husbands and was living with number six, unwed. He protected a woman caught in adultery. He forgave the thief beside Him on the cross and required nothing of him. It wasn't possible for that thief to attend synagogue or attend discipleship classes anyway. He was justifiably condemned for his crimes. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors, and the church called him a glutton and a drunk (Matthew 11:19).

“From then on, Jesus began explaining to his disciples that he must face the church leaders in Jerusalem, suffer many abuses at the hands of the church elders, pastors, priests, church administrators and lawyers, and that they would kill him, but on the third day after his death he would arise to life.” (Matthew 16:21, Remedy)

If God was picky about salvation — who, how, why —then half of heaven would be empty. Rules to obey for forgiveness were Old Covenant Law. The only rule now is "I'm sorry, God," and "Jesus save me." That's it. God will go anywhere to save anyone and loves us however we attend church, wherever we live. Our hearts should embrace people just like He does and be just as excited, otherwise we miss the meaning of John 3:16.

Hear “Story I Tell” by Micah Taylor

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com